James David Hill (May 20, 1937 – September 27, 2011) was an American professional golfer. He was the brother of Mike Hill who was also a professional golfer.
Career In 1937, Hill was born in Jackson, Michigan. He attended the University of Detroit, where he played on the golf team. Hill won 13 times on the PGA Tour, three of which came during his career year of 1969, when he also won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average. He was a member of the United States Ryder Cup team in 1969, 1973, and 1977.
Hill was known for his quick wit and biting sarcasm, and was sometimes referred to as "the Don Rickles of the golf tour". He frequently led the tour in fines and was once suspended for two months after he deliberately broke his putter on national television. At the 1966 Thunderbird Classic, Hill signed his second round scorecard that included a score of 108 on the 18th hole. Hill played in the acrimonious 1969 Ryder Cup that ended in a 16–16 tie when Jack Nicklaus made his famous "concession" of a short but missable putt to Tony Jacklin on the 18th green in the final match.
In 1970, Hill had his best finish in a major championship. He finished in solo second place at the 1970 U.S. Open played at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota.
In 1987, Hill joined the Senior PGA Tour (now the Champions Tour). He won six tournaments on that tour. Hill had a cameo appearance in the movie, Now You See Him, Now You Don't.
Controversies Hill finished runner-up at the 1970 U.S. Open. What gained him the most notoriety, though, was not his excellent play but his criticisms of the golf course. In the middle of the championship, before the third round, Hill was fined $150 by Joe Dey Jr., commissioner of the Tournament Players Division of the PGA of America, for "criticism that tends to ridicule and demean the club".
When first asked what he thought of the golf course, he said "I'm still looking for it". When asked what Hazeltine needed, he retorted, "Hazeltine really did lack only 80 acres of corn and a few cows. They ruined a good farm when they built this course". Hill was far from alone among the pros in his criticism of Hazeltine, which had to be extensively redesigned before getting a chance to host another men's major, again the U.S. Open, in 1991. Afterward, Hill claimed to have paid a farmer cash to borrow his tractor. If he had won the 1970 U.S. Open, Hill planned to ride the tractor out onto the golf course as he hoisted the trophy.
Another controversy involving Hill started in 1971. At the 1971 Colonial National Invitation, Hill shot rounds of 77-85 to miss the cut. On his last hole, Hill threw a ball out of a sand trap. Hill was disqualified but it was for his signing a scorecard with an incorrect score on it. When Hill went to play in his next tournament, the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic, Hill was told he was being fined $500 for conduct unbecoming a professional golfer. Hill was required to pay the fine before teeing it up in the tournament. He did so but less than a week later, Hill filed a one-million dollar anti-trust suit against the PGA Tour. In response, the tour put Hill on probation for one year. Hill then increased the amount of damages he was seeking to three-million dollars. The litigation was resolved out of court in less than a year and Hill was taken off probation.
Late in 1971 Hill played some events in Australia. He had a "series of verbal clashes" with Australian golfer Peter Thomson at the Wills Masters. The following week Hill and Thomson played the Australian Open and were paired together in the first round. The "cold war" between the two players continued as neither offered to shake the other man's hand at the beginning of the round. Through the round both did not communicate much to each other but did occasionally congratulate the other golfer when he hit a good shot. In 1974, he had made a comment about playing in the Houston Open to "get even" with the Houston Golf Association, as he apparently was refused permission by executive director John Davis to withdraw from the tournament a year earlier, which saw him rush to travel to Houston to play one round before withdrawing. He made a dramatic comeback to shoot seven-under-par 65 on the final round (for a total of −12) to win by a stroke before expressing his dislike about talking to the press.
At the 1991 Transamerica Senior Golf Championship, Hill got into a fight on the driving range with J. C. Snead. Snead was hitting shots across the range, the balls rolling near a spot where Hill was practicing. Hill yelled at Snead, then grabbed a club and came after his much bigger adversary. After punching and wrestling their way to the ground, they were separated by other players and caddies.
Personal life Hill died on September 27, 2011, in Jackson, Michigan, after spending the last few years of his life battling emphysema.
Professional wins (24) PGA Tour wins (13) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Feb 19, 1961Home of the Sun Open−11 (69-66-69-65=269)Playoff Tommy Bolt, Bud Sullivan2Sep 10, 1961Denver Open Invitational −21 (63-64-67-69=263)6 strokes Bob Goalby, Art Wall Jr.3Jul 14, 1963Hot Springs Open Invitational −11 (69-70-70-68=277)Playoff Mike Souchak4Jun 4, 1967Memphis Open Invitational−8 (65-66-68-73=272)2 strokes Johnny Pott5Jun 1, 1969Memphis Open Invitational (2)−15 (67-67-66-65=265)2 strokes Lee Elder6Jul 6, 1969Buick Open Invitational−11 (68-68-71-70=277)2 strokes Frank Beard7Jul 20, 1969IVB-Philadelphia Golf Classic−9 (71-71-68-69=279)Playoff Gay Brewer, Tommy Jacobs, R. H. Sikes8May 31, 1970Danny Thomas Memphis Classic (3)−13 (63-69-67-68=267)3 strokes Frank Beard, Homero Blancas, Bob Charles 9Apr 16, 1972Monsanto Open−13 (64-68-68-71=271)1 stroke Jerry Heard 10May 20, 1973Danny Thomas Memphis Classic (4)−5 (68-69-74-72=283)1 stroke Allen Miller, Lee Trevino11May 12, 1974Houston Open−12 (70-67-74-65=276)1 stroke Rod Curl, Steve Melnyk, Andy North12Sep 28, 1975Sahara Invitational−14 (68-66-67-69=270)Playoff Rik Massengale 13Jul 4, 1976Greater Milwaukee Open−18 (66-67-68-69=270)3 strokes John Jacobs
PGA Tour playoff record (4–2) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11961Home of the Sun Open Tommy Bolt, Bud SullivanWon with birdie on third extra hole21963Hot Springs Open Invitational Mike SouchakWon with par on second extra hole31969IVB-Philadelphia Golf Classic Gay Brewer, Tommy Jacobs, R. H. SikesWon with birdie on first extra hole41969Greater Hartford Open Bob LunnLost to birdie on fourth extra hole51972Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open Tommy Aaron, George ArcherArcher won 18-hole playoff;Archer: −5 (66),Aaron: −3 (68),Hill: −3 (68) 61975Sahara Invitational Rik MassengaleWon with par on first extra hole
Other wins (5) this list may be incomplete 1959 Michigan Open 1971 Colorado Open 1976 Colorado Open 1977 Colorado Open 1981 Colorado Open
Senior PGA Tour wins (6) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1Nov 22, 1987Fairfield Barnett Senior Classic−14 (68-66-68=202)5 strokes Lee Elder, Al Geiberger2Jan 17, 1988MONY Senior Tournament of Champions −5 (68-72-71=211)1 stroke Miller Barber, Al Geiberger3Aug 14, 1988MONY Syracuse Senior Classic −16 (68-64-68=206)5 strokes Butch Baird, Bobby Nichols4Sep 25, 1988PaineWebber Invitational−10 (68-68-70=206)1 stroke Bruce Crampton5May 14, 1989Bell Atlantic/St. Christopher's Classic −4 (72-68-66=206)Playoff Chi-Chi Rodríguez6Aug 13, 1989Rancho Murieta Senior Gold Rush−11 (69-70-68=207)1 stroke Orville Moody
Senior PGA Tour playoff record (1–1) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11989GTE Suncoast Classic Bob Charles, Jim Ferree, Harold HenningCharles won with birdie on third extra holeHill and Ferree eliminated by birdie on first hole21989Bell Atlantic/St. Christopher's Classic Chi-Chi Rodríguez Won with par on third extra hole
Other senior wins (1) 1988 Mazda Champions (with Colleen Walker)
Results in major championships Tournament196119621963196419651966196719681969Masters TournamentT50T24U.S. OpenT51WDCUTT22T18T16T13The Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipCUTT17CUTT11T17T15 Tournament1970197119721973197419751976197719781979Masters TournamentT5T27CUTT37T117T15T39T45CUTU.S. Open2CUTT29CUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipT18PGA ChampionshipT68T6WDCUTT3T7T22T48T50
CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1964 PGA Championship) WD = withdrew "T" indicates a tie for a place
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 0 0 1 2 5 12 10U.S. Open 0 1 0 1 1 5 12 7The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1PGA Championship 0 0 1 1 3 8 15 11Totals 0 1 1 3 6 19 40 29 Most consecutive cuts made – 1 (1966 U.S. Open – 1971 Masters) Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (1974 PGA – 1975 PGA)
U.S. national team appearances Professional Ryder Cup: 1969 (tied, cup retained), 1973 (winners), 1977 (winners)
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