View source for Hugh Royer Jr.

{{Short description|American professional golfer (1936–2014)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name              = Hugh Royer Jr.
| image             = Hugh Royer Jr.jpg
| imagesize         = <!-- e.g. 250px (default is 200px) -->
| caption           = Royer in 1964
| fullname          = William Hugh Royer Jr.
| nickname          =
| birth_date        = {{Birth date|1936|8|19}}
| birth_place       = [[Eastman, Georgia]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|2014|9|12|1936|8|19}}
| death_place       = [[Columbus, Georgia]], U.S.
| height            = {{height|ft=6|in=3}}
| weight            = {{convert|197|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}
| sporting_nationality = {{USA}}
| residence         =
| spouse            =
| partner           =
| children          =
| college           = [[University of Georgia]]
| yearpro           = 1959
| extour            = [[PGA Tour]]
| prowins           = 7
| pgawins           = 1
| otherwins         = 6
| majorwins         = <!-- Number of Major Championship wins -->
| masters           = DNP
| usopen            = T22: 1968
| open              = DNP
| pga               = T48: 1970
| wghofid           = <!-- World Golf Hall of Fame member ID -->
| wghofyear         = <!-- World Golf Hall of Fame year inducted -->
| award1            = <!-- Achievement or award details -->
| year1             = <!-- Year(s) of achievement or award -->
| award2            =
| year2             =
| awardssection     = <!-- location of awards page or section -->
}}
'''William Hugh Royer Jr.''' (August 19, 1936&nbsp;– September 12, 2014<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://golfweek.com/news/2014/sep/16/hugh-royer-jr-78-dies-pga-tour-western-open-winner/ |title=Royer Jr., 78, won Western Open during Tour career |magazine=Golfweek |date=September 16, 2014}}</ref>) was an American [[professional golfer]] who played on the [[PGA Tour]] in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.
Royer was born in [[Eastman, Georgia]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Elliott |first1=Len |first2=Barbara |last2=Kelly |title=Who's Who in Golf |year=1976 |publisher=Arlington House |location=New Rochelle, New York |isbn=0-87000-225-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/whoswhoingolf00elli/page/165 165] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/whoswhoingolf00elli/page/165 }}</ref> During his youth, his family moved to [[Columbus, Georgia]], where he learned the game of [[golf]] from [[Fred Haskins]] and Charlie Harper at the Columbus Country Club. He attended the [[University of Georgia]] in [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]] where his love for the sport of golf was further nurtured by the legendary coach [[Howell Hollis]].<ref name="GGHoF">{{cite web |title=Biographical information from Georgia Golf Hall of Fame |url=http://www.gghof.org/index.php/members/detail/hugh_royer_jr |access-date=December 20, 2015}}</ref> While a student at [[University of Georgia|Georgia]], Royer was a standout basketball player and captain of the golf team.<ref name="CSUHoF">{{cite web |title=Biographical information from Columbus State University Athletic Hall of Fame |url=http://www.cougarball.com/member/royerjr.htm |access-date=October 12, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060226135221/http://www.cougarball.com/member/royerjr.htm |archive-date=2006-02-26}}</ref> He graduated with a [[Bachelor of Science]] in Education (B.S.Ed.) degree in 1959.
In 1958, he won the Georgia State Amateur and the [[Southern Amateur]] tournaments. He turned pro in 1959 and won the St. Charles Open in his first pro event. Royer won one PGA Tour event, the biggest win of his career, at the 1970 [[Western Open]], then considered to be one of the most prestigious non-major tournaments in men's professional golf. His best finish in a [[Men's major golf championships|major]] was T-22 at the 1968 [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Hugh Royer Jr |website=Golf Major Championships |url=http://golfmajorchampionships.com/players?player=914 |access-date=January 9, 2008}}</ref> He spent 14 years playing on the PGA Tour.
Like most professional golfers of his generation, Royer earned his living primarily as a club pro as very few could afford the [[PGA Tour|Tour]] full-time. He was head pro at [[Callaway Gardens]] from 1960 to 1966. Later, he was head pro at Bull Creek Golf Club in [[Columbus, Georgia|Columbus]]. Royer served as president of the Georgia PGA and was honored as Georgia Golf Professional of the Year in 1983. He was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in January 1989.<ref name="GGHoF"/>
Royer also coached golf at [[Columbus State University]]. During his tenure as Associate Coach, the Cougars of Columbus State won five [[NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships|NCAA Division II titles]].<ref name="CSUHoF"/>
Royer lived in Columbus, Georgia. His son, [[Hugh Royer III]], is a professional golfer with multiple wins on the [[Nike Tour]].
==Amateur wins==
*1958 Georgia State Amateur, [[Southern Amateur]]
==Professional wins (7)==
===PGA Tour wins (1)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|Jun 14, [[1970 PGA Tour|1970]]
|[[Western Open]]
|−11 (67-65-72-69=273)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Dale Douglass]]
|}
===Other wins (6)===
*1959 St. Charles Open
*1963 [[Georgia PGA Championship]]
*1964 [[Georgia PGA Championship]]
*1968 [[Georgia Open]]
*1983 Atlanta Open
*1989 Georgia Senior Open
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royer, Hugh Jr.}}
[[Category:American male golfers]]
[[Category:Georgia Bulldogs men's golfers]]
[[Category:PGA Tour golfers]]
[[Category:College golf coaches in the United States]]
[[Category:Golfers from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:People from Eastman, Georgia]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Columbus, Georgia]]
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]