Nichols, Bobby

Golf Professional

Bobby Nichols was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He was seriously injured in an auto accident as a teenager and spent 96 days in the hospital recovering. He persevered to play competitive golf at the highest levels, first as a high school champion, then as a college player at Texas A&M where the legendary Bear Bryant offers bobby a football scholarship. He started on the Tour in 1960 and had 15 professional wins including 12 PGA Tour victories and 1 win on the Senior Tour. Bobby won the 1964 PGA Championship at Columbus CC, leading wire-to-wire and playing with Ben Hogan in the final round. In 1975, Bobby, along with Lee Trevino, Jerry Heard and others were struck by lightning while playing in the Western Open at Butler National GC near Chicago. Bobby made 36 of his first 38 cuts in majors but never traveled to the UK for the British Open. He participated in the 1967 Ryder Cup at Champions GC playing for Captain Ben Hogan. His Bobby Nichols Fiddlesticks Charity Foundation has raised millions for local children's charities in SW Florida.

Aug. 23, 2024

Bobby Nichols - Part 3 (Lighting, the Majors and Ryder Cup)

Bobby Nichols, winner of the 1964 PGA Championship, looks back on his later Tour wins and that fateful day in 1975 when lightning struck at the Western Open. Bobby recounts his close calls in the majors and his regret at not playing the British Open. He recalls his 1967 Ryder Cup experience with Captain Ben Hogan when Arnold Palmer was benched on the first day, presumably because he "buzzed" the golf course with his private jet during a practice round. After a brief look at his Senior Tour Caree...

Guest: Nichols, Bobby

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Aug. 23, 2024

Bobby Nichols - Part 2 (Early Tour Wins and the 1964 PGA)

Bobby Nichols recounts his early PGA Tour wins, several of which Bruce Devlin later won including the site of their first victories, the St. Petersburg O pen. Bobby takes us back to his 1964 PGA Championship at Columbus CC where he played the final round with Ben Hogan and secured a wire-to-wire win, setting a scoring record that was to stand for thirty years. He gratefully remembers his relationship with Firestone CC as their Head Professional and remembers winning the 1964 Carling World Open a...

Guest: Nichols, Bobby

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Aug. 23, 2024

Bobby Nichols - Part 1 (The Early Years)

Major championship winner Bobby Nichols tells us about learning the game, as a young man in Louisville, Kentucky, while caddying for $1.00 a loop. Hoping to be the next Johnny Unitas playing high school football, Bobby was in a horrific auto crash that put him in the hospital for 96 days. With the help of an inspirational letter from Ben Hogan, he not only survived but was awarded a college football scholarship by Bear Bryant to attend Texas A&M University. With no ability to continue in contact...

Guest: Nichols, Bobby

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