Julius Boros: The Calm Champion Who Changed Golf History
Discover the inspiring story of Julius Boros, the legendary golfer known for his smooth swing, major championship victories, and lasting impact on the PGA Tour.
Jul 27, 202556.8K Shares779.2K Views
Julius Nicolas Boros was born on March 3, 1920, in Fairfield, Connecticut, into a family of Hungarian background. He began working as a caddie at the Greenfield Hill Country Club when he was around 11 years old, carrying bags and watching experienced players on the course.
After high school, Boros studied at the Junior College of Connecticut and played varsity baseball in college. Alongside his studies, he worked as an accountant while playing competitive amateur golf at a high level. He stayed an amateur until 1949, turning professional at age 29 after nearly a decade of balancing work and serious golf.
Professional Career
Julius Borosturned professional in 1949 at age 29. Over his career, he won 18 PGA Tour tournaments, including three major championships. He claimed the 1952 U.S. Open, the 1963 U.S. Open, and the 1968 PGA Championship, making him one of a very few golfers to win majors spread over more than a decade.
His 1952 U.S. Open title came at Northwood Club in Dallas, where he finished four shots ahead of his closest competitor. That win marked his first PGA Tour victory and came in strong heat and pressure. Eleven years later, he won his second U.S. Open in a playoff against Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit at Brookline, completing the championship with a calm and winning round. At age 48, he won the 1968 PGA Championship at Pecan Valley Golf Club in San Antonio, becoming the oldest player ever to win a major, a record that stood until 2021.
Aside from his three majors, Boros picked up fifteen other PGA Tour victories, including big events like the Colonial National Invitation, World Championship of Golf (twice), and Buick Open, among others. He was named PGA Player of the Year in 1952 and 1963, and led the money list in 1952 and 1955.
Boros also played on four U.S. Ryder Cup teams (1959, 1963, 1965, 1967), making significant contributions to the national team during those years. In his later years, he helped launch the Senior PGA Tour by winning the 1979 Legends of Golf event (with Roberto De Vicenzo), a famous sudden-death playoff that sparked the start of organized senior competition. He also won the PGA Seniors’ Championship twice, in 1971 and 1977.
Julius Boros’s measured, relaxed style and soft yet powerful swing made him famous for his motto “swing easy, hit hard.” He was known for his efficient pace of play and excellent short game, never taking a practice swing and always remaining composed under pressure.
In total, his professional record includes 25 official wins—18 on the PGA Tour, 4 other professional titles (like regional opens), and 3 senior titles. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982 in recognition of his lasting impact on the sport.
Professional Wins
Julius Boros achieved a total of 25 official professional wins. He earned 18 victories on the PGA Tour, including three major championships: the 1952 U.S. Open, the 1963 U.S. Open, and the 1968 PGA Championship. His first PGA Tour win came in June 1952 at the U.S. Open held at Northwood Club in Dallas, where he finished four strokes ahead of Ed Oliver.
Over the next decade and a half, Boros added several significant wins. Notable titles include the World Championship of Golf in both 1952 and 1955, the Ardmore Open and Carling Open in 1954, the Arlington Hotel Open and Carling Open Invitational in 1958, and the Dallas Open Invitational in 1959. In 1960, he won the Colonial National Invitation, then again in 1963, alongside victories at the Buick Open Invitational that year. In 1964, he won the Greater Greensboro Open, and in 1967, captured the Phoenix Open Invitational, Florida Citrus Open Invitational, and Buick Open Invitational.
The highlight came in July 1968 when 48-year-old Boros won the PGA Championship at Pecan Valley Golf Club in San Antonio. He finished at 281 (+1), one shot ahead of Bob Charles and Arnold Palmer, becoming the oldest major winner in history at that time. Just a month later, in August 1968, he earned his final PGA Tour title at the Westchester Classic, with a one-stroke victory.
Beyond the PGA Tour, Boros claimed additional titles, including the 1951 Massachusetts Open, the 1956 and 1964 Carolinas PGA Championships, and the 1979 South Florida PGA Championship. On the senior circuit, he added three more wins: the PGA Seniors’ Championship in 1971 and 1977, and the 1979 Legends of Golf, which he won alongside Roberto De Vicenzo in a sudden-death playoff that helped launch the modern Champions Tour.
In total, Boros’s professional record includes 25 official wins—18 on the PGA Tour, four other professional titles, and three senior victories. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1982 for his lasting impact on golf.
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