Named for his paternal grandfather, Bobby Jones was born Robert Tyre Jones
Jr. on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1902 in Atlanta, Georgia. The only son of
Colonel Robert P. Jones, a prominent Atlanta lawyer, and his wife Clara.
At age six, he won his first tournament against three other children at East
Lake. At nine, he won the Atlanta Athletic Club junior title, defeating a
16-year-old opponent. When he was 13, he won an invitational tournament at
Roebuck Country Club in Birmingham, AlabamaOver the next two years, Jones
continued to mature both personally and as a player, developing the character
he would need to win his first championship. In the 1923 U.S. Open at Inwood
Country Club in New York. Between 1923 and 1930, Jones dominated the game
of golf, winning at least one national championship every year and 13 of 21
major championships he entered. just over a month after winning the grand slam
he retired at the age of 28.
In 1942, at the age of 40, Jones was commissioned a captain in the U.S. Army Air
Corps, intent on doing his part to support the war effort. He later served as an
intelligence officer with the U.S. 9th Air Corps, but his unit was converted to
infantry and landed at Normandy on D–Day plus one. After spending two days under
intense enemy fire, Jones remained in Europe for several months before returning
from the war as a Lieutenant Colonel. Later in life, Jones would speak little
about his experiences in the war, deflecting the subject in much the same way as
he deflected people’s efforts to get him to talk about his exploits in golf.
In 1948, Jones would come face to face with the greatest challenge of his life.
Suffering from severe back and neck pain, tests showed he had bone growths on
three cervical vertebrae. Eventually, he was diagnosed with syringomyelia, a
rare and degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Paralysis first
required Jones to use a cane, then leg braces, and finally a wheelchairOn December
18, 1971, golfers on the Old Course at St. Andrews stopped play as
the flag on the clubhouse in front of the 18th hole was lowered to half–staff.
The legendary Bobby Jones was dead at the age of 69.
Jr. on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1902 in Atlanta, Georgia. The only son of
Colonel Robert P. Jones, a prominent Atlanta lawyer, and his wife Clara.
At age six, he won his first tournament against three other children at East
Lake. At nine, he won the Atlanta Athletic Club junior title, defeating a
16-year-old opponent. When he was 13, he won an invitational tournament at
Roebuck Country Club in Birmingham, AlabamaOver the next two years, Jones
continued to mature both personally and as a player, developing the character
he would need to win his first championship. In the 1923 U.S. Open at Inwood
Country Club in New York. Between 1923 and 1930, Jones dominated the game
of golf, winning at least one national championship every year and 13 of 21
major championships he entered. just over a month after winning the grand slam
he retired at the age of 28.
In 1942, at the age of 40, Jones was commissioned a captain in the U.S. Army Air
Corps, intent on doing his part to support the war effort. He later served as an
intelligence officer with the U.S. 9th Air Corps, but his unit was converted to
infantry and landed at Normandy on D–Day plus one. After spending two days under
intense enemy fire, Jones remained in Europe for several months before returning
from the war as a Lieutenant Colonel. Later in life, Jones would speak little
about his experiences in the war, deflecting the subject in much the same way as
he deflected people’s efforts to get him to talk about his exploits in golf.
In 1948, Jones would come face to face with the greatest challenge of his life.
Suffering from severe back and neck pain, tests showed he had bone growths on
three cervical vertebrae. Eventually, he was diagnosed with syringomyelia, a
rare and degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Paralysis first
required Jones to use a cane, then leg braces, and finally a wheelchairOn December
18, 1971, golfers on the Old Course at St. Andrews stopped play as
the flag on the clubhouse in front of the 18th hole was lowered to half–staff.
The legendary Bobby Jones was dead at the age of 69.