Johnny Goodman

Johnny G. Goodman (December 28, 1909 – August 8, 1970) was the last amateur golfer to win the U.S. Open, doing so in 1933; he also won the U.S. Amateur in 1937.

Goodman was born in South Omaha, Nebraska in 1909, to Lithuanian immigrants. He was orphaned at the age of 14 when his mother died after giving birth to her 13th child and his father abandoned the family. He won the Omaha city championship in 1925; four years later, he won the first of three consecutive Nebraska Amateur titles. He won the Trans-Mississippi Amateur three times (1927, 1931, and 1935).

Goodman did not turn professional until 1960; he supported himself throughout his career by selling insurance. There is a [http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/parks/golf/Goodmangolf/goodmangolf.htm golf course] in Omaha named after him.

Results in major championships

{| cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" border="1" style="font-size: 95%; border: #aaa solid 1px; border-collapse: collapse;"
- bgcolor="#eeeeee"!align="left"|Tournament!1940!1941!1942!1943!1944!1945!1946
-
Masters Tournament
align="center"|DNP
align="center"|DNP
align="center"|DNP
align="center"|NT
align="center"|NT
align="center"|NT
align="center"|DNP
-
U.S. Open
align="center"|CUT
align="center"|CUT
align="center"|NT
align="center"|NT
align="center"|NT
align="center"|NT
align="center"|CUTNote: Goodman never played in the British Open or the PGA Championship.

NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10

External links

* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/01/AR2006060101553.html "Washington Post" review of "The King of Swings: Johnny Goodman, the Last Amateur to Beat the Pros at Their Own Game"]