Introduction
William R. Collins (September 23, 1928 – April 8, 2006) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s and the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.
Collins was born in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania and grew up in Baltimore, Maryland.
Collins joined the PGA Tour in 1958 and won four events between 1959 and 1962. His first victory came at the 1959 Greater New Orleans Open Invitational by two strokes (280) over Jack Burke, Jr., Tom Nieporte and Gene Littler. In 1960, Collins finished in a three-way tie for first at the end of regulation at the Insurance City Open, which he and Jack Fleck lost in a playoff to Arnold Palmer. His best finishes in major championships were T-7 at The Masters in 1961 and a solo 7th-place finish at the 1964 U.S. Open. He was a member of the victorious 1961 Ryder Cup team.
Collins was forced to quit the Tour after back surgery in 1963. In 1965, he took a club pro job at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, New York and remained there until December 1981. He joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1982 and won the Greater Syracuse Senior's Pro Golf Classic in his first full season.
Collins died in Woodstock, Georgia at the age of 77.
Professional wins (7)
PGA Tour wins (4)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 9, 1959 | Greater New Orleans Open Invitational | –8 (68-72-70-70=280) | 2 strokes |  Jack Burke, Jr., Gene Littler, Tom Nieporte |
| 2 | May 2, 1960 | Houston Classic | –8 (66-71-68-75=280) | Playoff | Arnold Palmer |
| 3 | May 22, 1960 | Hot Springs Open Invitational | –13 (68-70-68-69=275) | 3 strokes | Pete Cooper |
| 4 | Jul 8, 1962 | Buick Open Invitational | –4 (70-71-71-72=284) | 1 stroke | Dave Ragan |
PGA Tour playoff record (1–3)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1960 | Phoenix Open Invitational | Jack Fleck | Lost 18-hole playoff (Fleck:68, Collins:71) |
| 2 | 1960 | Houston Classic | Arnold Palmer | Won 18-hole playoff (Collins:69, Palmer:71) |
| 3 | 1960 | Insurance City Open | Jack Fleck, Arnold Palmer | Palmer won with birdie on third extra hole Collins eliminated with birdie on first hole |
| 4 | 1962 | Hot Springs Open Invitational |   Al Johnston | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
Other wins (2)
- 1956 Metropolitan PGA Championship
- 1975 Metropolitan PGA Championship
Senior PGA Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 22, 1982 | Greater Syracuse Senior's Pro Golf Classic | +1 (73-71-71-70=285) | 1 stroke |  Guy Wolstenholme |