Introduction
John Francis Pott (born November 6, 1935) is an American professional golfer.
Pott was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and reared in southern Mississippi, where he learned to play golf on the course where his father was the club professional. He played collegiately at Louisiana State University, helping the Tigers win the NCAA Championship in 1955.
Pott turned pro in 1956. He won five times on the PGA Tour in the 1960s. He was a member of three Ryder Cup teams; 1963, 1965, and 1967 although he injured his back in 1965 and did not play. His best finish in a major was T-5 at the 1961 PGA Championship.
As his tour playing days were winding down, Pott became involved in the golf course design and golf services business with fellow former Tour pros Ernie Vossler and Joe Walser, Jr.He oversaw the Design and Construction Division of Landmark Golf and the Golf Operations Division of Landmark Golf Management.
In 2008, Langtry Farms announced its appointment of Pott as Langtry’s new Director of Golf Operations. Pott will be responsible for Langtry’s proposed private championship 18-hole golf course and clubhouse in Lake County, California.
PGA Tour wins (5)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 5, 1960 | Dallas Open Invitational | −5 (70-66-71-68=275) | Playoff | Ted Kroll, Bo Wininger |
| 2 | Dec 4, 1960 | West Palm Beach Open Invitational | −10 (72-71-67-68=278) | 3 strokes | Sam Snead |
| 3 | May 6, 1962 | Waco Turner Open | −16 (68-71-69-68=276) | 6 strokes | Mason Rudolph |
| 4 | Aug 25, 1963 | American Golf Classic | −4 (67-68-71-70=276) | 4 strokes | Arnold Palmer |
| 5 | Jan 14, 1968 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | −3 (70-71-71-73=285) | Playoff | Billy Casper, Bruce Devlin |
PGA Tour playoff record (2–5)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1960 | Dallas Open Invitational | Ted Kroll, Bo Wininger | Pott won with birdie on third extra hole Wininger eliminated with par on first hole |
| 2 | 1961 | Buick Open | Jack Burke, Jr., Billy Casper | Lost 18-hole playoff (Burke:71, Casper:74, Pott:74) |
| 3 | 1962 | San Diego Open Invitational | Tommy Jacobs | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 4 | 1962 | Colonial National Invitation | Arnold Palmer | Lost 18-hole playoff (Palmer:69, Pott:73) |
| 5 | 1965 | Memphis Open Invitational | Jack Nicklaus | Lost to par on first extra hole |
| 6 | 1965 | Insurance City Open | Billy Casper | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 7 | 1968 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | Billy Casper, Bruce Devlin | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T19 | T20 | T21 | T13 | T42 | CUT | CUT | T43 | 28 | |||||||
| U.S. Open | 41 | ? | T19 | T15 | ? | T48 | ? | T9 | ? | ? | ? | 62 | ? | CUT | ||
| PGA Championship | T15 | T5 | T27 | CUT | CUT | T28 | WD | CUT | T34 | T19 | CUT |
Note: Pott never played in The Open Championship.
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
? = finish, if any, unknown
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Sources: