Joe Carr

Joseph Benedict "Joe" Carr (February 22, 1922 – June 3, 2004) was an Irish amateur golfer.

Carr was born in Inchicore, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, to George and Margaret Mary "Missie" Waters (the fifth of seven children). At 10 days old, he was adopted by his maternal aunt, Kathleen, and her husband, James Carr, who were childless and had recently returned home from India. The Carrs had just been appointed steward and stewardess of the Portmarnock Golf Club, allowing young Joe to play golf from a very early age. [cite web|url=http://www.breaking80.net/press.html|title=My name was Waters|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20040205100603/www.breaking80.net/press.html|archivedate=2004-02-05]

Carr won his first major tournament, the East of Ireland Amateur, at the age of 19 in 1941, which started one of Ireland's greatest golfing careers. He went on to win twelve East of Ireland titles, twelve West of Ireland titles, six Irish Amateur Close Championships, four Irish Amateur Opens, and three South of Ireland titles.

Carr won The Amateur Championship three times, in 1953, 1958, and 1960, and was runner-up in 1968. He was a semifinalist at the U.S. Amateur in 1961, and was low amateur at The Open Championship in both 1956 and 1958 (and finished 8th overall in 1960). In 1967, he became the first Irishman to play in the Masters Tournament (making the cut). Carr received the Bob Jones Award in 1961, the USGA's highest honor, which is given for "distinguished sportsmanship in golf". He was the first non-American to win the award.

Internationally, Carr represented Ireland in numerous amateur golfing events. He was a member of a record eleven Walker Cup teams from 1947 to 1967, including non-playing captain in 1965 and playing captain in 1967, amassing a record of 5-14-1. After several years of playing against the United States' top-ranked players, he was moved down in the order for the 1961 event -- only to be paired against Jack Nicklaus (who won the match). He played and captained on multiple Eisenhower Trophy teams, and represented Ireland in the Home Internationals every year from 1947 to 1969. Carr retired from competitive golf in 1971, after his son Roddy played for the winning Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team.

In 1991, Carr was named Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the first Irishman to hold the post. In July 2007, Carr was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in the Lifetime Achievement category, and was inducted in November 2007.

Amateur wins (40)

*1941 East of Ireland Amateur
*1943 East of Ireland Amateur
*1945 East of Ireland Amateur
*1946 Irish Open Amateur, West of Ireland Amateur, East of Ireland Amateur
*1947 West of Ireland Amateur
*1948 West of Ireland Amateur, East of Ireland Amateur, South of Ireland Amateur
*1950 Irish Open Amateur
*1951 West of Ireland Amateur
*1953 British Amateur, West of Ireland Amateur
*1954 Irish Open Amateur, Irish Close Amateur, West of Ireland Amateur
*1956 Irish Open Amateur, West of Ireland Amateur, East of Ireland Amateur
*1957 Irish Close Amateur, East of Ireland Amateur
*1958 British Amateur, West of Ireland Amateur, East of Ireland Amateur
*1960 British Amateur, West of Ireland Amateur, East of Ireland Amateur
*1961 West of Ireland Amateur, East of Ireland Amateur
*1962 West of Ireland Amateur
*1963 Irish Close Amateur
*1964 Irish Close Amateur, East of Ireland Amateur
*1965 Irish Close Amateur
*1966 West of Ireland Amateur, South of Ireland Amateur
*1967 Irish Close Amateur
*1969 East of Ireland Amateur, South of Ireland Amateur

Results in major championships

LA = Low amateur
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.

ee also

*Gilleece, Dermot (2004). "Breaking 80: The Life and Times of Joe Carr". ISBN 1-84223-153-7

References

External links

* [http://www.wgv.com/hof/member.php?member=1134 World Golf Hall of Fame profile]
* [http://carrgolf.com/carrfamily/joecarr.asp Biography page on the Carr family business website]
* [http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2004/06/04/story260647203.asp Irish Examiner obituary]
* [http://www.gui.ie/main_frame.asp?pageref=/news_detail.asp?id=581&menuid=47 Golf Union of Ireland article]