Chick Harbert

Who was Chick Harbert?

Melvin R. "Chick" Harbert was an American professional golfer.

Harbert won seven times on the PGA Tour, including one major championship, the 1954 PGA Championship, then a match play event. A three-time finalist, he was also that event's runner-up twice, in 1947 and 1952. Harbert was one of the great PGA Championship match play competitors, compiling a 24–10 record between 1946, his first appearance, and 1957, the final year of the match play format.

In 1949, Harbert played on the Ryder Cup team, winning his singles match against Sam King, 4 and 3, at Ganton Golf Club in Scarborough, England. He was playing-captain of the U.S. team in 1955, with a singles victory against Syd Scott to his credit.

In 1955, he represented the United States at the Canada Cup team competition at Columbia Country Club outside Washington, D.C. He teamed with Ed Furgol, with the duo outdueling Australia's team of Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle by nine strokes. He finished fourth in the individual competition, two strokes out of the Furgol, Thomson and Flory Van Donck playoff that Furgol won.

After turning 50, he made two official Senior PGA Tour appearances. He tied for 43rd at the 1981 Michelob Senior Classic and then tied for 40th in the same tournament the following year. In addition, he played in nine Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf team events, with his top showing a fifth-place performance in the inaugural event in 1978, when he teamed with Bob Toski.