Tommy Jacobs

Who is Tommy Jacobs?

Keith Thomas Jacobs, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course owner/operator who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He is the older brother of John Jacobs who has also played on the PGA Tour and is a current player on the Champions Tour.

Jacobs was born in Denver Colorado and raised in southern California, where he started in junior golf. In 1951, Jacobs won the International Jaycee Junior Championship. At sixteen, he advanced to the semi-finals of the USGA National Amateur, which earned him an invitation to The Masters at age 17. For 58 years, Jacobs had the distinction of being the youngest golfer to play in the Masters. The record was broken by Matteo Manassero in 2010. He turned professional in 1956.

Jacobs won four PGA Tour events. His first win came in 1958 at the newly revamped Denver Open, and his last was in the 1964 Palm Springs Golf Classic. During his career, Jacobs had sole 2nd place finishes in two major championships. He lost the 1964 U.S. Open to Ken Venturi by four strokes, and was runner-up in a playoff at the Masters Tournament in 1966 that he and Gay Brewer lost to Jack Nicklaus.