Vinny Giles
| Vinny Giles | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Marvin M. Giles III |
| Born | January 4, 1943 Lynchburg, Virginia |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st) |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Career | |
| College | University of Georgia University of Virginia |
| Status | Amateur |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | T22: 1968 |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
| U.S. Open | 17th: 1973 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
Marvin M. "Vinny" Giles III (born January 4, 1943) is an American amateur golfer. He is best known for winning both the U.S. Amateur and the British Amateur.
Giles was born in Lynchburg, Virginia.[1] He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1966, where he was a three-time All-American on the golf team.[2] He also graduated from the University of Virginia Law School in 1969.[3]
Giles finished second in the U.S. Amateur three straight years, 1967 to 1969, before finally winning in 1972. This was in the stroke play era. His victory in the British Amateur came in 1975. He won numerous other amateur tournaments, including seven Virginia State Amateurs, as well as three Virginia Open titles.
Giles played on four Walker Cup teams (1969, 1971, 1973, 1975), winning three times, and captained the 1993 team to victory. He also played on three winning Eisenhower Trophy teams (1968, 1970, 1972) and captained the 1992 team to a runner-up finish.
Giles played in 11 professional majors, making the cut in three of nine Masters Tournament appearances and in both U.S. Open appearances. He was low amateur in the 1968 Masters Tournament (tied for 22nd) and in the 1973 U.S. Open (17th). He was also low amateur in three U.S. Senior Opens (1993, 1996, 1997)
Giles served on the Executive Committee of the Virginia State Golf Association for over 20 years, and then was first an Associate Director and then a Director of the Southern Golf Association for three years.
Giles was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1976[4] and the Southern Golf Association Hall of Fame in 1984.[5]
Giles is owner and president of a golf management firm which represents such golfers as Tom Kite, Davis Love III, Lanny Wadkins, Beth Daniel, and Meg Mallon. He lives in Richmond, Virginia.
Tournament wins
- 1962 Virginia State Amateur
- 1963 Dogwood Invitational
- 1964 Virginia State Amateur
- 1965 Dogwood Invitational
- 1966 Virginia State Amateur
- 1967 Southern Amateur
- 1968 Virginia State Amateur
- 1969 Virginia State Amateur, Virginia Open
- 1971 Northeast Amateur, Virginia State Amateur
- 1972 U.S. Amateur
- 1973 Porter Cup, Eastern Amateur
- 1974 Virginia Open
- 1975 British Amateur, Southern Amateur
- 1987 Virginia State Amateur
- 1990 Crump Cup
- 1993 Virginia Open
Senior amateur wins
- 2000 Virginia State Senior Amateur
- 2002 Society of Seniors Dale Morey, George Coleman Invitational Senior, David A. King Senior Legends Invitational, Senior Hall of Fame
- 2007 Crump Cup Senior
- 2009 U.S. Senior Amateur
- 2010 Crump Cup Senior
- 2000,2001,2005,2008,2009 U.S.S.G.A. Champion
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T22LA | CUT | T38 | CUT | CUT | T34 | CUT | CUT | CUT | |
| U.S. Open | T66 | 17LA |
Note: Giles never played in The Open Championship or PGA Championship
LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur
- Walker Cup: 1969 (winners), 1971, 1973 (winners), 1975 (winners), 1993 (winners, non-playing captain)
- Eisenhower Trophy: 1968 (team winners and individual leader, tie), 1970 (winners), 1972 (winners)
- Americas Cup: 1967 (winners)
References
- ^ Elliott, Len; Kelly, Barbara (1976). Who's Who in Golf. New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House. p. 71. ISBN 0-87000-225-2.
- ^ Georgia Bulldogs Media Guide 2007-08
- ^ 2007 USGA Senior Amateur - A Look At The Quarterfinalists
- ^ Virginia Sports Hall of Fame profile
- ^ Southern Golf Association Hall of Fame profile