Stanford Men's Golf Team 2007 NCAA National Champions
History of Stanford Golf
Stanford's remarkable history has left its mark on the golf world.
Stanford Greats
The names are legendary: Little, Seaver, Rosburg, Watson & Woods and others.
All-Americans
Numberous All-Americans played at Stanford over the years.
National Champions
8 national championships have been won, including in 2007.
Men's Golf Members of the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame + Grant Spaeth
Malcolm McNaughton '31 Charles Seaver '34 Lawson Little '34 Don Edwards '36
Art Doering '40 Warren Berl '42 Bud Brownell '42 Sandy Tatum '42
Bob Cardinal '47 Eddie Twiggs '32-47 Bob Rosburg '49 Dick McElyea '52
Steve Smith '61 Tom Watson '71 Bud Finger '48-76 Christian Cevaer '92
Notay Begay '95 Casey Martin '95 Tiger Woods '96 Joel Kribel '99
Wally Goodwin '00 Grant Spaeth '54'

Bob Rosburg - 1949

Bob Rosburg Website
PGA Tour interview in 2007
Golf Digest interview in 2002

Rosburg_Bob Bob Rosburg. Letter winner 1946, 1947, 1948. Member of the 1946 national championship team and a member of the Stanford Hall of Fame. A video interview with Bob Rosburg at age 81 is available below.

Robert Reginald Rosburg, a member of the 1946 National Championship team, was an outstanding golfer and baseball player at Stanford. After leaving Stanford and turning professional in 1953, he became one of the most consistent golfers during his twenty year professional career. When he retired as a active player, Rosburg became a widely acclaimed golf commentator for ABC television.

Rosburg was born in San Francisco on October 21, 1926. An accomplished golfer at an early age, Rosburg frequently played at such famed courses as Cypress Point and the Olympic Club. While playing as a junior at Olympic, Rosburg defeated the legendary baseball great Ty Cobb 7 and 6 in the first flight of the 1938 club championship. Although Rosburg remembers that Cobb, a fierce competitor, shook his hand and was polite in defeat, Cobb was seldom seen at the Olympic Club thereafter.

Together with teammates Frank McCann, Jack Shuler and Bob Cardinal, Rosburg was a member of Stanford's fifth national championship team in 1946. In addition to golf, Rosburg was also an excellent infielder on the Stanford baseball team. Rosburg graduated from Stanford in 1949, and after trying his hand at various jobs, he turned to professional golf in 1953.

He was one of the most consistent top 10 finishers during a professional career that lasted from 1953 until 1974. He won ten professional titles, including six PGA tour wins. He won the PGA Championship in 1959, coming from eight shots back in the last round for a victory he described as his most memorable in golf. He finished second at the U.S. Open in 1959, losing to Billy Casper by one stroke, and he tied for second at the 1969 U.S. Open. He also tied for third at the 1971 U.S. Open and twice tied for fifth (1955 and 1958). Rosburg won the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am in 1961.

Rosburg won the Vardon Trophy for the lowest average score in 1958. He was a member of the 1959 Ryder Cup team, where he went 2-0 for the United States. He also hit the first ball for the U.S. side, another experience he has described as among his most memorable in golf. The putter was his favorite club, and has stated that "without the putter, I could have never made it."

After retiring from active competition, Rosburg became a widely respected announcer for ABC television. His television career spanned more than 30 years, and he won acclaim as roving announcer and one of the great storytellers in golf. Rosburg currently lives in Rancho Mirage, California.

5-Part Video Interview with Bob Rosburg

  • Part I - Rosburg trounces Ty Cobb at age 12 & recalls his Stanford teammates & winning the 1946 national championship.
  • Part II - Talks of deep disappointment in '48 when suspended from a team that may have won the national championship and about greats he competed against before turning pro incl. Ken Venturi, the Hebert brothers, Harvie Ward.
  • Part III - Shares an incredible story about champagne Tony Lema. Gains PGA tour exemption finishing 24th in the '53 US Open to launch his great pro career.
  • Part IV - Reflects on what led to his success and transition into a 31 year broadcasting career with ABC sports making friendships & observing all the greats from Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus to Tiger.
  • Part V - Talks about friendships with Hogan, Palmer, Trevino, Watson, Nicklaus, Floyd, Strange. Speaks of his famous temper and as a golf prodigy his vaudeville tour at age 5 with Admiral Byrd.
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part IV

Rosburg, Bob Cardinal, Jack McCann & Jack Schuler's 1946 national championship team

1946ChampSummary

1946team_700

1946ClippingsNCAAgolf