Golf’s Tom and Jerry : Like Father, Like Son: There Are Two Barbers Playing in Los Angeles Open

Tom and Jerry are familiar cartoon characters and a Tom and Jerry is a popular drink during the Christmas season.

This golf season, Tom and Jerry are the only American-born son and father combination to have played in the same PGA tour tournament.

Tom and Jerry Barber are playing in the Los Angeles Open, which began Thursday at Riviera Country Club. Jerry, who will be 69 in April, is a former PGA champion and player of the year. He and son Tom, 42, are host pros at the Griffith Park complex.

Tom was one of four players who earned a spot in the tournament through sectional qualifying. He shot a 74 at Los Coyotes Country Club to make certain that father and son played together in the L.A. Open.

It would be nice to be able to report that father and son did well in the opening round. Such is not the case. Jerry shot a 78 and Tom, even-par after eight holes, soared to an 83. Both face elimination today.

As a PGA champion, Jerry is eligible to play in tour tournaments, although mostly he plays on the senior tour. Last year he won $50,000, which is more than he ever won on the regular tour. At his peak, in 1961 when he won the PGA and was player of the year, he earned $36,000.

Although they have played in the same group on a couple of occasions, father and son went head to head only once. That was in 1974 in the quarterfinals of the Southern California Match Play tournament.

“I was really playing well and I was going to win the tournament,” Tom recalled. “But Dad beat me.

“It was the most devastating experience of my life. Here I was, playing against my hero, my favorite golfer. I wanted to win, but every time he hit a shot off line, I felt bad. I’m glad we only had to do that once.”

Jerry said he didn’t care for it, either. “Who wants to play his son? I didn’t want to put him out of the tournament.”

Older golf fans will best remember Jerry Barber in the 1950 L.A. Open. The third round was played in a driving rainstorm at Riviera. One of the early finishers, Jerry putted out on the 18th through heavy water for a 72 and a 54-hole total of 209. It gave him a 10-stroke lead.

Conditions became so bad, however, that they had to stop play before many of the players, including the favorite, Ben Hogan, could finish. Under the rules prevailing then, all the scores were thrown out and the round was played over. Under present rules, Barber’s score would have counted and the others would have completed the round the next day.

“The way I was playing those days, nobody could have beaten me with a 10-stroke lead,” Jerry said. “I remember that when I putted out on 18, the water was swirling around in the cup. I snatched my ball out of the cup before the water could throw it out.

“Some people blamed Ben for stopping play, but it’s not true. He would have waited by the barranca until the water receded. But some of the other stars walked off and they canceled the round.

“I still led after the round was repeated, but on the last day I was paired with Sam Snead and he shot the lights out. He sank long birdie putts on the last two holes to tie Hogan. They didn’t hold their playoff until after the Crosby, and Snead won it.

“I don’t even think about it anymore. It was all part of growing up.”

Jerry, who set a record 268 in the Tournament of Champions that still stands, is a former Ryder Cup captain. He is only 5 feet 5 inches and is still close to the 138 pounds he weighed at his peak.

“I never even thought about my size until recent years when I noticed those kids outhitting me 50 to 60 yards. That’s why the seniors’ tour is a blessing. I will play in all of the seniors to which I am invited.

“But, I spend only 25% of the time working on my game, compared to what I did in the old days. Now, I’m busy along with my sons, Tom and Roger, running Griffith Park. I teach and Tom runs the place. Roger recently had back surgery, but he works there, too.”

It was the first time Tom even tried to qualify for this tournament. He has been involved in the renovation of the Harding and Wilson courses at Griffith Park. By the time it is finished, the two city courses will be among the best public courses in the country.

“I also have a wife, three children and another on the way,” Tom said. “I decided to try to qualify this year because I had played so well. I had it going today, too, but after getting a ruling on the 18th (his ninth hole), I thought we had fallen behind, so I hurried. When I do that my game suffers.”

Jerry’s trouble, he said, was his putting. He three-putted several greens. He just missed chipping in for a birdie on his final hole (No. 9). When he finished and looked up at the leader board and saw that Tony Sills had shot a 65, Jerry smiled.

“Most of the young golfers will play a round, go hit a bucket of balls and practice a little putting,” he said. “But you’ll find Tony out there working hard. He’s the most dedicated golfer I’ve ever seen.