Ed ‘Porky’ Oliver was an American Professional Golfer whose golfing profile changed forever when he finished joint first in the 1940 US Open, only to be controversially disqualified. Yet today, if you were to ask golfers about this ‘larger than life’ golfer then the response would probably be something along the lines of “Ed Who?”.
In this article from our ‘History & Legends’ of golf series, Golfing Herald looks back at the life and career of Edward Stewart Oliver, who without question should be considered as a supremely talented and unique golfing great.
Early Life
Ed Oliver was born on 6th September 1915 in Wilmington, Delaware. His initial foray into the world of golf was as a caddy at the Wilmington Country Club. He progressed through the caddy ranks and then at the age of 18 he turned Professional, at a time (in 1933) when America was in the midst of the Great Depression and Prohibition was just ending.
His first role was that of Assistant Professional at Wilmington Country Club, where he began to improve and fine-tune his game.
PGA Rookie
He gained his PGA Tour Card in 1940. In what was effectively his rookie season, Ed secured his maiden tour title with a victory in the Bing Crosby Pro-Am played at the ‘Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club’ with a 36 hole score of 135 (nine under par) and a winners purse of $500!! This tournament is now known as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, won in 2019 by Phil Mickelson.
Buoyed by this win, he then entered and won the following week’s Phoenix Open by a single shot from Ben Hogan and a winners purse of $700. Today this prestigious tournament is known as the Waste Management Phoenix Open, or alternatively ‘The Greatest Show on Grass’, won in 2019 by Rickie Fowler.
Today, if a golfing rookie won consecutive tournament’s then what would be the reaction of golfing commentators and how would that player be rated (using Phil and Rickie as a benchmark)?
1940 US Open
The 1940 US Open was played at the Canterbury Golf Club, Cleveland, Ohio.
Unlike today, this major Championship was played over 3 days, with the final 2 rounds played on Saturday morning and afternoon.
Ed Oliver was in contention throughout and after 72 holes finished on 287 (one under par) to clinch a playoff place with Lawson Little and Gene Sarazen. Or so he thought!!
The final 3-ball (including Ed Oliver) and the penultimate 3-ball were concerned about a possible storm. They all thought they could start their final rounds early in an attempt to avoid the storm as they had received their cards from the starter. However, Ed Oliver and the other 5 players were all disqualified as the starter had not formally granted permission for them to start ahead of their ‘published’ tee times.
For the record, Lawson Little defeated Gene Sarazen by 3 shots in the 18 hole playoff.
One can only imagine how distraught and upset Ed Oliver must have been at what was an honest error of judgement and the lost opportunity to win a first golfing major? How on earth do you recover?
How Ed Oliver recovered was by demonstrating incredible resilience and mental strength and winning his 3rd PGA Tour event the following week at the St. Paul Open played at the Keller Golf Course, St. Paul, Minnesota!! Absolutely incredible.
Nickname
At 5ft 9in and weighing about 240 pounds, spectators affectionately referred to Ed Oliver as ‘Porky’, a nickname for which he was universally known throughout the United States. If you look at newspaper archives, journalists and commentators referred to him as Porky Oliver. He always accepted this nickname in the good humour in which it was intended.
Drafted & Married
At the start of the 1941 season, Ed Oliver won the Western Open, winning by 3 shots from none other than Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson.
His professional golfing career was then placed on hold when he was drafted into the US Army. Based at Fort Dix, New Jersey, he met Clare Hee of New York City, an army nurse at the (Fort Dix) Tilton Hospital and they married on 24th February 1942.
1946 US PGA Championship
After World War II, Ed Oliver resumed his golfing career on the 1946 PGA Tour. He finished tied sixth at the US Open but his best performance that year was at the US PGA Championship, which comprised of a 36 hole stroke play qualifier followed by knockout match play for 64 players (the defending champion Byron Nelson and the top 63 qualifiers).
Ed Oliver defeated Byron Nelson 1up in the quarter-finals and met Ben Hogan in the 36-hole match-play final. After the morning 18 holes, Ed Oliver was 3up but in the afternoon Ben Hogan shot 8 under par for 14 holes for a stunning 6&4 victory. It was the first of the nine majors that Hogan would win during his illustrious career.
1947 to 1952
Ed Oliver continued to play on the PGA Tour. During this period he also had a brief spell as a Club Professional at Inglewood Golf Club near Seattle to generate additional income. No comparison whatsoever in the prize money on offer then and today!!.
In 1948 he was involved in a car crash which resulted in him suffering a kidney injury which was to hinder him for several years.
He was still relatively successful, albeit sporadically, by winning the 1947 San Antonio Texas Open and the 1948 Tacoma Open Invitational. He also finished runner up at the 1952 US Open, 4 shots behind Julius Boros.
1953 US Masters
Ed Oliver’s record in the US Masters prior to 1953 was not that impressive, with tied eighth in 1947 his best performance.
That all changed at the 17th US Masters. He finished with a total of 279 (nine under par) after rounds of 69-73-67-70 which equalled the best ever score recorded at the US Masters. Unfortunately, his nemesis Ben Hogan finished with a record winning score of 274 (14 under par). Hogan also went on to win the US Open and the Open Championship in this year (1953).
It was not until 1968, when Roberto De Vicenzo finished runner up with a score of 278, that Ed Oliver’s runner’s up total was erased from the record books!!
Thus, for the third and final time in his career (and excluding his 1940 US Open DQ), Ed Oliver finished second in a major championship.
Ryder Cup
Ed Oliver represented the United States on three occasions in the Ryder Cup.
In 1947 the event was played at Portland Golf Club, Portland, Oregon and was comprised of 4 foursomes and 8 singles, with all matches played over 36 holes!! In partnership with fellow rookie Lew Worsham, he won his foursomes match against Henry Cotton and Dai Rees 10&9. He then defeated Charlie Ward 4&3 in the singles. The overall contest was won by the United States 11-1.
In 1951 the event was played at the Pinehurst Resort Course #2, North Carolina with the same format as that used in 1947. In partnership with 40-year-old rookie Henry Ransom, he lost his foursomes match against Charlie Ward and Arthur Lees 4&3. He was then defeated by Arthur Lees 2&1 in the singles. The overall contest was won by the United States 9 ½-2 ½.
In 1953 the event was played at Wentworth, Surrey, England with the format unchanged. In partnership with rookie Dave Douglas, he won his foursomes match against (a very young) Peter Allis and Harry Weetman 2&1 but was not selected for the singles. The overall contest was won by the United States 6 ½-5 ½.
An overall individual record of Won 3, Lost 2 and all 3 contests were won by the United States.
Other PGA Wins
Ed Oliver tasted success in two more PGA Events, namely the Kansas City Open in 1953 and the Houston Open in 1958.
After finishing second in the 1953 US Masters, he did not threaten to win a major with his best finish being at the 1958 US PGA Championship where he finished tied for eighth (this was the first US PGA Championship played as 72 hole stroke play rather than the previous match play format).
Final Round
Early in 1960, he required surgery when cancer was detected in one of his lungs and despite a further operation, his illness was terminal.
Remarkably, only four months after his first operation, he played in the Utah Open and shot rounds of 71 and 71 for 142, only missing the cut by 2 shots!!
He always thought and strongly believed that a miracle might happen and focused all of his efforts in raising funds and awareness for cancer research. It is estimated that about $20,000 was raised through his efforts and that of his fellow golfers such as Sam Snead.
Sadly, he passed away on 20th September 1961 aged 46.
Legend
Ed Oliver was one of the finest professional golfers of his generation winning eight times on the PGA Tour and finishing runner up at the US Masters, US Open and the US PGA Championship (he never played in the Open Championship).
If he had not been controversially DQ at the 1940 US Open then he may well have won the playoff and deservedly become a major champion…we will never know!!
His achievements might not meet the criteria to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. That does not dilute his enormous impact and contribution to the world of golf.
His achievements and legacy were recognised by his home state of Delaware as in 1976 he was in the first tranche of sporting legends to be inducted into and celebrated by the Delaware Sports Museum & Hall of Fame.
Ed ‘Porky’ Oliver will always be a legend of this great game.
This is one of the best articles I have ever seen about Wilmington, Delaware’s greatest golfer, Ed “Porky” Oliver. I led the effort in 1983 to rename the public course he caddied on as a boy in his honor. As you may be aware his nickname to his friends here was “Snowball.” I have been doing some preliminary research for a book about Oliver and would like to connect sometime.
Hi John
Really pleased you enjoyed the article. The published article is very much an abridged version as I know there is so much more to this fascinating golfer.
I would really like to connect with you so I will send you a separate email to ‘touch base’.
Best regards
Paul
A memory I cherish from my caddy days at Andover Country Club:
I caddied for Gene Sarazen in a golf exhibition at Andover Country Club, Andover, Massachusetts.
This golf exhibition featured Mr. Sarazen and Ed “porky” Oliver.
As was typical in those days, the early 50’s the warm up at the practice area was part of the exhibition.
Mr. Oliver and the crowd were awaiting the arrival of Mr. Sarazen. I was already there with Mr. Sarazen’s clubs.
Ed Oliver decided to loosen up the crowd with a demonstration of his ball control skills.
Well, he was a showman and had extraordinary skill. He reached for Mr. Sarazen’s fairway wood and I attempted to stop his taking of the club.
He had fun with that and took the club. Mr. Oliver put on a demonstration of shotmaking that had the caddy shagging after a huge slice. Then Returning to the center after running down the ball on a hot NE muggy summer day just to be sent running as hard as he could to chase down a giant hook.
The crowd was enjoying it, The caddy shagging was struggling,,when finally back to his position Mr. Oliver yelled “duck on this shot”.
He then proceeded to hit a perfect line drive shot head high. The caddy ducked and all applauded with gusto.
Then, the ever elegant Gene Sarazen walked through the crowd asking “what’s going on here?” Some back and forth banter took place about Mr. Oliver using his club…
All part of the show – and they put on a wonderful event that I have never forgotten. Two great golfers and men with personalities to match.
Hi Ronald
Thanks so much for sharing such a wonderful story. I am not surprised it is a memory that you have always cherished. To have had the experience of caddying for Gene Sarazen and witness such skill from Ed Oliver as part of the ‘pre-match Exhibition’ must have been incredible for one so young.
If you have not done so already, you might wish to read one of my other articles titled ‘1940 U.S. Open – A Golfing Whodunit?’, where Gene Sarazen and Ed Oliver were two of the protagonists.
Thanks again for kindly sharing such a great story.
Best regards
Paul
I recall Porky Oliver playing in Top Pro Golf circa 1959 at the Firestone Country Club in Akron Ohio. He cruised around with a 60 which was the best score I ever have witnessed to this day and am now 76 years old. Cannot recall his opponent in this match as Oliver was breathtaking to watch and completely stole the show.
Hi Ron
Great to hear from you and thanks so much for sharing your memory of Ed ‘Porky’ Oliver…to shoot 60 in ‘cruise’ mode must have been something very special to witness…how cruel it was that he died at such a young age with his best golfing years possibly still to come.
Best regards
Paul
Interesting article. I am 83 but had the pleasure of caddying in a 4 some with him and Dave Douglas and 2 members of Rock Manor …..i believe Douglas’ dad was pro there(?) In early 50s….they played just a few holes….4 or 5…..but they sure hit the he’ll out of the ball .
Ron Rosenwald
Ocala, FL.
Hi Ron
Great to hear from you. Really pleased that you enjoyed the article. It must have been a fantastic experience to have caddied in a foursome that involved Ed Oliver and his best friend on tour Dave Douglas. As you say, they were both renowned long-hitters!
If you have not read it, I can highly recommend the book “How He Played The Game – Ed ‘Porky’ Oliver and Golf’s Greatest Generation” by John Riley. The author is a friend of the Oliver family and had access to some brilliant material and letters…his book provides a great insight into the life and career of Ed ‘Porky’ Oliver.
Best regards
Paul