John Joseph Farrell (April 1, 1901 – June 14, 1988) was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the U.S. Open in 1928. Over the course of his career, he won 22 PGA Tour events.

Early life

Born in White Plains, New York, Farrell started as a caddie and turned professional in 1922.

Professional career

At the 1928 U.S. Open, held at Olympia Fields Country Club near Chicago, Farrell tied with amateur Bobby Jones, then a two-time champion, after the regulation 72 holes and won the 36-hole playoff by one stroke. Farrell was voted the 1927 and 1928 Best Golf Professional in the United States, after a winning streak of six consecutive tournaments, on his road to a total of 22 career PGA Tour wins. He played for the United States in the first three Ryder Cups: 1927, 1929, and 1931. Farrell was the head professional at the Quaker Ridge Golf Club in New York from 1919 to 1930. In 1931, Farrell played in his third Ryder Cup and also met and married Catherine Hush. In 1934, Farrell accepted the head professional job at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey. In 1948, the AP's Frank Eck reported that there had been, to that point, eight rounds as low as 62 posted in competitive golf, and that Farrell had been the first to do so, in the late 1920s, at the La Gorce Country Club course in Miami Beach.

Personal life

Farrell was married to Catherine. They had five children: Johnny, Jimmy, Billy, Peggy, and Cathy. The Farrell family dedicated itself to golf, becoming Golf Family of the Year in 1966. Billy Farrell played professional golf and is best known for being the first ever to hit the 630 yd par-5 17th hole at Baltusrol's Lower Course in two shots, which he did during the 1967 U.S. Open. Farrell died in Boynton Beach, Florida after a stroke at age 87.

Awards and honors

Farrell was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2023 and was inducted in 2024.

Professional wins (27)

PGA Tour wins (22)

Major championship is shown in bold.

Other wins (5)

Note: This list may be incomplete.

Major championships

Wins (1)

1 Defeated Bobby Jones in a 36-hole playoff – Farrell 70-73=143 (+1), Jones 73-71=144 (+2).

Results timeline

{{legend|lime|Win}} {{legend|yellow|Top 10}} {{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}} NYF = tournament not yet founded NT = no tournament WD = withdrew CUT = missed the half-way cut R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play "T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary