Jim Nelford

{{Short description|Canadian professional golfer (born 1955)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox golfer | name = Jim Nelford | image = | imagesize =  | caption = | fullname = James Cameron Nelford | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|6|28}} | birth_place = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | death_date =  | death_place = | height =  | weight =  | nationality = {{CAN}} | residence = | spouse = | partner = | children = | college = Brigham Young University | yearpro = 1977 | retired =  | tour =  | extour = PGA Tour | prowins = 4 | champwins =  | seneurowins =  | otherwins =  | majorwins =  | masters = DNP | usopen = T41: 1979 | open = DNP | pga = T55: 1983 | wghofid =  | wghofyear =  | award1 = Canadian Golf Hall of Fame | year1 = 2013 | award2 = | year2 = | awardssection =  }} '''James Cameron Nelford''' (born June 28, 1955) is a Canadian professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour. He has also been a golf commentator for ESPN.

== Early life and amateur career == Nelford was born in Vancouver, British Columbia.<ref name=hof>{{cite web |url=https://heritage.golfcanada.ca/hall-of-fame-members/jim-nelford/ |title=James Nelford |publisher=Golf Canada |access-date=July 20, 2022}}</ref> He won the 1973 B.C. High School golf Championship and the 1973 B.C. Junior Championship.

He attended Brigham Young University, where he played on the varsity golf team on scholarship.<ref name="GolfCanada">''Golf in Canada: A History'', by James A. Barclay, Toronto, McClelland and Stewart, 1992.</ref> Nelford won two All-American selections: 1976 and 1977, both Second Team.<ref>[http://www.byucougars.com/golf_m/history/all-american.jsp BYU Men's Golf All-Americans] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925094710/http://www.byucougars.com/golf_m/history/all-american.jsp |date=2008-09-25 }}</ref> In addition, Nelford won the 1975 and 1976 Canadian Amateur Championship and the 1977 Western Amateur.

== Professional career == In 1977, Nelford turned professional. He played on the PGA Tour from 1978 to 1988, where his best finish was second at the 1983 Sea Pines Heritage Classic and at the 1984 Bing Crosby Pro-Am (playoff loss to Hale Irwin). He won the World Cup with Dan Halldorson in 1980 and won one Tournament Players' Series event (a PGA Tour satellite event).<ref name="GolfCanada" />

Nelford was seriously injured in a waterskiing accident in September 1985, suffering crippling damage to his right arm when it was badly sliced by the propeller blade.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fUNgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=73ANAAAAIBAJ&pg=1370,1963645&dq=jim+nelford+accident&hl=en Nelford injured in boating accident]</ref> Although he recovered, he was never able to regain his top golf form after that, and gradually lost his playing status on the PGA Tour.

Along with Lorne Rubenstein, Nelford co-authored the 1984 book ''Seasons in a Golfer's Life'', a story of his life in golf. Nelford putts left-handed, but plays all of his other shots right-handed. Since turning age 50, Nelford has appeared in a few Champions Tour events, without achieving notable success.<ref>[http://www.pgatour.com/players/s/?/00/18/61/results Results on PGA Tour's official site]</ref>

== Awards and honors == In 2013, Nelford was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.<ref name="hof" />

==Amateur wins== *1975 Canadian Amateur Championship *1976 Canadian Amateur Championship *1977 Western Amateur

==Professional wins (4)== *1978 Cacharel World Under-25 Championship *1980 World Cup (team with Dan Halldorson) *1983 Essex International Classic (Canada), British Columbia Open

==Playoff record== '''PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)''' {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" !No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!|Result |-style="background:#F2C1D1;" |align=center|1 |1984 |Bing Crosby National Pro-Am |{{flagicon|USA}} Hale Irwin |Lost to birdie on second extra hole |}

==Team appearances== '''Amateur''' *Commonwealth Tournament (representing Canada): 1975 (winners) *Eisenhower Trophy (representing Canada): 1976

'''Professional''' *World Cup (representing Canada): 1979, 1980 (winners)

== Bibliography ==

* ''Seasons in a Golfer's Life'', with Lorne Rubenstein

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{PGATour player|01861}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelford, Jim}} Category:Canadian male golfers Category:BYU Cougars men's golfers Category:PGA Tour golfers Category:Golf people from British Columbia Category:Golfers from Vancouver Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen