Sunday, June 25, 2023
For those of you who have not heard, one of Ocala's golfing icons passed away on June 15 and that icon is Bo WIlliams. There is a service being held on Friday, June 30 at The First Presbyterian Church, 511 SW 3rd St., at 4:00 p. m. I was very fortunate to have a private sit-down interview in 2010 with Bo that I am sharing with you below.
In 1950, while attending the University of Florida, Reuben Sharp Williams III, better known as "Bo Williams,” needed one more elective and chose golf as part of his Physical Education studies. When he made that decision, little did he know that he would develop a driving love for the game.
After college it was on to the US Army where Bo spent most of his leisure time honing his golfing skills. He quickly became good enough to win his first title - the club championship at Ft. Jackson, SC. In 1958 Bo moved to Ocala and brought with him the desire and skill which he used to produce a much storied amateur golfing record.
With his wife Sally at his side, Bo’s golfing achievements were many. He won over 100 tournaments with the most prestigious being the 1986 and 1989 United States Senior Amateur Championships. Also included in the long list of wins are: seven Florida State Championships (three Senior Amateurs, four Senior Four-Ball Championships), 11 Doug Oswald Championships, four Henry Camp Tournaments, and one Marion Masters.
Bo qualified for, and played in, six USGA Senior Open Championships, making the cut three times. One of Bo’s memorable US Senior Open moments came when he was paired with professionals Orville Moody and Miller Barber. Moody let Bo know that they didn’t like amateurs playing “their game.” Bo quickly eased the tension when he answered back “I’ll tell you what, I'll play all four rounds, and when I leave, I won't take any of your money with me.”
Bo’s exceptional golf life culminated in 2006 when he was elected into the Florida State Golf Association Hall of Fame. Even though Bo isn’t able to play the game that once gained him recognition as Golf Digest’s best Senior Amateur Golfer in the country, he can still be seen at one of the local tournaments as a much interested spectator.
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