Billy Key
Inducted 1995
James W. “Billy” Key was born in Columbus, Ga., in 1931. His interest and success in golf began when he won the 1946, ‘47, and ‘48 Georgia State Junior Championships. In 1947 and ‘48, he won the Southern Interscholastic Championships. In 1948, he won the Georgia Interscholastic Championship. In 1951, he won the Florida Intercollegiate Championship. Key won the 1958 Western Amateur, the 1962 Southeastern Amateur, and the 1968 Georgia Amateur. As a senior, he won the American Seniors Best-Ball Championship five times. He won the Society of Seniors Best-Ball Championship in 1989. In 1989 and ‘90, he won the Society of Seniors Individual Stroke Play Championship. A member of the U.S. Seniors International Team, Key was team captain in 1994 and ‘95. In 1990, he was ranked the No. 2 senior golfer in the United States by Golf Digest. He has been a director of the Southern Golf Association, serving as its president in 1978-79.
