Bill Rogers was born in Waco, TX, and grew up a USAF kid as his father served around the world. He took up golf at age 9 and attended Houston University on a golf scholarship where he roomed with Bruce Lietzke, also a PGA tour player. Bill played the PGA Tour full-time from 1975 to 1988 and won six tournaments, including four in 1981. Almost uniquely for an American golfer, his two most notable victories were in Britain: Rogers won the Suntory World Match Play Championship at Wentworth in 1979, and The Open Championship in 1981 at Royal St George’s, four strokes ahead of runner-up Bernhard Langer. He was the PGA Player of the Year for 1981, and finished second on McCormack’s World Golf Rankings; he was also on the Ryder Cup team in 1981. After life on the tour, Bill and his family settled in San Antonio where he became the head professional at San Antonio Country Club.