Johnny Sias
{{Short description|American disc golfer, world champion, notable athlete from West Virginia}}
Johnny Sias (born 1952) is a professional disc golfer, tournament director, and course designer from Lavalette, West Virginia.{{Cite web |last= |date=2019-04-09 |title=Beech Fork State Park Disc Golf Course |url=https://www.pdga.com/course-directory/course/beech-fork-state-park-disc-golf-course |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=Professional Disc Golf Association |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2nd Annual Open Disc Golf Tournament: Beech Fork |url=https://wvstateparks.com/event/2nd-annual-open-disc-golf-tournament-beech-fork/ |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=West Virginia State Parks |language=en-US}} He became a professional in 1983 and joined the Professional Disc Golf Association in 1986 after finishing 15th at the 1985 PDGA World Disc Golf Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma.{{Cite journal |last=Neil |first=RIck |date=1985 |title=1985 World Disc Golf Championships |url=https://www.flyingdiscmuseum.com/flyingdiscillustrated_vol-2_no-3.pdf |journal=Flying Disc Illustrated |volume=2 |issue=3 |pages=19 |via=Flying Disc Museum}}
Professional career
File:Sias 1986.jpg.opt420x281o0,0s420x281.jpgSias won the 1986 PDGA Professional World Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, by seven strokes over Clint Mcclellan and Geoff Lissaman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/2404|title=1986 PDGA Disc Golf World Championships|website=Professional Disc Golf Association}} He has also won the 2012 PDGA Grand Masters World Championship,{{Cite web |last=PLONA |first=KRISTOFER |date=2022-07-20 |title=W.Va. native Johnny Sias wins fifth world disc golf title, second putting title |url=https://wchstv.com/sports/top-sports/johnny-sias-wins-fifth-world-disc-golf-title-pdga-peoria |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=WCHS |language=en}} the 2013 Senior Grand Masters World Championship, the 2019 PDGA Masters 65+ World Championship,{{Cite web |title=Johnny Sias - Disc Golf World Champion - Gentleman |url=http://www.moodgolf.org/johnny-sias-tribute-page.php |website=www.moodgolf.org}} and the 2022 PDGA Masters 70+ World Championship.{{Cite web |title=2022 Masters World Disc Golf Championships | url=https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/55458#MP70 | website=www.pdga.com}} Sias finished second, five strokes behind winner Sam Ferrans, at the 1984 PDGA Professional World Championship in Rochester, New York.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/2401|title=1984 PDGA Disc Golf World Championships|website=Professional Disc Golf Association}} In 242 career PDGA events, Sias has 77 wins and amassed $51,164 in winnings. He was inducted into the Disc Golf Hall of Fame in 2001.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pdga.com/DGHOF/2001/johnny-sias|title=Johnny Sias #1700|first=Matt|last=Gregoire|date=February 18, 2015|website=Professional Disc Golf Association}} In 2016, he was the first person inducted into the West Virginia Disc Golf Hall of Fame.{{Cite news|last=Greenfield|first=Heather|date=April 2019|title=Mr. West Virginia Disc Golf|work=Wonderful West Virginia|url=https://www.wonderfulwv.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/April%202019/Mr.%20West%20Virginia%20Disc%20Golf.pdf|access-date=2021-08-19|archive-date=2021-08-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819163340/https://www.wonderfulwv.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/April%202019/Mr.%20West%20Virginia%20Disc%20Golf.pdf|url-status=dead}} He was Tournament Director for the 2021 Beech Fork Open at the Beech Fork State Park Disc Golf Course, which he co-designed with Phil Bryan.{{Cite web |title=Beech Fork Open |url=https://www.pdga.com/tour/event/52574 |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=Professional Disc Golf Association |language=en}}
Sponsorships
Sias is sponsored by Innova Champion Discs on their All Stars Team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.innovadiscs.com/team-innova/all-stars/|title=All Stars|date=9 June 2017 }}
Personal life
Sias was born in Huntington, West Virginia, and raised in Lincoln County, West Virginia. He married his wife, Adele, in 1978.
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sias, Johnny}}
Category:American disc golfers
Category:People from Wayne County, West Virginia
Category:Sportspeople from Huntington, West Virginia
Category:People from Lincoln County, West Virginia
Category:Disc golf course designers
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sias, Johnny}}