GOLF PGA RALPH GULDAHL HALL OF FAME PHOTO ORIGINAL PROFESSIONAL VINTAGE

Description: A VINTAGE ORIGINAL PHOTO OF RALPH GULDAHL WHERE Ralph J. Guldahl was an American professional golfer, one of the top five players in the sport from 1936 to 1940. He won sixteen PGA Tour-sanctioned tournaments, including three majors. Ralph Guldahl, the tall self-taught Texan who dominated professional golf in the late 1930's only to give up the tour for lack of interest, died in his sleep early Thursday at his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Sherman Oaks. He was 75 years old and was the professional at the Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, Calif. In a sport whose history is laced with such instantly recognizable names as Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, the name Ralph Guldahl is hardly a household word today. But in a span of four years he won the prestigious Western Open in 1936, 1937 and 1938; the United States Open in 1936 and 1937, and, after two straight second-place finishes, the Masters in 1939. He also played on three consecutive Ryder Cup teams, in 1937, 1939 and 1941. His consecutive victories in the United States Open have been matched by only four other men: Willie Anderson (1903-1905), John McDermott (1911-1912), Jones (1929-1930) and Hogan (1950-1951). Mr. Guldahl was born in Dallas, where he developed an unorthodox swing with an explosive backswing and sledgehammer down stroke. It may not have looked pretty, but it worked. Mr. Guldahl, who at 6 feet 3 inches was taller than most champion golfers, turned professional in the middle of a tournament in 1930, and in January 1931, just two and a half months past his 19th birthday, won a tournament in Santa Monica, Calif., making him what is believed to be the youngest man ever to win a tournament on the pro tour. In his first United States Open, in 1933, he came in second. Despite the auspicious beginning, Mr. Guldahl, who had a practice of combing his thick curly hair after almost every shot, quickly lost interest in competition. In 1935, after the birth of his son, Ralph Jr., he quit the tour. The layoff apparently helped. When he returned a year and a half later he was almost invincible, much to the special chagrin of Snead. In the final round of the 1937 Open, Guldahl was on the 10th tee when Snead, playing his first Open, eagled the 18th hole and finished with a 283 and a seemingly certain victory. Guldahl finished with a 281, and Snead never won an Open. Thanks for reading The Times.Subscribe to The TimesIn the 1939 Masters, Guldahl was again on the the 10th tee when Snead holed out the on the 18th for a 280. A couple of birdies and an eagle later, Guldahl finished with a 279. Although he played sporadically in the late 1940's, Guldahl was never a serious contender on the tour after World War II. As he later explained, ''I never did have a tremendous desire to win.'' His achievements earned him induction into the American Golf Hall of Fame in 1972 and the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981. Editors’ Picks Why Some Mosquitoes Prefer Humans ‘One Day While I Was Shopping at Macy’s, I Lost Track of the Time’ Why Intellectuals Support DictatorsContinue reading the main storyIn addition to his son, he is survived by his wife, Maydelle RALPH GULDAHLRalph Guldahl stands alone in golf history as the best player ever to suddenly and completely lose his game. Guldahl was born the year before Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson, and he shot to the top more quickly than any of them. In fact, during a dazzling stretch from 1936 to 1939, Guldahl was the brightest star in golf, winning two U.S. Opens, a Masters and three straight Western Opens. And then, mysteriously, he never won again. Born in 1911 in Dallas, Texas, the precocious Guldahl joined the pro golf tour in the early 1930s, winning the 1932 Phoenix Open. In the final round of the 1933 U.S. Open at the North Shore G.C. outside Chicago, the tall 21-year-old picked up nine strokes in 11 holes on Johnny Goodman, and on the 72nd holed needed only a four-footer to force a playoff. He missed it and essentially gave up competition for nearly three years. Guldahl went home to Dallas and became a used-car salesman until he was asked to lay out a nine-hole course in Kilgore, Texas. The project inspired Guldahl to take up the game again. He began practicing and, on the advice of doctors caring for his sickly son, moved his family to the California desert. In 1936, a rededicated Guldahl finished eighth in the U.S. Open and a few weeks later won his first Western Open. The 1937 season was his best. Guldahl won the Western Open again, as well as the U.S. Open at Oakland Hills, where he closed with 69 for a total of 281 that stood as the championship record until 1948. He would have had three major titles but for an incredible reversal at the Masters. Guldahl was four strokes up with only seven to play, but he hit into the water on both the 12th and 13th holes to score a 5 and 6. On the same holes, Byron Nelson scored a 2 and a 3 to blow past Guldahl and win by two. Quote"Behind my so called poker face, I'm burning up."He finished second in the Masters again in 1938, but eased the sting of that disappointment by becoming the only golfer to win both the Western and the U.S. Open in consecutive years. The latter victory was achieved by six strokes at Cherry Hills in Denver, where Guldahl became the last U.S. Open champion to win the title wearing a necktie. Finally, in 1939, Guldahl got his green jacket in the most stirring performance of his career. With Snead in the clubhouse with a record score of 280, Guldahl fired a 33 on Augusta National’s back nine, highlighted by a 3-wood second to the par-5 13th that finished six feet from the hole and led to an eagle. That scoring record stood until Ben Hogan shattered it in 1953. Guldahl in his prime was a golfer with an impressive arsenal. Though his fast and quirky swing produced only marginal power, Guldahl was straight and uncanny in controlling the distance of his approaches. “When Ralph was at his peak,” said Snead, “his clubhead came back on the line and went through on the line as near perfect as anyone I’ve ever seen.” He was a deadly lag putter, and perhaps most importantly, had an imperturbable manner. Guldahl moved through his rounds slowly and devoid of emotion, his only distinguishing on course gesture a habit of taking out a comb and running it through his thick black hair. “If Guldahl gave someone a blood transfusion, the patient would freeze to death,” said Snead. FACT Ralph Guldahl once worked as a carpenter for Warner Brothers in the 1930s while he was mired in a slump. But Guldahl admitted that “behind my so called poker face, I’m burning up.” Somehow, beginning in the 1940 season, he went from being the man to beat to a beaten man. Whether it was due to the rigors of competition, lack of desire or the vagaries of his swing remains a mystery. One theory maintains that Guldahl lost his game after working on a golf instruction book, which forced him to think about swing mechanics for the first time in his life. Guldahl left the tour in 1942 and, except for a brief return in 1949, never played it again. But there was no denying Guldahl’s brilliance-while it lasted. RALPH GULDAHLMAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3Masters Tournament: 1939U.S. Open: 1937, 1938ADDITIONAL PGA TOUR WINS: 131931: Santa Monica Open1932: Arizona Open1934: Westwood Golf Club Open Championship1936: Western Open, Augusta Open, Miami Biltmore Open1937: Western Open1938: Western Open1939: Greater Greensboro Open, Dapper Dan Open, Miami Biltmore Four-ball1940: Milwaukee Open, Inverness Invitational Four-ballRYDER CUP APPEARANCES: 1Wins in bold 1937 Ralph Guldahl's up-and-down career is one of the great mysteries of golf, but for a few years in the late 1930s he was the best player in the game. The 6'3'' Texan is one of only six players to win back-to-back U.S. Opens, claiming the title in 1937 and 1938. He was second in the Masters both of those years, winning it in 1939. And he won the Western Open, then one of the game's big events, in 1936, 1937, and 1938. Then his game suddenly vanished -- for the second time. Guldahl first emerged in 1932 when he won the Arizona Open at age 20. He nearly won the 1933 U.S. Open, missing a four-foot putt on the 72nd hole to finish one stroke behind Johnny Goodman. Then he went into a slump and quit the Tour in frustration in 1935. After changing his grip and spending long hours practicing, Guldahl returned in 1936 and led the Tour in scoring average. Guldahl beat Sam Snead by two strokes at Oakland Hills in 1937 to take his first U.S. Open title. He eagled the 8th hole and birdied the 9th, then learned he could beat Snead with a 37 on the back. "If I can't play this last nine in 37 strokes," he said, "I'm a bum and don't deserve to win the Open." Guldahl shot a 36 on the back to finish with a 69 and set a new U.S. Open 72-hole record of 281. The next year, at Cherry Hills, Guldahl also closed with a 69 to win by six strokes. At the Masters in 1939, Guldahl beat out Snead by one stroke with another final-round 69. Guldahl won a couple tournaments in 1940, but the next year he struggled greatly. He took motion pictures of his swing and compared them with his swing when he won the Masters, but he couldn't find the fatal flaw. All he knew was that the winning touch had vanished. His enthusiasm for the game gone, Guldahl left the Tour in 1942 and, except for brief periods, never returned. he Greatest Golfer (You’ve Never Heard Of)For several years in the 1930s, he was the most successful golfer on the pro circuit, winning—sometimes consecutively—the most prestigious tournaments of the day. Then, suddenly, for Ralph Guldahl it was over. Here’s the captivating story of his unprecedented winning streak and the inside track on how—almost overnight—he lost his game, ultimately becoming Braemar Country Club’s most famous and beloved pro. CategoryPeopleWritten byWillard Simms It was Sunday, June 12, 1937. As Ralph Guldahl stood on the green at Oakland Hills Country Club near Detroit, he looked on the cheering throngs with a sense of disbelief. Just two years earlier the 26-year-old had retired from tournament golf in frustration and gone to work as a car salesman. Yet now here he was, in the final round of the U.S. Open Championship, tied for the lead with Sam Snead—the man universally admired for having the greatest, most fluid swing in all of golf. Guldahl was staring down a 65-foot putt across the treacherously fast eighth hole green that had already broken the back of several of his competitors. The only golfer in the tournament clad in a buttoned collar and necktie, he wiped his forehead under the heat of the summer sun, took three short practice swings … then backed away. Snead was playing several holes ahead of him and scoring par after par. Guldahl took a deep, slow breath and decided to go all out. The strategy: putt hard, aiming for the center of the cup. It would be either eagle or bogey. He stepped up, took one more deep breath, then addressed the ball with confidence. Sixty-five feet later it dropped into the cup. He’d taken the lead. When he birdied the next hole it was too much for Snead to catch up, and Guldahl won the coveted U.S. Open. By all accounts it was part of one of the most brilliant runs of major tournament finishes in the history of professional golf. And then, suddenly, he vanished. SHOOTING STARAt the time of that U.S. Open win, Guldahl stood in the limelight in a nation crazy about golf. The same age as fellow champions Snead, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, Guldahl shot to the top more quickly than any of them. From 1936 to 1939, he was simply the biggest name in the game. He barnstormed to back-to back U.S. Open titles in ’37 and ’38 before being crowned Masters champion at Augusta National in 1939. He also won three straight Western Opens, widely considered to be a major at the time. In the 30’s few Americans made the 12-hour flight across the Atlantic to play the British Open, but all the top pros played in The Western. When Guldahl did make the trip abroad, it was to play on the prestigious Ryder Cup team that gained a victory over the British in 1937. Guldahl’s mid-30’s roll made today’s world #1 Rory McIlroy’s current performance look mild in comparison. On the course, Guldahl was always considered something of a contradiction in terms. He was known on tour as a no-airs, down-home Texan, and yet he always cut a striking figure. In an era when the knit golf shirt was just becoming popular, Guldahl always played in a starched shirt and tie. He looked as good as he played. At that historic 1937 Open, when he approached the 18th green, he stopped, straightened his tie and took out his comb one final time. He later explained, “I wanted to look good when the photographers took pictures of me with the trophy. I was always proud of my head of hair.” Friendly off the course, while playing he was stoic and rarely showed emotion. Few knew he was wearing a mask. “Behind my so-called poker face, I’m burning up,” he once said. His son, Ralph, Jr.—a retired golf professional who now lives in Carson, California—has another take. “Dad took tournaments very seriously; that’s how he put money on the table for his family during the Depression,” he says. THIRD-TIME CHARM After coming in second place two years in a row, in 1939 the always dapper Ralph Guldahl wins the Masters. PHOTO COURTESY ASSOCIATED PRESS PARALYSIS BY ANALYSISAs brightly as Guldahl’s star shone at the end of the 30’s, it began to flicker and fade at the turn of the decade. Something had changed in that magical swing. Mastery of the game of golf is often illusive and over the years there have been many different theories about what exactly happened to Guldahl’s swing. The most popular one centers on a book. In 1939 Guldahl was offered a contract to pen a guide to golfing. Groove Your Golf used the latest technique of high-speed photographs on each page, showing him hitting balls. As the story goes, when he studied the photographs of himself he saw a flaw in his swing, tried to correct it and lost his swing completely. What golfers commonly call “paralysis by analysis” was evident every time he stepped on the course after 1940. That year Guldahl finished fifth in the Masters and 14th in the U.S. Open. In 1941 he was 14th in the Masters and 21st in the Open—respectable spots, but nowhere near where he was before writing his book. In 1942 he placed 21st in the Masters, but shortly thereafter the Open and all subsequent major tournaments were canceled for the duration of World War II. By all accounts, the white-hot career of Ralph Guldahl was over. A DECLINE SEEN DIFFERENTLYRalph, Jr. believes that if alive today, his father would laugh at the theory that over-analysis was the sole cause of his professional downfall. He says there were several other factors that played a role. “My father always said, ‘Either you’re a natural golfer or an artificial golfer,’” Ralph, Jr. explains. “A natural golfer has a natural swing and only makes modifications to it when necessary for a particular shot. The first aim of form is simplicity. An artificial golfer can copy the mechanics of a good swing, but it’s not natural to him—and that type of golfer will struggle on the Pro Tour.” According to his son, Guldahl believed he had a “natural” swing. Guldahl’s wife, LaVerne, also played a role in his short-lived career as a pro. Junior tells the story: “When my mother was 11 years old, she saw her best friend die in a terrible plane crash. She’d gone to the airport to see her childhood friend off, and the plane crashed on takeoff—killing everyone on board. She never got over it and vowed never to fly herself.” Since LaVerne always accompanied Ralph to tournaments, the couple only traveled in trains and cars. When he was on the Ryder Cup team that played in England, he refused to fly. Instead the couple went across the Atlantic on a German steamboat that took more than 10 days to cross. Car travel was further complicated due to an ear injury. Junior says that when his father tried to enlist in World War II, he was rejected and classified as 4F because of a punctured eardrum he’d received as a child. Military physicians determined that shooting a rifle would be excruciating for him. Traveling by car on rough, unpaved roads caused a rattling noise that was painful. “It was something that gave Dad headaches which would last for days,” recalls Ralph, Jr. And so in 1942, when all the major tournaments were canceled due to the war and most of the pros were serving in the military, Guldahl stepped away from professional golf. OFF COURSE Guldahl attempts to get a ball out of a rough spot, as spectators look on from above. PHOTOS COURTESY BRAEMAR COUNTY CLUB POST PRO The war years were a tough time for the young golf pro. Guldahl was frustrated that he was physically unable to serve his country like his fellow golfers, and he left the game in a slump. He moved quietly to Chicago and became the pro at Medinah Country Club, where he followed fellow Golf Hall of Fame member Tommy Armour. No major tournaments were held again until 1946. By that time Guldahl had lost almost all interest in the tour. His son says, “Dad could play lights-out golf when he wanted to, but the competitive drive just wasn’t there anymore. And he just hated traveling.” Guldahl eventually moved to Florida, but when he was offered the chance to become a teaching pro and “golf emeritus” at the brand new Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, he jumped at it. He and LaVerne bought a small house in nearby Sherman Oaks. Right from the start he relished his new role. “He was immensely popular with everyone,” club pro Mike Spayd shares. “He seemed genuinely interested in everyone. He was the club’s ambassador to new members and was a liaison between management and the men’s club. He was so gentle, so considerate of everyone.” Ron Cherney, a member of Braemar when Guldahl was golfer emeritus, recalls, “He was very popular. Everyone wanted to be able to talk with him, and he made himself available to club members all the time.” Known as “Goldie” at Braemar, he often spoke proudly about his family. Every Saturday, he and Ralph, Jr. would play 18 holes together. “Members really wanted to play with Dad, though he rarely gave advice—just taught by example. And his swing was as good as ever,” Junior remembers. Father and son were very close, and Senior often spoke of losing his passion for playing tournaments when Ralph, Jr. was a toddler. He explained to young Ralph, “Your mom and I didn’t like raising you out of a suitcase. Playing the tour isn’t much of a life for the father of a young son.” So is it a tragedy that Ralph Guldahl left the professional golf tour for good in 1942, eventually becoming the top gun at Braemar Country Club for 28 years—right up to his passing in 1987? To the contrary. There are many at Braemar who would say that was the greatest thing that ever happened to Ralph Guldahl, because he affected so many golfers—of all ages—with his humble style and positive example. He was without question the most popular pro the club has ever had—in spite of the fact that he never gave more than two or three actual lessons a day. Instead, he preferred to teach on the course while shooting a round. He particularly loved assisting golfers who exhibited a “natural swing.” To this day, warm stories are told on the Braemar greens about Guldahl—his humble nature, love of the game and of his family. As golf enthusiasts will tell you, one of the greatest things about the game is that, unlike most sports, you can play it in your later years. Guldahl did—and well. At the age of 75, he shot 18 holes at Braemar while playing with some celebrities. Most often the former tournament pro didn’t keep score, but on that day the group did. The scorecard that day showed that Ralph Guldahl, in declining health and just three months before he died, shot even par at 71. Ralph J. Guldahl (November 22, 1911 – June 11, 1987) was an American professional golfer, one of the top five players in the sport from 1936 to 1940.[1][2] He won sixteen PGA Tour-sanctioned tournaments, including three majors (two U.S. Opens and one Masters). Contents1Early life and education2Professional tournament career2.1Initial success, slump2.2Comeback2.3Breakthrough at major level3Book contract and decision to retire4Club professional5Legacy6PGA Tour wins (16)7Major championships7.1Wins (3)7.2Results timeline7.3Summary8See also9References10External linksEarly life and educationBorn in Dallas, Texas, Guhldahl was a 1930 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School.[3] Professional tournament careerInitial success, slumpGuldahl started playing on the professional tournament circuit in 1931, and won an event in his rookie season before turning 20 years of age, setting a record that would not be matched until 2013, when Jordan Spieth won the John Deere Classic. In 1933, at the age of 21, Guldahl went into the last hole of the U.S. Open tied for the lead with Johnny Goodman. A par would have taken him into a playoff, but he made bogey and finished second. After further frustrating failures, Guldahl quit the sport temporarily in 1935 and became a car salesman. ComebackGuldahl made a comeback part way through the next PGA Tour season in 1936, won the prestigious Western Open and finished second on the money list. He won the Western Open in 1937 and 1938 as well. That tournament was recognized as one of the world's most important events at the time, on the level of a major championship or close to it. Guldahl's manner of play was relaxed: "He paused to comb his hair before every hole, and would forestall any suspense by announcing exactly where he intended to plant the ball."[4] Breakthrough at major levelGuldahl won three major championships. He claimed the U.S. Open title in 1937, with a then-record score of 281. He successfully defended the national title with his win in 1938, and was the last to win the U.S. Open while wearing a necktie during play in 1938.[5] Guldahl was runner-up at the Masters in both 1937 and 1938, before taking that title in 1939. He played on his only Ryder Cup team in 1937, the last before a decade hiatus due to World War II. Guldahl reached the top in golf ahead of more famous players of his generation, including Sam Snead and fellow Texans Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, and Jimmy Demaret, who all went on to build much longer and more productive pro careers. Guldahl's 16 PGA Tour wins all came in a ten-year span between 1931 and 1940. Guldahl put together five straight seasons—from 1936 to 1940—with multiple PGA Tour titles. Book contract and decision to retireGuldahl was offered a book contract for a guide to golf, taking two months to complete Groove Your Golf, a book that used high-speed photographs of Guldahl on each page to create "flip-book" movies. After completing the book in 1939, he returned to the PGA Tour. His last two wins came in 1940. Two-time PGA champion Paul Runyan commented, "It's the most ridiculous thing, really. Guldahl went from being temporarily the best player in the world to one who couldn't play at all."[4] His son, Ralph, claimed that his father over-analyzed his swing and it fell apart. According to his wife, Laverne: "When he sat down to write that book, that's when he lost his game."[4] In an interview with The New York Times in 1979, Guldahl himself offered a different explanation for the slump in his game. When asked about destroying his talent by practicing in front of a mirror while writing the book, he responded: "Nonsense. No such thing ever happened."[4] During the interview, he offered several reasons for retiring: he was tired of life on the road; he wanted more time with his family; and the wartime slowdown in tournaments caused his game to grow rusty and he had little inclination to train. "I never did have a tremendous desire to win."[4] Paul Collins summed up Guldahl's decision to retire with these words: "Guldahl's fate had little to do with overthinking his game, and much to do with the untutored Dallas boy who once loved to play abandoned courses and baseball diamonds alone. Far more than fame, what Ralph Guldahl wanted was a nice, quiet game of golf."[4] Guldahl played occasionally in the 1940s but then quit tournament golf for good, except for several seasons in the 1960s, when he played in the Masters, as an eligible past champion, without notable success. Club professionalHe spent the rest of his working life as a club professional. In 1961, he became the club pro at the new Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, California, where he was an instructor until his death.[2] Among his students was billionaire Howard Hughes. LegacyGuldahl was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame in 1980.[6] Guldahl was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981. He died in Sherman Oaks, California, in 1987 at age 75. In 1989, Guldahl was inducted into the Woodrow Wilson High School Hall of Fame when it was created during the celebration of the school's 60th Anniversary. He is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.[7] PGA Tour wins (16)1931 (1) Santa Monica Open1932 (1) Arizona Open1934 (1) Westwood Golf Club Open Championship1936 (3) Western Open, Augusta Open, Miami Biltmore Open1937 (2) U.S. Open, Western Open1938 (2) U.S. Open, Western Open1939 (4) Greater Greensboro Open, Masters Tournament, Dapper Dan Open, Miami Biltmore International Four-Ball (with Sam Snead)1940 (2) Milwaukee Open, Inverness Invitational Four-Ball (with Sam Snead)Major championships are shown in bold. Major championshipsWins (3)YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up1937U.S. Open1 shot deficit−7 (71-69-72-69=281)2 strokesUnited States Sam Snead1938U.S. Open (2)4 shot deficitE (74-70-71-69=284)6 strokesUnited States Dick Metz1939Masters Tournament1 shot lead−9 (72-68-70-69=279)1 strokeUnited States Sam SneadResults timelineTournament1930193119321933193419351936193719381939Masters TournamentNYFNYFNYFNYF2T21U.S. OpenT39T32T582T8T40T811T7The Open ChampionshipT11PGA ChampionshipR32R32R32Tournament1940194119421943194419451946194719481949Masters TournamentT14T1421NTNTNT48T35U.S. OpenT5T21NTNTNTNTCUTT55T3222The Open ChampionshipNTNTNTNTNTNTPGA ChampionshipSFR16NTTournament1950195119521953195419551956195719581959Masters TournamentU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipTournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969Masters TournamentCUTCUTCUTCUTCUTU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipTournament1970197119721973Masters TournamentCUTCUTCUTCUTU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipPGA Championship Win Top 10 Did not playNYF = tournament not yet foundedNT = no tournamentCUT = missed the half-way cutR64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play"T" indicates a tie for a place SummaryTournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts madeMasters Tournament120336178U.S. Open2104791615The Open Championship00000111PGA Championship00112555Totals331812213929Most consecutive cuts made – 25 (1930 U.S. Open – 1946 Masters)Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (five times)It was Sunday, June 12, 1937. As Ralph Guldahl stood on the green at Oakland Hills Country Club near Detroit,he looked on the cheering throngs with a sense of disbelief. Just two years earlier the 26-year-old had retiredfrom tournament golf in frustration and gone to work as a car salesman. Yet now here he was, in the final roundof the U.S. Open Championship, tied for the lead with Sam Snead—the man universally admired for having thegreatest, most fluid swing in all of golf.Guldahl was staring down a 65-footputt across the treacherously fasteighth hole green that had alreadybroken the back of several of hiscompetitors. The only golfer in thetournament clad in a buttoned collarand necktie, he wiped his foreheadunder the heat of the summer sun, tookthree short practice swings … thenbacked away.Snead was playing several holes aheadof him and scoring par after par.Guldahl took a deep, slow breath anddecided to go all out. The strategy: putthard, aiming for the center of the cup.It would be either eagle or bogey.He stepped up, took one more deepbreath, then addressed the ball withconfidence. Sixty-five feet later itdropped into the cup. He’d taken thelead.When he birdied the next hole it wastoo much for Snead to catch up, andGuldahl won the coveted U.S. Open.By all accounts it was part of one ofthe most brilliant runs of majortournament finishes in the history ofprofessional golf.And then, suddenly, he vanished.SHOOTING STARAt the time of that U.S. Open win, Guldahl stood in the limelight in a nation crazy about golf. The same age asfellow champions Snead, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, Guldahl shot to the top more quickly than any of them.From 1936 to 1939, he was simply the biggest name in the game. He barnstormed to back-to back U.S. Opentitles in ’37 and ’38 before being crowned Masters champion at Augusta National in 1939.He also won three straight Western Opens, widely considered to be a major at the time. In the 30’s fewAmericans made the 12-hour flight across the Atlantic to play the British Open, but all the top pros played in TheWestern. When Guldahl did make the trip abroad, it was to play on the prestigious Ryder Cup team that gained avictory over the British in 1937. Guldahl’s mid-30’s roll made today’s world #1 Rory McIlroy’s currentperformance look mild in comparison.On the course, Guldahl was always considered something of a contradiction in terms. He was known on tour as ano-airs, down-home Texan, and yet he always cut a striking figure. In an era when the knit golf shirt was justbecoming popular, Guldahl always played in a starched shirt and tie. He looked as good as he played.At that historic 1937 Open, when he approached the 18th green, he stopped, straightened his tie and took out hiscomb one final time. He later explained, “I wanted to look good when the photographers took pictures of mewith the trophy. I was always proud of my head of hair.”Friendly off the course, while playing he was stoic and rarely showed emotion. Few knew he was wearing amask. “Behind my so-called poker face, I’m burning up,” he once said.His son, Ralph, Jr.—a retired golf professional who now lives in Carson, California—has another take. “Dadtook tournaments very seriously; that’s how he put money on the table for his family during the Depression,” hesays.PARALYSIS BY ANALYSISAs brightly as Guldahl’s star shone at the end of the 30’s, it began to flicker and fade at the turn of the decade.Something had changed in that magical swing. Mastery of the game of golf is often illusive and over the yearsthere have been many different theories about what exactly happened to Guldahl’s swing. The most popular onecenters on a book.In 1939 Guldahl was offered a contract to pen a guide to golfing. Groove Your Golf used the latest technique ofhigh-speed photographs on each page, showing him hitting balls. As the story goes, when he studied thephotographs of himself he saw a flaw in his swing, tried to correct it and lost his swing completely. What golferscommonly call “paralysis by analysis” was evident every time he stepped on the course after 1940.That year Guldahl finished fifth in the Masters and 14th in the U.S. Open. In 1941 he was 14th in the Mastersand 21st in the Open—respectable spots, but nowhere near where he was before writing his book. In 1942 heplaced 21st in the Masters, but shortly thereafter the Open and all subsequent major tournaments were canceledfor the duration of World War II. By allaccounts, the white-hot career of RalphGuldahl was over.A DECLINE SEEN DIFFERENTLYRalph, Jr. believes that if alive today, hisfather would laugh at the theory that overanalysis was the sole cause of hisprofessional downfall. He says there wereseveral other factors that played a role.“My father always said, ‘Either you’re anatural golfer or an artificial golfer,’”Ralph, Jr. explains. “A natural golfer hasa natural swing and only makesmodifications to it when necessary for aOFF COURSE Guldahl attempts to get a ball out of a rough spot, as spectators look on from above.particular shot. The first aim of form is simplicity. An artificial golfer can copy the mechanics of a good swing,but it’s not natural to him—and that type of golfer will struggle on the Pro Tour.” According to his son, Guldahlbelieved he had a “natural” swing.Guldahl’s wife, LaVerne, also played a role in his short-lived career as a pro. Junior tells the story: “When mymother was 11 years old, she saw her best friend die in a terrible plane crash. She’d gone to the airport to see herchildhood friend off, and the plane crashed on takeoff—killing everyone on board. She never got over it andvowed never to fly herself.”Since LaVerne always accompanied Ralph to tournaments, the couple only traveled in trains and cars. When hewas on the Ryder Cup team that played in England, he refused to fly. Instead the couple went across the Atlanticon a German steamboat that took more than 10 days to cross.Car travel was further complicated due to an ear injury. Junior says that when his father tried to enlist in WorldWar II, he was rejected and classified as 4F because of a punctured eardrum he’d received as a child. Militaryphysicians determined that shooting a rifle would be excruciating for him.Traveling by car on rough, unpaved roads caused a rattling noise that was painful. “It was something that gaveDad headaches which would last for days,” recalls Ralph, Jr.And so in 1942, when all the major tournaments were canceled due to the war and most of the pros were servingin the military, Guldahl stepped away from professional golf.POST PROThe war years were a tough time for the young golf pro. Guldahl was frustrated that he was physically unable toserve his country like his fellow golfers, and he left the game in a slump. He moved quietly to Chicago andbecame the pro at Medinah Country Club, where he followed fellow Golf Hall of Fame member TommyArmour.No major tournaments were held again until 1946. By that time Guldahl had lost almost all interest in the tour.His son says, “Dad could play lights-out golf when he wanted to, but the competitive drive just wasn’t thereanymore. And he just hated traveling.”Guldahl eventually moved to Florida, but when he was offered the chance to become a teaching pro and “golfemeritus” at the brand new Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, he jumped at it. He and LaVerne bought a smallhouse in nearby Sherman Oaks.Right from the start he relished his new role. “He was immensely popular with everyone,” club pro Mike Spaydshares. “He seemed genuinely interested in everyone. He was the club’s ambassador to new members and was aliaison between management and the men’s club. He was so gentle, so considerate of everyone.”Ron Cherney, a member of Braemar when Guldahl was golfer emeritus, recalls, “He was very popular. Everyonewanted to be able to talk with him, and he made himself available to club members all the time.”Known as “Goldie” at Braemar, he often spoke proudly about his family. Every Saturday, he and Ralph, Jr.would play 18 holes together. “Members really wanted to play with Dad, though he rarely gave advice—justtaught by example. And his swing was asgood as ever,” Junior remembers.Father and son were very close, and Senioroften spoke of losing his passion for playingtournaments when Ralph, Jr. was a toddler.He explained to young Ralph, “Your momand I didn’t like raising you out of a suitcase.Playing the tour isn’t much of a life for thefather of a young son.”So is it a tragedy that Ralph Guldahl left theprofessional golf tour for good in 1942,eventually becoming the top gun at BraemarCountry Club for 28 years—right up to hispassing in 1987? To the contrary.There are many at Braemar who would saythat was the greatest thing that everhappened to Ralph Guldahl, because heaffected so many golfers—of all ages—withhis humble style and positive example. Hewas without question the most popular prothe club has ever had—in spite of the fact that he never gave more than two or three actual lessons a day.Instead, he preferred to teach on the course while shooting a round. He particularly loved assisting golfers whoexhibited a “natural swing.” To this day, warm stories are told on the Braemar greens about Guldahl—hishumble nature, love of the game and of his family.As golf enthusiasts will tell you, one of the greatest things about the game is that, unlike most sports, you canplay it in your later years. Guldahl did—and well.At the age of 75, he shot 18 holes at Braemar while playing with some celebrities. Most often the formertournament pro didn’t keep score, but on that day the group did. The scorecard that day showed that RalphGuldahl, in declining health and just three months before he died, shot even par at 71. JULY, 1938Clubs With Water Holes Can Cash-Inon Ball Sale ProfitsA GOO D water hole ought lo be worth" at leant $200 a year to a club lhatgets much play, says Walter Keller, driving range pro-operator. Keller bases hisestimate on the difficulty of buying repainted balls for range use.Driving ranges are having the biggestyear in golf history, notwithstanding somebad breaks in weather. Night-lightedranges in cities where summers areespecially hot, are doing big businessuntil past midnight. One of the largestcrowds that ever gathered at a drivingrange, assembled at the St, Louis district pros' spot during the Western Open.Western Open stars were the attraction.Practice tees in good locations havebeen sources of substantial incomes topros. Bob Macdonald was one of thepioneers in this field and has establisheda big business at his place near Riverview amusement park on Chicago's northside. Latest well known pro to make aprofitable tie-up with a practice tee isBill Mchlhom at Chicago. Bill gives freeclass lessons Tuesday afternoons andThursday evening for half-hours. Hisprivate lesson time is heavily booked.29•RALPHGULDAHLNATIONAL OPEN CHAMPION1937—1938WESTERN OPEN CHAMPION1936—1937—1938Available for Exhibition MatchefAfter August 15thInterested clubs pleete communicate withWILSON SPORTING GOODS CO.2017 Campbell AvenueCHICAGO, ILL.IN THE ROUGH !I'lav safe! Protect your members againstihr germ of "athlete's fool " HIUCII lurk*unseen on ihe cleanest looking floor*.Always keep SAM-TREADS—the patented,htare-filling slippers—-band* in tbe lockerroom. SAINl-TREADS will not only MiTeguard your members, tint will also keepdown tbe "wear and tear" on your towels.SAM - TREADS,I he original CIII/Jhath slipper uithexclusive patented/vaturet are newselling at rock'fa tit lit n i priceAroid imitation*— lonf c for thename stamped onerer y slipper.SAM - TRKAHStWrite for /oldera >i d I R E ES Mid-Century Missouri Amateursat St Joe Country Club1937After A.W. Tillinghast’s visit in April of1935 the club made some changes on the courseregarding bunker locations. It remained a par72 with six of each par 3s, 4s and 5s.Entries were taken at the Robidoux Hotelright up to the first day of qualifying. 130 Players started at 9 a.m. with ten minute intervals.Bob Cochran won his first of four medalist trophies with a two-under 142. The two man teamcompetition was won by Swope Park. CrystalLake won the four man team event.In the first round Walter Blevins thedefending champion and Cochran were eliminated. It came down to a Tiger-Jayhawk final,Ted Adams against Glen Oatman. Adams hadbeaten Oatman the year before at the WesternIn 1937 players ‘warmedup’ at the Excelsior Springs SpaTournament the week before theMissouri Amateur. Many St. Louisplayers took part on their wayto St. Joseph. Jack Sandusky ofSt. Joseph won by defeating BobClark in a 20 hole final.Amateur at Omaha. Oatman lost a 5 up lead inthe final before recovering to win 2&1.1948Eleven years later, with WW II in between,the Amateur returned to St. Joseph. A wholenew cast of war veterans now competed for thechampionship. In fact, seven state championswere in the field including a former Michiganchamp, Bob Kosten.Don Smith and Ted Adams battled it outfor medalist honors with Smith winning hisfourth with 141, three under. The course recordwas set by Tom Stephenson with a 66 in thefirst round.St. Joseph’s own Warren Riepen, 35, hadbeen a professional before the war. He receivednotice of his amateur reinstatement whileserving in the south Pacific. He faced Jack Penberthy, 23, in the finals. Jack had been a B17bombadier during the war. Riepen won 5&4,The weekend before the 1937Missouri Amateur Ralph Guldahl edgedSam Snead by a stroke to win the firstof his two U.S. Opens at Oakland Hillsin Detroit. Guldahl won $1,000 in setting an Open record of -7, 281. Ralphhad been the club pro at St. Louis CCin 1932. Guldahl also won the Open in1938 and the Masters in 1939.but Penberthy gained some revenge by beatingRiepen in the 1949 Amateur.1967Young Tom Watson, Kansas City CC, hadflashed on the scene in 1964 as a 14-year-old.Now as a high school senior-to-be he was readyto start winning. He won the medal and thechampionship in dominating fashion.Another teenager that drew a lot of attention was Mike Farmer of Jefferson City. Mikedefeated two former champions in his first Missouri Amateur.Rodney Horn of Milburn and KU alsodefeated a former and future champion in making his way to the finals. Rod had played in theMasters the year before but there was no stopping Watson. Horn said “...he hit some shots Ididn’ t think evn great players could hit.” Tomwon 4&3 on his way to winning four of thenext five Missouri Amateurs.The week after the 1937 Missouri Amateur a large contingent ofMissourians traveled to Cherry Hillsin Denver for the Trans-Miss: Oatman, Held, Manion, Blevins, Draperand Stephenson.Glen OatmanLawrence, KansasWarren RiepenSt. JosephTom WatsonKansas CityBob CochranSt. LouisJack PenberthySt. LouisTed AdamsChillicotheRod HornKansas City It was Sunday, June 12, 1937. As Ralph Guldahl stood on the green at Oakland Hills Country Club near Detroit, he looked on the cheering throngs with a sense of disbelief. Just two years earlier the 26-year-old had retired from tournament golf in frustration and gone to work as a car salesman. Yet now here he was, in the final round of the U.S. Open Championship, tied for the lead with Sam Snead—the man universally admired for having the greatest, most fluid swing in all of golf. Guldahl was staring down a 65-foot putt across the treacherously fast eighth hole green that had already broken the back of several of his competitors. The only golfer in the tournament clad in a buttoned collar and necktie, he wiped his forehead under the heat of the summer sun, took three short practice swings … then backed away. Snead was playing several holes ahead of him and scoring par after par. Guldahl took a deep, slow breath and decided to go all out. The strategy: putt hard, aiming for the center of the cup. It would be either eagle or bogey. He stepped up, took one more deep breath, then addressed the ball with confidence. Sixty-five feet later it dropped into the cup. He’d taken the lead. When he birdied the next hole it was too much for Snead to catch up, and Guldahl won the coveted U.S. Open. By all accounts it was part of one of the most brilliant runs of major tournament finishes in the history of professional golf. And then, suddenly, he vanished. SHOOTING STAR At the time of that U.S. Open win, Guldahl stood in the limelight in a nation crazy about golf. The same age as fellow champions Snead, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, Guldahl shot to the top more quickly than any of them. From 1936 to 1939, he was simply the biggest name in the game. He barnstormed to back-to back U.S. Open titles in ’37 and ’38 before being crowned Masters champion at Augusta National in 1939. He also won three straight Western Opens, widely considered to be a major at the time. In the 30’s few Americans made the 12-hour flight across the Atlantic to play the British Open, but all the top pros played in The Western. When Guldahl did make the trip abroad, it was to play on the prestigious Ryder Cup team that gained a victory over the British in 1937. Guldahl’s mid-30’s roll made today’s world #1 Rory McIlroy’s current performance look mild in comparison. On the course, Guldahl was always considered something of a contradiction in terms. He was known on tour as a no-airs, down-home Texan, and yet he always cut a striking figure. In an era when the knit golf shirt was just becoming popular, Guldahl always played in a starched shirt and tie. He looked as good as he played. At that historic 1937 Open, when he approached the 18th green, he stopped, straightened his tie and took out his comb one final time. He later explained, “I wanted to look good when the photographers took pictures of me with the trophy. I was always proud of my head of hair.” Friendly off the course, while playing he was stoic and rarely showed emotion. Few knew he was wearing a mask. “Behind my so-called poker face, I’m burning up,” he once said. His son, Ralph, Jr.—a retired golf professional who now lives in Carson, California—has another take. “Dad took tournaments very seriously; that’s how he put money on the table for his family during the Depression,” he says. PARALYSIS BY ANALYSIS As brightly as Guldahl’s star shone at the end of the 30’s, it began to flicker and fade at the turn of the decade. Something had changed in that magical swing. Mastery of the game of golf is often illusive and over the years there have been many different theories about what exactly happened to Guldahl’s swing. The most popular one centers on a book. In 1939 Guldahl was offered a contract to pen a guide to golfing. Groove Your Golf used the latest technique of high-speed photographs on each page, showing him hitting balls. As the story goes, when he studied the photographs of himself he saw a flaw in his swing, tried to correct it and lost his swing completely. What golfers commonly call “paralysis by analysis” was evident every time he stepped on the course after 1940. That year Guldahl finished fifth in the Masters and 14th in the U.S. Open. In 1941 he was 14th in the Masters and 21st in the Open—respectable spots, but nowhere near where he was before writing his book. In 1942 he placed 21st in the Masters, but shortly thereafter the Open and all subsequent major tournaments were canceled for the duration of World War II. By all accounts, the white-hot career of Ralph Guldahl was over. A DECLINE SEEN DIFFERENTLY Ralph, Jr. believes that if alive today, his father would laugh at the theory that overanalysis was the sole cause of his professional downfall. He says there were several other factors that played a role. “My father always said, ‘Either you’re a natural golfer or an artificial golfer,’” Ralph, Jr. explains. “A natural golfer has a natural swing and only makes modifications to it when necessary for a OFF COURSE Guldahl attempts to get a ball out of a rough spot, as spectators look on from above. particular shot. The first aim of form is simplicity. An artificial golfer can copy the mechanics of a good swing, but it’s not natural to him—and that type of golfer will struggle on the Pro Tour.” According to his son, Guldahl believed he had a “natural” swing. Guldahl’s wife, LaVerne, also played a role in his short-lived career as a pro. Junior tells the story: “When my mother was 11 years old, she saw her best friend die in a terrible plane crash. She’d gone to the airport to see her childhood friend off, and the plane crashed on takeoff—killing everyone on board. She never got over it and vowed never to fly herself.” Since LaVerne always accompanied Ralph to tournaments, the couple only traveled in trains and cars. When he was on the Ryder Cup team that played in England, he refused to fly. Instead the couple went across the Atlantic on a German steamboat that took more than 10 days to cross. Car travel was further complicated due to an ear injury. Junior says that when his father tried to enlist in World War II, he was rejected and classified as 4F because of a punctured eardrum he’d received as a child. Military physicians determined that shooting a rifle would be excruciating for him. Traveling by car on rough, unpaved roads caused a rattling noise that was painful. “It was something that gave Dad headaches which would last for days,” recalls Ralph, Jr. And so in 1942, when all the major tournaments were canceled due to the war and most of the pros were serving in the military, Guldahl stepped away from professional golf. POST PRO The war years were a tough time for the young golf pro. Guldahl was frustrated that he was physically unable to serve his country like his fellow golfers, and he left the game in a slump. He moved quietly to Chicago and became the pro at Medinah Country Club, where he followed fellow Golf Hall of Fame member Tommy Armour. No major tournaments were held again until 1946. By that time Guldahl had lost almost all interest in the tour. His son says, “Dad could play lights-out golf when he wanted to, but the competitive drive just wasn’t there anymore. And he just hated traveling.” Guldahl eventually moved to Florida, but when he was offered the chance to become a teaching pro and “golf emeritus” at the brand new Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, he jumped at it. He and LaVerne bought a small house in nearby Sherman Oaks. Right from the start he relished his new role. “He was immensely popular with everyone,” club pro Mike Spayd shares. “He seemed genuinely interested in everyone. He was the club’s ambassador to new members and was a liaison between management and the men’s club. He was so gentle, so considerate of everyone.” Ron Cherney, a member of Braemar when Guldahl was golfer emeritus, recalls, “He was very popular. Everyone wanted to be able to talk with him, and he made himself available to club members all the time.” Known as “Goldie” at Braemar, he often spoke proudly about his family. Every Saturday, he and Ralph, Jr. would play 18 holes together. “Members really wanted to play with Dad, though he rarely gave advice—just taught by example. And his swing was as good as ever,” Junior remembers. Father and son were very close, and Senior often spoke of losing his passion for playing tournaments when Ralph, Jr. was a toddler. He explained to young Ralph, “Your mom and I didn’t like raising you out of a suitcase. Playing the tour isn’t much of a life for the father of a young son.” So is it a tragedy that Ralph Guldahl left the professional golf tour for good in 1942, eventually becoming the top gun at Braemar Country Club for 28 years—right up to his passing in 1987? To the contrary. There are many at Braemar who would say that was the greatest thing that ever happened to Ralph Guldahl, because he affected so many golfers—of all ages—with his humble style and positive example. He was without question the most popular pro the club has ever had—in spite of the fact that he never gave more than two or three actual lessons a day. Instead, he preferred to teach on the course while shooting a round. He particularly loved assisting golfers who exhibited a “natural swing.” To this day, warm stories are told on the Braemar greens about Guldahl—his humble nature, love of the game and of his family. As golf enthusiasts will tell you, one of the greatest things about the game is that, unlike most sports, you can play it in your later years. Guldahl did—and well. At the age of 75, he shot 18 holes at Braemar while playing with some celebrities. Most often the former tournament pro didn’t keep score, but on that day the group did. The scorecard that day showed that Ralph Guldahl, in declining health and just three months before he died, shot even par at 71. Guldahl Heads Golfcraft Advisory Staff Golfcraft, Inc., Chicago, announces the appointment of Ralp h Guldahl to head up its advisory staff. Guldahl has designed the new irons and woods to be produced by Golfcraft, Inc. under a five year contract, Ralph Guldahl signs 5 year contract to head Golfcraft's advisory staff. Pres. Ted Wooley at right. recently signed with Ted Woolley, pres. of the firm. Other members of the Golfcraft advisory staff include Mike Brady and Bob MacDonald. While establishing himself as a designer of championship golf clubs, Ralph Guldahl set an impressive record as a player both in this country and abroad. Winner of the National Open in 2 consecutive years and the only golfer to win the Western Open 3 years in succession, Guldahl has won or been runner-up in countless other major tournaments and has twice been selected a member of this country's Ryder Cup Team. Low scores posted by Guldahl include a 281 in the 72-hole National Open and a 72-hol PGA of America Hall of Fame The PGA of America Hall of Fame originated in 1940 at the suggestion of famed sportswriter Grantland Rice. It is the highest honor that the PGA of America can bestow upon its membership or ambassadors of golf. Most of the original inductees were later enshrined at the PGA World Golf Hall of Fame in Pinehurst, North Carolina. In 1993, the PGA of America ceased PGA World Golf Hall of Fame operations in Pinehurst and subsequently relocated to the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida. While all of the Pinehurst-enshrined members were transferred to the new World Golf Hall of Fame, there were some members of the PGA Hall of Fame who were not recognized at the facility in World Golf Village. In 2002, the PGA opened the PGA Historical Center [later the PGA Museum of Golf] at PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida. This paved the way for the first home for the PGA Hall of Fame. The inaugural ceremony was conducted Sept. 8, 2005, as the Association recognized all PGA Members who have made significant and lasting contributions to building the PGA of America and the game of golf. In 2015, the PGA of America reinstituted its original Hall of Fame requirements to include nonPGA Members who have served as ambassadors of golf. In December 2015, the PGA Museum of Golf ceased operations, with the PGA Hall of Fame’s new location in transition. PGA of America Hall of Fame Members (including year of induction) 1940 Willie Anderson Tommy Armour Jim Barnes Charles “Chick” Evans Walter Hagen Robert Tyre “Bob” Jones Francis Ouimet Alex Smith Jerry Travers Walter Travis 1953 Ben Hogan Byron Nelson Sam Snead 1954 Macdonald Smith 1955 Leo Diegel 1956 Craig Wood 1957 Denny Shute 1958 Harry Cooper Jock Hutchison Paul Runyan Horton Smith 1960 Mike Brady Jimmy Demaret Fred McLeod 1961 Johnny Farrell Lawson Little Henry Picard 1962 Ernest Joseph “Dutch” Harrison Olin Dutra 1963 Ralph Guldahl Johnny Revolta 1964 Ed Dudley Lloyd Mangrum 1965 Vic Ghezzi 1966 Billy Burke 1967 Bobby Cruickshank 1968 Melvin R. “Chick” Harbert 1969 Chandler Harper 1974 Julius Boros Cary Middlecoff 1975 Jack Burke Jr. Doug Ford 1977 Babe Didrikson Zaharias 1978 Patty Berg 1979 Roberto DeVicenzo 1980 Arnold Palmer 1982 Billy Casper Gene Littler 2005 PGA Presidents (Term of Office) Robert White (1916-1919) Jack Mackie (1919-1920) George Sargent (1921-1926) Alex Pirie (1927-1930) Charles Hall (1931-1932) George Jacobus (1933-1939) Tom Walsh (1940-1941) Joe Novak (1949-1951) Harry Moffitt (1952-1954) Harold Sargent (1958-1960) Lou Strong (1961-1963) Warren Cantrell (1964-1965) Max Elbin (1966-1968) Leo Fraser (1969-1970) Warren Orlick (1971-1972) William Clarke (1973-1974) Henry Poe (1975-1976) Don Padgett II (1977-1978) Frank Cardi (1979-1980) Joe Black (1981-1982) Mark Kizziar (1983-1984) Mickey Powell (1985-1986) James Ray “J.R.” Carpenter (1987-1988) Patrick Rielly (1989-1990) Dick Smith (1992-1992) Gary Schaal (1993-1994) Tom Addis III (1995-1996) Ken Lindsay (1997-1998) Will Mann (1999-2000) Jack Connelly (2001-2002) M.G. Orender (2003-2004) PGA Golf Professionals of the Year 1955 Bill Gordon 1956 Harry Shepard 1957 Dugan Aycock 1958 Harry Pezzullo 1959 Eddie Duino Sr. 1960 Warren Orlick 1961 Don Padgett II 1962 Tom LoPresti 1963 Bruce Herd 1964 Lyle Wehrman 1965 Hubby Habjan 1966 Bill Strausbaugh Jr. 1967 Ernie Vossler 1968 Hardy Loudermilk 1969 Wally Mund A. Hubert Smith 1970 Grady Shumate 1971 Ross Collins 1972 Howard Morrette 1973 Warren Smith 1974 Paul Harney 1975 Walker Inman Jr. 1976 Ron Letellier 1977 Don Soper 1978 Walter Lowell 1979 Gary Ellis 1980 Stan Thirsk 1981 John Gerring 1982 Bob Popp 1983 Ken Lindsay 1984 Jerry Mowlds 1985 Jerry Cozby 1986 David Ogilvie 1987 Bob Ford 1988 Hank Majewski 1989 Tom Addis III 1990 Jim Albus 1991 Joe Jemsek 1992 Martin T. Kavanaugh II 1993 Don Kotnik 1994 Dick Murphy 1995 David C. Price 1996 Randall Smith 1997 Tom Sargent 1998 Ken Morton Sr. 1999 Ed Hoard 2000 Charles “Vic” Kline 2001 Tony Morosco 2002 Jock Olson 2003 Jim Brotherton Jr. 2004 Craig Harmon 2006 Manuel de la Torre Bill Eschenbrenner Dow Finsterwald William Heald Jack Nicklaus Roger Warren Dr. Gary Wiren 2009 Harry “Cotton” Berrier Don Essig III Claude Harmon Sr. Brent Krause Jim Manthis Eddie Merrins Harvey Penick Brian Whitcomb 2011 Jim Antkiewicz Jim Awtrey Samuel Henry “Errie” Ball Jack Barber Jim Flick Jim Remy Guy Wimberly 2013 Jimmie DeVoe Don “Chip” Essig IV Michael Hebron Jim Mrva Bill Ogden William “Bill” Powell Bob Toski Allen Wronowski 2015 Tommy Bolt Ray Cutright Michael Doctor George Hannon Charles L. “Charlie” Sifford Payne Stewart Lee Trevino 2017 Gary Player Renee Powell George Henry Schneiter Mike Schultz Joe Tesori Lew Worsham Jr. Mickey Wright 201 9 Davis Love III Dave Marr II Karsten Solheim Annika Sörenstam Shirley Spork Derek Sprague The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, as well as PGA Tour Champions (age 50 and older) and the Korn Ferry Tour (for professional players who have not yet qualified to play on the PGA Tour), as well as PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Latinoamérica, and PGA Tour China. The PGA Tour is a nonprofit organization[2] headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, a suburb southeast of Jacksonville.[3] Originally established by the Professional Golfers' Association of America, it was spun off in December 1968 into a separate organization for tour players, as opposed to club professionals, the focal members of today's PGA of America. Originally the "Tournament Players Division", it adopted the name "PGA Tour" in 1975 and runs most of the week-to-week professional golf events on the tournament known as the PGA Tour, including The Players Championship, hosted at TPC Sawgrass; the FedEx Cup, with its finale at The Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club; and the biennial Presidents Cup. The remaining events on the PGA Tour are run by different organizations, as are the U.S.-based LPGA Tour for women and other men's and women's professional tours around the world.[4] HistoryThe roots of the modern PGA Tour stretch back to April 10, 1916, when the Professional Golfers' Association of America was formed.[5] The modern tour recognizes wins from this era as "PGA Tour" victories despite the formal founding of the tour as a separate entity coming much later. By 1916, several prestigious golf tournaments offering prize money to the winner had been established in America, including the North and South Open, the Metropolitan Open, the Shawnee Open, the Western Open and the national championship, the U.S. Open. They formed the initial schedule of what came to be known much later as the "PGA Tour", with the addition of the PGA Championship in 1916. The Open Championship in the UK, the oldest golf tournament in the world founded in 1860, would become a PGA Tour event much later in 1995. All Open Championship wins dating back to 1860 were retroactively recognized as PGA Tour victories in 2002.[6] Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, various state open tournaments began, many organized by sections of the PGA. Tournaments recognized as PGA Tour wins from this era include the California Open, Connecticut Open, Florida Open, Maryland Open, Massachusetts Open, New Jersey State Open, New York State Open, Ohio Open, Oklahoma Open, Oregon Open, Pennsylvania Open Championship, Utah Open, Virginia Open and the Wisconsin State Open. This legacy lives on with the modern PGA Tour as the Valero Texas Open dates back to this era of state opens on the tour. The tour, then known informally as "The Circuit" for professional golfers in the PGA,[7] became more formalized in 1929. A tournament committee was formed, consisting of Tommy Armour, Al Espinosa and J.J. Patterson.[1] In 1930, Bob Harlow was hired as manager of the PGA Tournament Bureau and worked to formalize a year-round schedule of tournaments.[8] With an increase of revenue in the late 1960s due to expanded television coverage, a dispute arose between the touring professionals and the PGA of America on how to distribute the windfall. The tour players wanted larger purses, where the PGA desired the money to go to the general fund to help grow the game at the local level.[9][10] Following the final major in July 1968 at the PGA Championship, several leading tour pros voiced their dissatisfaction with the venue and the abundance of club pros in the field.[11] The increased friction resulted in a new entity in August, what would eventually become the PGA Tour.[12][13][14][15] Tournament players formed their own organization, American Professional Golfers, Inc. (APG), independent of the PGA of America.[16][17][18] Its headquarters were in New York City.[13] After several months,[19] a compromise was reached in December: the tour players agreed to abolish the APG and form the PGA "Tournament Players Division", a fully autonomous division under the supervision of a new 10-member Tournament Policy Board.[20][21][22][23] The board consisted of four tour players, three PGA of America executives, and three outside members, initially business executives.[21][22][24] Joseph Dey, the recently retired USGA executive director, was selected by the board as the tour's first commissioner in January 1969 and agreed to a five-year contract.[25][26] He was succeeded by tour player Deane Beman in early 1974,[27] who served for twenty years. The name officially changed to the "PGA Tour" in 1975.[28][29] In 1978 the PGA Tour "removed its restrictions on women."[30] However, no women have joined the tour since this date. In late August 1981, the PGA Tour had a marketing dispute with the PGA of America and officially changed its name to the TPA Tour, for the "Tournament Players Association".[31][32] The disputed issues were resolved within seven months and the tour's name was changed back to the "PGA Tour" in March 1982.[33][34] Tim Finchem became the third commissioner in June 1994 and continued for over 22 years; on January 1, 2017, he was succeeded by Jay Monahan.[35] Without the tour players, the PGA of America became primarily an association of club professionals, but retained control of two significant events; the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup.[9] The former was an established major championship, but the latter was an obscure match play team event which was not particularly popular with golf fans, due to predictable dominance by the United States. With the addition of players from continental Europe in 1979 and expanded television coverage, it became very competitive and evolved into the premier international team event, lately dominated by Europe. Both events are very important revenue streams for the PGA of America. In June 2022, the PGA Tour suspended seventeen players who played in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event. Monahan wrote in a memo to the tour's membership that any players that take part in future LIV Golf events will be subjected to the same punishment.[36] PGA Tour members that joined LIV Golf included major champions Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson, and Phil Mickelson.[37][38][39] On July 11, 2022, it was reported that the US Department of Justice was investigating the PGA Tour to determine if they engaged in anti-competitive behavior with LIV Golf. In late 2021, the PGA Tour began speaking with White House officials and congress members to express concerns over LIV Golf. The tour has paid over $400,000 to the firm DLA Piper to lobby lawmakers on their behalf for various topics including LIV Golf proposals.[40] The tour had previously been investigated in the early 1990s but despite tour policies having been found to be in violation of antitrust laws, no further action was taken.[41][42] In August 2022, eleven players who had joined LIV Golf filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour to challenge their suspensions.[43] Three players failed to obtain a temporary restraining order to allow them to participate in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Trial for the main case was scheduled to begin in September 2023.[44] Tours operated by the PGA TourThe PGA Tour does not run any of the four major championships (Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, The Open),[45] or the Ryder Cup. The PGA of America, not the PGA Tour, runs the PGA Championship and the Senior PGA Championship, and co-organizes the Ryder Cup with Ryder Cup Europe, a company controlled by the PGA European Tour. Additionally, the PGA Tour is not involved with the women's golf tours in the U.S., which are mostly controlled by the LPGA. The PGA Tour is also not the governing body for the game of golf in the United States; this, instead, is the role of the United States Golf Association (USGA), which organizes the U.S. Open. What the PGA Tour does organize are the remaining 43 (in 2009) week-to-week events, including The Players Championship and the FedEx Cup events, as well as the biennial Presidents Cup. It also runs the main tournaments on five other tours: PGA Tour Champions, the Korn Ferry Tour (formerly known as Web.com Tour[46]), PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour China, and PGA Tour Latinoamérica.[47] The PGA Tour operates six tours. Three of them are primarily contested in the U.S., and the other three are international developmental tours centered on a specific country or region. PGA Tour, the top tour.Some events take place outside the United States: Canada, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, the Dominican Republic, Bermuda and the U.S. possession of Puerto Rico host one sole-sanctioned event each year; Mexico hosts two. The events in Puerto Rico, Bermuda and the Dominican Republic are alternate events held opposite World Golf Championships tournaments and therefore have weaker fields than regular Tour events. In addition, China hosts a World Golf Championships event and the United Kingdom hosts a major championship.PGA Tour Champions, for golfers age 50 and overAs of 2016, one regular tournament is held in Canada, and one of the senior majors is held in the UK, the rest in the US.Korn Ferry Tour, a US developmental tour.As of 2014, Colombia, Panama, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, and Canada host one tournament each.PGA Tour Latinoamérica, an international developmental tourAs of 2014, nine Latin American countries host tournaments.PGA Tour Canada, another international developmental tourHistorically known as the "Canadian Tour", it was taken over by the PGA Tour in November 2012.[48] The 2013 season, the first under PGA Tour operation, began with a qualifying school in California, followed by nine tournaments in Canada.PGA Tour China, also an international developmental tourLaunched in 2014, it is independent of the former China Tour, which folded after its 2009 season.The PGA Tour also conducts an annual Qualifying Tournament, known colloquially as "Q-School" and held over six rounds each fall. Before 2013, the official name of the tournament was the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament; it is now officially the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament. Through the 2012 edition, the top-25 finishers, including ties, received privileges to play on the following year's PGA Tour. Remaining finishers in the top 75, plus ties, received full privileges on the Korn Ferry Tour. Since 2013, all competitors who made the final phase of Q-School earned status on the Korn Ferry Tour at the start of the following season, with high finishers receiving additional rights as follows:[49] Golfers who finish 11th through 45th (including ties) are exempt until the second "reshuffle" of the following season (first eight events).On the Korn Ferry Tour, a "reshuffle" refers to a reordering of the tour's eligibility list, which determines the players who can enter tournaments. After four tournaments, and every fourth tournament thereafter until the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, players are re-ranked according to their tour earnings on the season. However, the ranking position of players who are exempt from a "reshuffle" does not change.Those who finish 2nd through 10th (including ties) are exempt until the third reshuffle of the following season (first 12 events).The medalist (top finisher) has full playing privileges for the entire regular season, which carries with it automatic entry to the Tour Finals.Since 2013, 50 Korn Ferry Tour golfers earn privileges during the next PGA Tour season, which now begins the month after the Tour Finals. The top 25 money winners over the regular season (i.e., before the Tour Finals) receive PGA Tour cards, as do the top 25 money winners in the Finals. The priority position of all 50 golfers on the PGA Tour is based on money earned during the Tour Finals, except that the regular season money leader shares equal status with the Finals money leader. In addition, a golfer who wins three events on that tour in a calendar year earns a "performance promotion" (informally a "battlefield promotion") which garners PGA Tour privileges for the remainder of the year plus the following full season.[50] At the end of each year, the top 125 in FedEx Cup points (top 125 on the money list before 2013) receive a tour card for the following season, which gives them exemption from qualifying for most of the next year's tournaments. However, at some events, known as invitationals, exemptions apply only to the previous year's top 70 players. Since 2013, players who are ranked between 126 and 200 in FedEx Cup points (and are not already exempt by other means) are eligible for entry in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, where they can regain their PGA Tour privileges. Non-exempt players who finish 126th–150th in the FedEx Cup but fail to regain their PGA Tour cards are given conditional PGA Tour status for the season and are fully exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour. Winning a PGA Tour event provides a tour card for a minimum of two years, with an extra year added for each additional win with a maximum of five years. Winning a World Golf Championships event, The Tour Championship, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, or the Memorial Tournament provides a three-year exemption. Winners of the major championships, The Players Championship, and the FedEx Cup earn a five-year exemption. Other types of exemptions include lifetime exemptions for players with twenty wins on the tour; one-time, one-year exemptions for players in the top fifty on the career money earnings list who are not otherwise exempt; two-time, one-year exemptions for players in the top twenty-five on the career money list; and medical exemptions for players who have been injured or are going through a family crisis, which give them an opportunity to regain their tour card after a period out of the tour. In 2015, the PGA Tour added a clause which would freeze an exemption for those required to perform military service in their native countries in response to South Korea's Bae Sang-moon having to leave the Tour for that reason. Once a player wins a PGA Tour event, he will have at minimum past champion status should he fail to retain PGA Tour privileges. Non-members can play their way into the PGA Tour by finishing the equivalent or better of 125th in FedEx Cup points. Those who fail but fall within the top 200 in current season points are eligible for the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. During the season, non-members can earn Special Temporary Member status by exceeding the equivalent of 150th in the previous season's FedEx Cup. Special Temporary Members receive unlimited sponsor exemptions, while non-members are limited to seven per season and twelve total events.[51] Similar to other major league sports, there is no rule that limits PGA Tour players to "men only". In 1938, Babe Zaharias became the first woman to compete in a PGA Tour event. In 1945, Zaharias became the first and only woman to make a cut in a PGA Tour event. In 2003, Annika Sörenstam and Suzy Whaley played in PGA Tour events, and Michelle Wie did so in each year from 2004 through 2008. In 2011, Isabelle Beisiegel became the first woman to earn a Tour card on a "men's" professional golf tour, the Canadian Tour, now PGA Tour Canada.[52] The LPGA Tour like all other women's sports, is limited to female participants only, except for mixed tournaments.[citation needed] An organization called the PGA European Tour, separate from both the PGA Tour and the PGA of America, runs a tour, mostly in Europe, but with events throughout the world outside of North America. Several other regional tours are around the world. However, the PGA Tour, European Tour, and many of the regional tours co-sponsor the World Golf Championships. These, along with the major championships, usually count toward the official money lists of each tour as well as the Official World Golf Ranking.[citation needed] Charity fundraisingThe PGA Tour places a strong emphasis on charity fundraising, usually on behalf of local charities in cities where events are staged.[53] With the exception of a few older events, PGA Tour rules require all Tour events to be non-profit; the Tour itself is also a non-profit company. In 2005, it started a campaign to push its all-time fundraising tally past one billion dollars ("Drive to a Billion"), and it reached that mark one week before the end of the season. However, monies raised for charities derive from the tournaments' positive revenues (if any), and not any actual monetary donation from the PGA Tour, whose purse monies and expenses are guaranteed. The number of charities which receive benefits from PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions and Korn Ferry Tour events is estimated at over 2,000. In 2009, the total raised for charity was some $108 million.[54] The organization announced to have generated $180 million for charities in 2017 through the tournaments of its six tours.[55] Media coverageDomesticThe PGA Tour's broadcast television rights are held by CBS Sports and NBC Sports, under contracts most recently renewed in 2020 to last through 2030. While it considered invoking an option to opt out of its broadcast television contracts in 2017, the PGA Tour ultimately decided against doing so. Golf Channel (which, since the acquisition of NBC Universal by Golf Channel owner Comcast, is a division of NBC Sports) has served as the pay television rightsholder of the PGA Tour since 2007. Under the contracts, CBS broadcasts weekend coverage for an average of 20 events per-season, and NBC broadcasts weekend coverage for an average of 10 events per-season. Golf Channel broadcasts early-round and weekend morning coverage of all events, as well as weekend coverage of events not broadcast on terrestrial television, and primetime encores of all events.[56][57][58] On March 9, 2020, the PGA Tour announced that it had reached an agreement to renew its contracts with CBS and NBC, which expired after the 2020–21 season, through 2030, maintaining most of the existing broadcast arrangements.[59][60] A notable change in production under the new contract is that the PGA Tour now controls the on-site production and infrastructure for all media partners, although each individual broadcaster continues to employ their own on-air talent and personnel.[61] Tournaments typically featured in NBC's package include marquee events such as The Players Championship, the final three tournaments of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, and the biennial Presidents Cup event. The 2011 contract granted more extensive digital rights, as well as the ability for NBC to broadcast supplemental coverage of events on Golf Channel during its broadcast windows.[62] Beginning in 2022, coverage of the final three FedEx Cup playoff tournaments will begin alternating annually between CBS and NBC, rather than having them exclusive to NBC.[59][60] The PGA Tour operates a streaming service known as PGA Tour Live, which carries early-round coverage of events preceding Golf Channel television coverage, including featured groups. The service is offered as a subscription basis; until 2019, it was operated by BAMTech (formerly MLB Advanced Media), and for a period, was also carried as part of ESPN+. From 2019 to 2021, it has been operated under NBC Sports' subscription streaming platform NBC Sports Gold, adding featured holes coverage during Golf Channel's windows. Since 2017, following a pilot at the end of the 2016 season, portions of the PGA Tour Live coverage are also carried for free via the PGA Tour's Twitter account.[63][64] Under the 2022–2030 contract, the service moved back to ESPN+.[60] In 2005, the PGA Tour reached a deal with XM Satellite Radio to co-produce a channel, the PGA Tour Network (now Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio), featuring event coverage, and talk programming relating to golf (which, since 2013, has also included audio simulcasts of selected Golf Channel programs). Its contract with Sirius XM was renewed through 2021.[65][66][67] InternationalThe PGA Tour is also covered extensively outside the United States. In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports was the main broadcaster of the tour for a number of years up to 2006. Setanta Sports won exclusive UK and Ireland rights for six years from 2007 for a reported cost of £103 million. The deal includes Champions Tour and the Nationwide Tour events, but like the U.S. television deals it does not include the major championships, and unlike the U.S. deal, it does not include the World Golf Championships. Setanta set up the Setanta Golf channel to present its coverage.[68] On June 23, 2009, Setanta's UK arm went into administration and ceased broadcasting. Eurosport picked up the television rights for the remainder of the 2009 season.[69] Sky Sports regained the TV rights with an eight-year deal from 2010 to 2017.[70] In South Korea, SBS, which has been the tour's exclusive TV broadcaster in that country since the mid-1990s, agreed in 2009 to extend its contract with the PGA Tour through 2019. As a part of that deal, it became sponsor of the season's opening tournament, a winners-only event that was renamed the SBS Championship effective in 2010.[71] In 2011 however, Korean automobile manufacturer Hyundai took over the title sponsorship, but SBS still remains a sponsor of the event.[72] In June 2018, it was announced that Eurosport's parent company Discovery Inc. had acquired exclusive international media rights to the PGA Tour outside of the United States, beginning 2019, under a 12-year, US$2 billion deal. The contract covers Discovery's international channels (including Eurosport), sub-licensing arrangements with local broadcasters, and development of an international PGA Tour over the top subscription service—which was unveiled in October under the brand GolfTV. The service will replace PGA Tour Live in international markets as existing rights lapse, beginning with Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia and Spain in January 2019.[73][74][75] GolfTV also acquired rights to the Ryder Cup and European Tour in selected markets, and signed a deal with Tiger Woods to develop original content centered upon him.[76][77] Structure of the PGA Tour season This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (January 2015)Outline of the season (2007–2013)Three of the four majors take place in eight weeks between June and August. In the past, this has threatened to make the last 2+1⁄2 months of the season anticlimactic, as some of the very top players competed less from that point on. In response, the PGA Tour has introduced a new format, the FedEx Cup. From January through mid-August players compete in "regular season" events and earn FedEx Cup points, in addition to prize money. At the end of the regular season, the top 125 FedEx Cup points winners are eligible to compete in the "playoffs", four events taking place from mid-August to mid-September. The field sizes for these events are reduced from 125 to 100 to 70 and finally the traditional 30 for the Tour Championship. Additional FedEx Cup points are earned in these events. At the end of the championship, the top point winner is the season champion. To put this new system into place, the PGA Tour has made significant changes to the traditional schedule.[citation needed] In 2007, The Players Championship moved to May so as to have a marquee event in five consecutive months. The Tour Championship moved to mid-September, with an international team event (Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup) following at the end of September. The schedule was tweaked slightly in both 2008 and 2009. After the third FedEx Cup playoff event, the BMW Championship, the Tour takes a full week off. In 2008, the break came before the Ryder Cup, with the Tour Championship the week after that. In 2009, the break was followed by the Tour Championship, with the Presidents Cup taking place two weeks after that.[citation needed] The Tour continues through the fall, with the focus on the scramble of the less successful players to earn enough money to retain their tour cards. A circuit known as the Fall Series, originally with seven tournaments but now with four, was introduced in 2007. In its inaugural year, its events were held in seven consecutive weeks, starting the week after the Tour Championship. As was the case for the FedEx Cup playoff schedule, the Fall Series schedule was also tweaked in 2008 and 2009. The first 2008 Fall Series event was held opposite the Ryder Cup, and the Fall Series took a week off for the Tour Championship before continuing with its remaining six events.[citation needed] The Fall Series saw major changes for 2009, with one of its events moving to May and another dropping off the schedule entirely. It returned to its original start date of the week after the Tour Championship. Then, as in 2008, it took a week off, this time for the Presidents Cup. It then continued with events in three consecutive weeks, took another week off for the HSBC Champions (now elevated to World Golf Championships status), and concluded the week after that.[citation needed] Most recently, the Fall Series was reduced to four events, all held after the Tour Championship, for 2011. This followed the move of the Viking Classic into the regular season as an alternate event.[citation needed] 2007 saw the introduction of a tournament in Mexico, an alternate event staged the same week as the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.[78] A tournament in Puerto Rico was introduced in 2008 as an alternate event staged opposite the WGC-CA Championship.[citation needed] TournamentsThe 2013 season, which was the last before the tour transitioned to a schedule spanning two calendar years, had 40 official-money events in 38 weeks, including three alternate events played the same week as a higher-status tournament. The other event that is considered part of the 2013 season is the biennial Presidents Cup, matching a team of golfers representing the US with an "International" team consisting of non-European players (Europeans instead play in the Ryder Cup, held in even-numbered years).[citation needed] Before the transition, the Tour held a group of events known as the PGA Tour Fall Series, which provided a final opportunity for golfers to make the top 125 in season earnings and thereby retain their Tour cards. With the change to an October-to-September season, several of the former Fall Series events will now open the season. The Tour also sanctions two events in Asia during that part of the year: The CIMB Classic, a limited-field event held in Malaysia and the Tour's first sanctioned event in Southeast Asia. The field is limited to 40 players—the top-25 available players in the final FedEx Cup standings, the top ten available Asian players and five sponsor's exemptions, with at least one place reserved for a Malaysian player. The 2013 edition, which was part of the 2014 season, was the first as an official-money event.[79]The WGC-HSBC Champions, traditionally held the week after the Malaysia tournament. Despite its elevation to World Golf Championships status in 2009, it initially was not an official-money event.[80] Starting in 2010, if the event was won by a PGA Tour member, it counted as an official win and carried the three-year exemption of the other WGCs.[81] Starting in 2013, the HSBC Champions became an official money event, and wins are official for Tour and non-Tour members alike.[citation needed]Most members of the tour play between 20 and 30 tournaments in the season. The geography of the tour is determined by climate. It starts in Hawaii in January and spends most of its first two months in California and Arizona during what is known as the "West Coast Swing" and then moves to the American Southeast for the "Southern Swing". Each swing culminates in a significant tour event. In April, tour events begin to drift north. The summer months are spent mainly in the Northeast and the Midwest, and in the fall (autumn) the tour heads south again.[citation needed] In most of the regular events on tour, the field is either 132, 144 or 156 players, depending on time of year (and available daylight hours). All players making the cut earn money for the tournament with the winner usually receiving 18% of the total purse.[citation needed] In 2008, the PGA Tour Policy Board approved a change in the number of players that will make the cut. The cut will continue to be low 70 professionals and ties, unless that results in a post-cut field of more than 78 players. Under that circumstance, the cut score will be selected to make a field as close to 70 players as possible without exceeding 78. Players who are cut in such circumstances but who have placed 70th or worse will get credit for making the cut and will earn official money and FedEx Cup points. This policy affected two of the first three events with cuts, the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Buick Invitational. In late February, the Policy Board announced a revised cut policy, effective beginning with the Honda Classic. The new policy calls for 36-hole cut to the low 70 professionals and ties and, if that cut results in more than 78 players, a second 54-hole cut to the low 70 professionals and ties. Those who do not survive the 54-hole cut were designated as MDF (made the cut, did not finish).[82] For the 2020 season, the cut line was reduced to 65 plus ties and eliminated the 54-hole cut. In the event that the PGA Tour cannot guarantee four rounds of play, the PGA Tour can shorten an event to 54 holes. A 54-hole event is still considered official, with full points and monies awarded. Any tournament stopped before 54 holes can be completed is reverted to the 36-hole score and the win is considered unofficial, notably Adam Scott at the 2005 Nissan Open. Priority ranking systemThe PGA Tour maintains a priority ranking system that is used to select the fields for most tournaments on tour. Below is the 2016–17[83] ranking system, in order of priority. Winner of PGA Championship or U.S. Open prior to 1970 or in the last five seasons and the current seasonWinner of The Players Championship in the last five seasons and the current seasonWinners of the Masters Tournament in the last five seasons and the current seasonWinners of The Open Championship in the last five seasons and the current seasonWinners of the Tour Championship in the last three seasons and the current seasonWinners of World Golf Championships events in the last three seasons and the current seasonWinners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Memorial Tournament in the last three seasons and the current season, beginning with the 2015 winnersLeader from the final FedExCup Points List in each of the last five seasonsLeaders from the final PGA Tour Money List prior to 2017 for the subsequent five seasonsWinners of PGA Tour co-sponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, within the last two seasons, or during the current season; winners receive an additional season of exemption for each additional win, up to five seasonsCareer earningsA. Players among the top 50 in career earnings as of the end of the preceding season may elect to use a one-time exemption for the next seasonB. Players among the Top 25 in career earnings as of the end of the preceding season may elect to use this special one-time exemption for the next seasonSponsor exemptions (a maximum of eight, which may include amateurs with handicaps of 0 or less), on the following basis:A. Not less than two sponsor invitees shall be PGA Tour members not otherwise exempt.B. Not less than two of the 2016 Top Finishers of the Web.com Tour, if not all can otherwise be accommodated.Two international players designated by the Commissioner.The current PGA Club Professional Champion up to six open events (3 must be opposite The Open Championship and World Golf Championships events), in addition to any sponsor selections. The exemption does not apply to open, limited-field events.PGA Section Champion or Player of the Year of the Section in which the tournament is played.Four low scorers at Open Qualifying which shall normally be held on Monday of tournament week.Past champions of the particular event being contested that week, if cosponsored by the PGA Tour and the same tournament organizer (not title sponsor), as follows:A. Winners prior to July 28, 1970: unlimited exemptions for such events.B. Winners after Jan. 1, 2000: five seasons of exemptions for such events.Life Members (who have been active members of the PGA Tour for 15 years and have won at least 20 co-sponsored events).Top 125 on the previous season's FedExCup points list.Top 125 on previous season's Official Money List through the Wyndham ChampionshipPlayers who finished greater than or equal to top 125 on the 2015–16 PGA Tour Official Season FedExCup Points List or top 125 on the 2015–16 Official Season Money List through the Wyndham Championship as non-membersMajor Medical Extension: If granted by the Commissioner, if not otherwise eligible, and if needed to fill the field, Special Medical ExtensionLeading Money Winner from the previous season's Top 25 regular season players using combined money earned on the Official Web.com Tour Regular Season Money List and Web.com Tour Finals Money List, Leading Money Winner from the previous season's Web.com Tour Finals and Three-Time Winners from previous season Web.com Tour.Leading money winner from Web.com Tour medicalTop 10 and ties, not otherwise exempt, among professionals from the previous open tournament whose victory has official status are exempt into the next open tournament whose victory has official status.Top Finishers of the Web.com TourTop Finishers from the Web.com Tour medicalPlayers winning three Web.com Tour events in the current seasonMinor medical extensionTwenty-five finishers beyond 125th place on prior season's FedExCup Points List (126–150)Nonexempt, major medical/family crisisThe following categories are reordered after the end of calendar year tournament, The Players, and the majors, based on FedEx Cup points the previous season, and then if necessary, career earnings, for players outside 150th on the FedEx Cup points list.Past Champions - Players who have won a PGA Tour event.Special Temporary Members - Non-members who scored more points than 150th place in the previous year's FedEx Cup points list.Team Tournament Winners - Players who have won a team tournament.Veteran Members - Players with over 150 cuts made in the PGA Tour. Ordered by money won in career.Some tournaments deviate from this system; for example, the Phoenix Open has only five sponsor exemptions and three Monday qualifying spots, while invitational tournaments such as the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial Tournament, and Dean & DeLuca Invitational have completely different eligibility categories. Event categoriesMajorsThe four leading annual events in world golf are the Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, The (British) Open Championship, and the PGA Championship. These events each automatically receive 100 OWGR points.World Golf Championships (WGC)A set of events co-sanctioned by the International Federation of PGA Tours which attract the leading golfers from all over the world, including those who are not members of the PGA Tour. Note that the HSBC Champions was made a WGC event in the middle of the 2009 season.UniqueTwo tournaments rate as unique, for different reasons:The Sentry Tournament of Champions, the first tournament of the calendar year, has a field consisting of winners from the previous season's competition only. This results in a field much smaller than any other tournament except for The Tour Championship, with no cut after 36 holes of play.The Players Championship is the only event, apart from the majors and the World Golf Championships, which attracts entries from almost all of the world's elite golfers. It is the designated OWGR flagship event for the PGA Tour and awards 80 OWGR points to its winner. Only major championships can be awarded more OWGR points. For purposes of the FedEx Cup standings, The Players has had an identical point allocation to that of the majors since the Cup was instituted in 2007. The FedEx Cup, presented to the winner of the season-ending playoffsPlayoff eventThe final three events of the season (four from 2007 to 2018) are the FedEx Cup playoffs. The top 125 players on the points list are eligible for the first event and the field size decreases to The Tour Championship with 30 players. The Ryder Cup, contested in even-numbered years between teams from Europe and the United StatesTeamA United States team of 12 elite players competes in the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup in alternate years. The Ryder Cup, pitting a team of U.S. golfers against a European team, is arguably the highest profile event in golf, outranking the majors. The Presidents Cup, which matches a team of U.S. golfers against an international team of golfers not eligible for the Ryder Cup, is less well established, but is still the main event of the week when it is played. There is no prize money in these events, so they are irrelevant to the money list, but an immense amount of pride rides on the results.RegularRoutine weekly tour events. The "regular" events vary somewhat in status, but this is fairly subjective and not usually based on the size of the purse. Some of the factors which can determine the status of a tournament are:Its position in the schedule, which influences the number of leading players that choose to enter.Its age and the distinction of its past champions.The repute of the course on which it is played.Any associations with "legends of golf". Six events in particular have such associations (four of these are invitational events):The AT&T Byron Nelson, named after Byron Nelson, was until 2007 the only current event named after a PGA Tour golfer.The Arnold Palmer Invitational, formerly the Bay Hill Invitational, closely identified with Arnold Palmer and played at a resort he owned.The Genesis Invitational, identified with Tiger Woods through his foundation as of 2020.The Charles Schwab Challenge, identified with Ben Hogan.The Memorial Tournament, founded by Jack Nicklaus, played on a course he designed, and annually honoring a selected "legend".InvitationalThese events are similar to the regular ones, but have a slightly smaller field and do not follow the normal PGA Tour exemption categories. Invitational tournaments include the Genesis Invitational, the Charles Schwab Challenge, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage, the Memorial Tournament. The tournaments usually have an association with a golf legend, or in the case of the RBC Heritage, a famous course. The table below illustrates some of the notable features of the exemption categories for these events:[84]TournamentFieldsizeExemptions based onFedEx Cup standingsSponsorexemptionsMethod of filling fieldPrevious yearCurrentGenesis Invitational120Top 125Top 108Current FedEx Cup standingsArnold Palmer Invitational120Top 70Top 7018Current FedEx Cup standingsRBC Heritage132Top 125Top 108Standard exemption categoriesCharles Schwab Challenge120+Top 80Top 8012Current FedEx Cup standingsMemorial Tournament120Top 70Top 7014Alternating current and previous year'sFedEx Cup standingsAlternateEvents which are played in the same week as a higher status tournament (either a WGC or the Open Championship) and therefore have weakened fields and reduced prize money. They are often considered an opportunity for players who would not qualify for certain events due to their world rankings, positions on the FedEx Cup points list, or position on the Tour's priority list to move up more easily or have an easier attempt at a two-year exemption for winning a tournament. Because of their weaker fields, these events usually receive the minimum amount of world ranking points reserved for PGA Tour events (24 points) and fewer FedEx Cup points than most tournaments (300 points instead of 500). Alternate event winners also do not earn Masters invitations. Fields for alternate events have 132 players. These events have 12 unrestricted sponsor exemptions, four more than the regular events.Fall Series (defunct)Prior to the 2013 season, the PGA Tour included a fall series consisting of those events after the final playoff event of the FedEx Cup season (The Tour Championship) through the end of the calendar year. These events provided extra opportunities for players to retain their cards by finishing within the top 125 of the money list. Since fall 2013 (the 2014 season), the events held in the fall have opened the tour season, and receive full FedEx Cup points allocations and Masters invitationsChallenge SeasonThere are also a number of events which are recognized by the PGA Tour, but which do not count towards the official money list. Most of these take place in the off season (November and December). This slate of unofficial, often made-for-TV events (which have included the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge, the Franklin Templeton Shootout, the Skins Game, etc.) is referred to as the "Challenge Season" or more commonly as the "Silly Season".Changes since the 2013 season This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (July 2018)On March 20, 2012, the tour announced radical changes to the tour's season and qualifying process.[85][86] Further details of these changes relating to the Fall Series were announced on June 26,[87] with the remaining details announced on July 10.[88] One of the final details received a minor tweak, effective for the 2013 season only, on September 11.[89] First, the 2013 season was the last to be conducted entirely within a calendar year. Since the 2014 season, the season starts in October of the previous calendar year, shortly after the Tour Championship.[88] The tournaments in the now season-opening Fall Series are awarded full FedEx Cup points.[87] As a result of the schedule change, the qualifying school no longer grants playing rights on the PGA Tour, but only privileges on the Korn Ferry Tour.[88] The criterion for retaining tour cards at the end of the season also changed. Through 2012, the top 125 players on the money list at the end of the PGA Tour season retained their tour cards. For the 2013 season only, the top 125 players on both the money list and the FedEx Cup points list at the end of the FedEx Cup regular season in August retained their cards.[89] The tour also said that it would decide at a later time whether to keep this aspect of the qualifying system in place in future seasons.[89] Otherwise, the planned move by the tour to have the top 125 players on the FedEx Cup points list retain their tour cards took effect with the 2014 season. The next 75 players on the points list, along with the top 75 on the money list of the Korn Ferry Tour at the end of that tour's regular season, are eligible to play a series of three tournaments in September known as the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. The Finals field, however, is not expected to consist of all 150 players, as some of the PGA Tour players will be exempt by other criteria, such as a tournament win in the previous two years.[90] A total of 50 PGA Tour cards for the next season is awarded at the end of the Finals. The 25 leading money winners during the Korn Ferry Tour regular season receive cards, and total money earned during the Finals determines the remaining 25 card earners.[91] For all 50 new card earners, their positions on the PGA Tour's priority order for purposes of tournament are based on money earned in the Finals.[88] College players who turn professional can enter the series if their earnings are equivalent to a top-200 PGA Tour or top-75 Korn Ferry Tour finish. In addition, the leading money winners on the Korn Ferry Tour in both the regular season and Finals receive automatic invitations to The Players Championship (note that if a golfer tops both money lists, only one Players invitation is awarded).[91] Finally, two events held in Asia after the end of the PGA Tour's current regular season – the CIMB Classic in Malaysia and the HSBC Champions, a World Golf Championships event held in China – became full PGA Tour events, with official prize money, for the first time. Before 2013, neither event had full PGA Tour status despite being sanctioned by the Tour. Wins in the CIMB Classic were not classified as official PGA Tour wins, and HSBC Champions victories were official wins only for current PGA Tour members. Money earned in these events did not count as official PGA Tour earnings for any purpose. Money winners and most wins leadersPlayers who lead the money list on the PGA Tour win the Arnold Palmer Award (1981–2018). SeasonMoney winnerPrize money(US$)Most wins2021–22United States Scottie Scheffler14,046,9104: Scottie Scheffler2020–21Spain Jon Rahm7,705,9334: Patrick Cantlay2019–20United States Justin Thomas (3/3)7,344,0403: Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas2018–19United States Brooks Koepka9,684,0063: Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy2017–18United States Justin Thomas (2/3)8,694,8213: Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson2016–17United States Justin Thomas (1/3)9,921,5605: Justin Thomas2015–16United States Dustin Johnson9,365,1853: Jason Day, Dustin Johnson2014–15United States Jordan Spieth12,030,4655: Jason Day, Jordan Spieth2013–14Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy (2/2)8,280,0963: Rory McIlroy, Jimmy Walker2013United States Tiger Woods (10/10)8,553,4395: Tiger Woods2012Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy (1/2)8,047,9524: Rory McIlroy2011England Luke Donald6,683,2142: Keegan Bradley, Luke Donald, Webb Simpson, Steve Stricker, Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Mark Wilson2010United States Matt Kuchar4,910,4773: Jim Furyk2009United States Tiger Woods (9/10)10,508,1636: Tiger Woods2008Fiji Vijay Singh (3/3)6,601,0944: Tiger Woods2007United States Tiger Woods (8/10)10,867,0527: Tiger Woods2006United States Tiger Woods (7/10)9,941,5638: Tiger Woods2005United States Tiger Woods (6/10)10,628,0246: Tiger Woods2004Fiji Vijay Singh (2/3)10,905,1669: Vijay Singh2003Fiji Vijay Singh (1/3)7,573,9075: Tiger Woods2002United States Tiger Woods (5/10)6,912,6255: Tiger Woods2001United States Tiger Woods (4/10)5,687,7775: Tiger Woods2000United States Tiger Woods (3/10)9,188,3219: Tiger Woods1999United States Tiger Woods (2/10)6,616,5858: Tiger Woods1998United States David Duval2,591,0314: David Duval1997United States Tiger Woods (1/10)2,066,8334: Tiger Woods1996United States Tom Lehman1,780,1594: Phil Mickelson1995Australia Greg Norman (3/3)1,654,9593: Lee Janzen, Greg Norman1994Zimbabwe Nick Price (2/2)1,499,9276: Nick Price1993Zimbabwe Nick Price (1/2)1,478,5574: Nick Price1992United States Fred Couples1,344,1883: John Cook, Fred Couples, Davis Love III1991United States Corey Pavin979,4302: Billy Andrade, Mark Brooks, Fred Couples, Andrew Magee, Corey Pavin, Nick Price, Tom Purtzer, Ian Woosnam1990Australia Greg Norman (2/3)1,165,4774: Wayne Levi1989United States Tom Kite (2/2)1,395,2783: Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Kite, Steve Jones1988United States Curtis Strange (3/3)1,147,6444: Curtis Strange1987United States Curtis Strange (2/3)925,9413: Paul Azinger, Curtis Strange1986Australia Greg Norman (1/3)653,2964: Bob Tway1985United States Curtis Strange (1/3)542,3213: Curtis Strange, Lanny Wadkins1984United States Tom Watson (5/5)476,2603: Tom Watson, Denis Watson1983United States Hal Sutton426,6682: Seve Ballesteros, Jim Colbert, Mark McCumber, Gil Morgan, Calvin Peete, Hal Sutton, Lanny Wadkins, Fuzzy Zoeller1982United States Craig Stadler446,4624: Craig Stadler, Tom Watson, Calvin Peete1981United States Tom Kite (1/2)375,6995: Bill Rogers1980United States Tom Watson (4/5)530,8087: Tom Watson1979United States Tom Watson (3/5)462,6365: Tom Watson1978United States Tom Watson (2/5)362,4295: Tom Watson1977United States Tom Watson (1/5)310,6535: Tom Watson1976United States Jack Nicklaus (8/8)266,4393: Ben Crenshaw, Hubert Green1975United States Jack Nicklaus (7/8)298,1495: Jack Nicklaus1974United States Johnny Miller353,0228: Johnny Miller1973United States Jack Nicklaus (6/8)308,3627: Jack Nicklaus1972United States Jack Nicklaus (5/8)320,5427: Jack Nicklaus1971United States Jack Nicklaus (4/8)244,4916: Lee Trevino1970United States Lee Trevino157,0374: Billy Casper1969United States Frank Beard164,7073: Billy Casper, Raymond Floyd, Dave Hill, Jack Nicklaus1968United States Billy Casper (2/2)205,1696: Billy Casper1967United States Jack Nicklaus (3/8)188,9985: Jack Nicklaus1966United States Billy Casper (1/2)121,9454: Billy Casper1965United States Jack Nicklaus (2/8)140,7525: Jack Nicklaus1964United States Jack Nicklaus (1/8)113,2855: Tony Lema1963United States Arnold Palmer (4/4)128,2307: Arnold Palmer1962United States Arnold Palmer (3/4)81,4488: Arnold Palmer1961South Africa Gary Player64,5406: Arnold Palmer1960United States Arnold Palmer (2/4)75,2638: Arnold Palmer1959United States Art Wall Jr.53,1685: Gene Littler1958United States Arnold Palmer (1/4)42,6084: Ken Venturi1957United States Dick Mayer65,8354: Arnold Palmer1956United States Ted Kroll72,8364: Mike Souchak1955United States Julius Boros (2/2)63,1226: Cary Middlecoff1954United States Bob Toski65,8204: Bob Toski1953United States Lew Worsham34,0025: Ben Hogan1952United States Julius Boros (1/2)37,0335: Jack Burke Jr., Sam Snead1951United States Lloyd Mangrum26,0896: Cary Middlecoff1950United States Sam Snead (3/3)35,75911: Sam Snead1949United States Sam Snead (2/3)31,5947: Cary Middlecoff1948United States Ben Hogan (5/5)32,11210: Ben Hogan1947United States Jimmy Demaret27,9377: Ben Hogan1946United States Ben Hogan (4/5)42,55613: Ben Hogan1945United States Byron Nelson (2/2)63,33618: Byron Nelson1944United States Byron Nelson (1/2)37,9688: Byron Nelson1943No records kept1: Sam Byrd, Harold McSpaden, Steve Warga1942United States Ben Hogan (3/5)13,1436: Ben Hogan1941United States Ben Hogan (2/5)18,3587: Sam Snead1940United States Ben Hogan (1/5)10,6556: Jimmy Demaret1939United States Henry Picard10,3038: Henry Picard1938United States Sam Snead (1/3)19,5348: Sam Snead1937United States Harry Cooper14,1398: Harry Cooper1936United States Horton Smith7,6823: Ralph Guldahl, Jimmy Hines, Henry Picard1935United States Johnny Revolta9,5435: Henry Picard, Johnny Revolta1934United States Paul Runyan6,7677: Paul Runyan19339: Paul Runyan19324: Gene Sarazen19314: Wiffy Cox19308: Gene Sarazen19298: Horton Smith19287: Bill Mehlhorn19277: Johnny Farrell19265: Bill Mehlhorn, Macdonald Smith19255: Leo Diegel19245: Walter Hagen19235: Walter Hagen, Joe Kirkwood Sr.19224: Walter Hagen19214: Jim Barnes19204: Jock Hutchison19195: Jim Barnes19181: Pat Doyle, Walter Hagen, Jock Hutchison19172: Jim Barnes, Mike Brady19163: Jim BarnesMultiple money list titlesThe following players have won more than one money list title through 2022: 10: Tiger Woods8: Jack Nicklaus5: Ben Hogan, Tom Watson4: Arnold Palmer3: Sam Snead, Curtis Strange, Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, Justin Thomas2: Byron Nelson, Julius Boros, Billy Casper, Tom Kite, Nick Price, Rory McIlroyPlayer and rookie of the year awardsPGA Tour players compete for two player of the year awards. The PGA Player of the Year award dates back to 1948 (originally named the PGA Golfer of the Year) and is awarded by the PGA of America. Since 1982 the winner has been selected using a points system with points awarded for wins, money list position and scoring average. The PGA Tour Player of the Year award,[92] also known as the Jack Nicklaus Trophy, is administered by the PGA Tour and was introduced in 1990; the recipient is selected by the tour players by ballot, although the results are not released other than to say who has won. More often than not the same player wins both awards; in fact, as seen in the table below, the PGA and PGA Tour Players of the Year have been the same every year from 1992 through 2018. The Rookie of the Year award was also introduced in 1990.[93] Players are eligible in their first season of PGA Tour membership if they competed in less than seven events from any prior season. Several of the winners had a good deal of international success before their PGA Tour rookie season, and some have been in their thirties when they won the award. In March 2012, a new award, the PGA Tour Courage Award, was introduced in replacement of the defunct Comeback Player of the Year award.[94] SeasonPGA Player of the YearPGA Tour Player of the YearPGA Tour Rookie of the YearPGA Tour Courage Award2021–22Australia Cameron SmithUnited States Scottie SchefflerUnited States Cameron Young2020–21Spain Jon RahmUnited States Patrick CantlayUnited States Will ZalatorisUnited States Morgan Hoffmann2019–20United States Justin Thomas (2)United States Dustin Johnson (2)United States Scottie SchefflerNone2018–19United States Brooks Koepka (2)Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy (3)South Korea Im Sung-jaeNone2017–18United States Brooks KoepkaUnited States Brooks KoepkaUnited States Aaron WiseNone2016–17United States Justin ThomasUnited States Justin ThomasUnited States Xander SchauffeleUnited States Gene Sauers2015–16United States Dustin JohnsonUnited States Dustin JohnsonArgentina Emiliano GrilloNone2014–15United States Jordan Spieth[95]United States Jordan SpiethUnited States Daniel BergerAustralia Jarrod Lyle2013–14Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy (2)Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy (2)United States Chesson HadleyNone2013United States Tiger Woods (11)United States Tiger Woods (11)United States Jordan SpiethUnited States Erik Compton2012Northern Ireland Rory McIlroyNorthern Ireland Rory McIlroyUnited States John HuhNone2011England Luke DonaldEngland Luke DonaldUnited States Keegan BradleyNone[96]YearPGA Player of the YearPGA Tour Player of the YearPGA Tour Rookie of the YearComeback Player of the Year2010United States Jim FurykUnited States Jim FurykUnited States Rickie FowlerAustralia Stuart Appleby2009United States Tiger Woods (10)United States Tiger Woods (10)Australia Marc LeishmanNone[97]2008Republic of Ireland Pádraig HarringtonRepublic of Ireland Pádraig HarringtonArgentina Andrés RomeroUnited States Dudley Hart2007United States Tiger Woods (9)United States Tiger Woods (9)United States Brandt SnedekerUnited States Steve Stricker (2)2006United States Tiger Woods (8)United States Tiger Woods (8)South Africa Trevor ImmelmanUnited States Steve Stricker2005United States Tiger Woods (7)United States Tiger Woods (7)United States Sean O'HairUnited States Olin Browne2004Fiji Vijay SinghFiji Vijay SinghUnited States Todd HamiltonUnited States John Daly2003United States Tiger Woods (6)United States Tiger Woods (6)United States Ben CurtisUnited States Peter Jacobsen2002United States Tiger Woods (5)United States Tiger Woods (5)United States Jonathan ByrdUnited States Gene Sauers2001United States Tiger Woods (4)United States Tiger Woods (4)United States Charles Howell IIIUnited States Joe Durant2000United States Tiger Woods (3)United States Tiger Woods (3)United States Michael Clark IIUnited States Paul Azinger1999United States Tiger Woods (2)United States Tiger Woods (2)Paraguay Carlos FrancoUnited States Steve Pate1998United States Mark O'MearaUnited States Mark O'MearaUnited States Steve FleschUnited States Scott Verplank1997United States Tiger WoodsUnited States Tiger WoodsUnited States Stewart CinkUnited States Bill Glasson1996United States Tom LehmanUnited States Tom LehmanUnited States Tiger WoodsUnited States Steve Jones1995Australia Greg NormanAustralia Greg NormanUnited States Woody AustinUnited States Bob Tway1994Zimbabwe Nick Price (2)Zimbabwe Nick Price (2)South Africa Ernie ElsUnited States Hal Sutton1993Zimbabwe Nick PriceZimbabwe Nick PriceFiji Vijay SinghUnited States Howard Twitty1992United States Fred CouplesUnited States Fred Couples (2)United States Mark CarnevaleUnited States John Cook1991United States Corey PavinUnited States Fred CouplesUnited States John DalyUnited States Bruce Fleisher, United States D. A. Weibring1990England Nick FaldoUnited States Wayne LeviUnited States Robert GamezYearPGA Player of the Year1989United States Tom Kite1988United States Curtis Strange1987United States Paul Azinger1986United States Bob Tway1985United States Lanny Wadkins1984United States Tom Watson (6)1983United States Hal Sutton1982United States Tom Watson (5)1981United States Bill Rogers1980United States Tom Watson (4)1979United States Tom Watson (3)1978United States Tom Watson (2)1977United States Tom Watson1976United States Jack Nicklaus (5)1975United States Jack Nicklaus (4)1974United States Johnny Miller1973United States Jack Nicklaus (3)1972United States Jack Nicklaus (2)1971United States Lee Trevino1970United States Billy Casper (2)1969United States Orville Moody1968No award (see note below table)1967United States Jack Nicklaus1966United States Billy Casper1965United States Dave Marr1964United States Ken Venturi1963United States Julius Boros (2)1962United States Arnold Palmer (2)1961United States Jerry Barber1960United States Arnold Palmer1959United States Art Wall Jr.1958United States Dow Finsterwald1957United States Dick Mayer1956United States Jack Burke Jr.1955United States Doug Ford1954United States Ed Furgol1953United States Ben Hogan (4)1952United States Julius Boros1951United States Ben Hogan (3)1950United States Ben Hogan (2)1949United States Sam Snead1948United States Ben HoganNote: No award was presented in 1968 due to the rift between the PGA of America and the professional golfers on the PGA tour. Multiple Player of the Year AwardsThe following players have won more than one PGA Player of the Year Award through 2022: 11: Tiger Woods6: Tom Watson5: Jack Nicklaus4: Ben Hogan2: Julius Boros, Billy Casper, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Arn For several years in the 1930s, he was the most successful golfer on the pro circuit, winning—sometimesconsecutively—the most prestigious tournaments of the day. Then, suddenly, for Ralph Guldahl it was over.Here’s the captivating story of his unprecedented winning streak and the inside track on how—almostovernight—he lost his game, ultimately becoming Braemar Country Club’s most famous and beloved pro.WRITTEN BY WILLARD SIMMSIt was Sunday, June 12, 1937. As Ralph Guldahl stood on the green at Oakland Hills Country Club near Detroit,he looked on the cheering throngs with a sense of disbelief. Just two years earlier the 26-year-old had retiredfrom tournament golf in frustration and gone to work as a car salesman. Yet now here he was, in the final roundof the U.S. Open Championship, tied for the lead with Sam Snead—the man universally admired for having thegreatest, most fluid swing in all of golf.Guldahl was staring down a 65-footputt across the treacherously fasteighth hole green that had alreadybroken the back of several of hiscompetitors. The only golfer in thetournament clad in a buttoned collarand necktie, he wiped his foreheadunder the heat of the summer sun, tookthree short practice swings … thenbacked away.Snead was playing several holes aheadof him and scoring par after par.Guldahl took a deep, slow breath anddecided to go all out. The strategy: putthard, aiming for the center of the cup.It would be either eagle or bogey.He stepped up, took one more deepbreath, then addressed the ball withconfidence. Sixty-five feet later itdropped into the cup. He’d taken thelead.When he birdied the next hole it wastoo much for Snead to catch up, andGuldahl won the coveted U.S. Open.By all accounts it was part of one ofthe most brilliant runs of majortournament finishes in the history ofprofessional golf.And then, suddenly, he vanished.SHOOTING STARAt the time of that U.S. Open win, Guldahl stood in the limelight in a nation crazy about golf. The same age asfellow champions Snead, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, Guldahl shot to the top more quickly than any of them.From 1936 to 1939, he was simply the biggest name in the game. He barnstormed to back-to back U.S. Opentitles in ’37 and ’38 before being crowned Masters champion at Augusta National in 1939.He also won three straight Western Opens, widely considered to be a major at the time. In the 30’s fewAmericans made the 12-hour flight across the Atlantic to play the British Open, but all the top pros played in TheWestern. When Guldahl did make the trip abroad, it was to play on the prestigious Ryder Cup team that gained avictory over the British in 1937. Guldahl’s mid-30’s roll made today’s world #1 Rory McIlroy’s currentperformance look mild in comparison.On the course, Guldahl was always considered something of a contradiction in terms. He was known on tour as ano-airs, down-home Texan, and yet he always cut a striking figure. In an era when the knit golf shirt was justbecoming popular, Guldahl always played in a starched shirt and tie. He looked as good as he played.At that historic 1937 Open, when he approached the 18th green, he stopped, straightened his tie and took out hiscomb one final time. He later explained, “I wanted to look good when the photographers took pictures of mewith the trophy. I was always proud of my head of hair.”Friendly off the course, while playing he was stoic and rarely showed emotion. Few knew he was wearing amask. “Behind my so-called poker face, I’m burning up,” he once said.His son, Ralph, Jr.—a retired golf professional who now lives in Carson, California—has another take. “Dadtook tournaments very seriously; that’s how he put money on the table for his family during the Depression,” hesays.PARALYSIS BY ANALYSISAs brightly as Guldahl’s star shone at the end of the 30’s, it began to flicker and fade at the turn of the decade.Something had changed in that magical swing. Mastery of the game of golf is often illusive and over the yearsthere have been many different theories about what exactly happened to Guldahl’s swing. The most popular onecenters on a book.In 1939 Guldahl was offered a contract to pen a guide to golfing. Groove Your Golf used the latest technique ofhigh-speed photographs on each page, showing him hitting balls. As the story goes, when he studied thephotographs of himself he saw a flaw in his swing, tried to correct it and lost his swing completely. What golferscommonly call “paralysis by analysis” was evident every time he stepped on the course after 1940.That year Guldahl finished fifth in the Masters and 14th in the U.S. Open. In 1941 he was 14th in the Mastersand 21st in the Open—respectable spots, but nowhere near where he was before writing his book. In 1942 heplaced 21st in the Masters, but shortly thereafter the Open and all subsequent major tournaments were canceledfor the duration of World War II. By allaccounts, the white-hot career of RalphGuldahl was over.A DECLINE SEEN DIFFERENTLYRalph, Jr. believes that if alive today, hisfather would laugh at the theory that overanalysis was the sole cause of hisprofessional downfall. He says there wereseveral other factors that played a role.“My father always said, ‘Either you’re anatural golfer or an artificial golfer,’”Ralph, Jr. explains. “A natural golfer hasa natural swing and only makesmodifications to it when necessary for aOFF COURSE Guldahl attempts to get a ball out of a rough spot, as spectators look on from above.particular shot. The first aim of form is simplicity. An artificial golfer can copy the mechanics of a good swing,but it’s not natural to him—and that type of golfer will struggle on the Pro Tour.” According to his son, Guldahlbelieved he had a “natural” swing.Guldahl’s wife, LaVerne, also played a role in his short-lived career as a pro. Junior tells the story: “When mymother was 11 years old, she saw her best friend die in a terrible plane crash. She’d gone to the airport to see herchildhood friend off, and the plane crashed on takeoff—killing everyone on board. She never got over it andvowed never to fly herself.”Since LaVerne always accompanied Ralph to tournaments, the couple only traveled in trains and cars. When hewas on the Ryder Cup team that played in England, he refused to fly. Instead the couple went across the Atlanticon a German steamboat that took more than 10 days to cross.Car travel was further complicated due to an ear injury. Junior says that when his father tried to enlist in WorldWar II, he was rejected and classified as 4F because of a punctured eardrum he’d received as a child. Militaryphysicians determined that shooting a rifle would be excruciating for him.Traveling by car on rough, unpaved roads caused a rattling noise that was painful. “It was something that gaveDad headaches which would last for days,” recalls Ralph, Jr.And so in 1942, when all the major tournaments were canceled due to the war and most of the pros were servingin the military, Guldahl stepped away from professional golf.POST PROThe war years were a tough time for the young golf pro. Guldahl was frustrated that he was physically unable toserve his country like his fellow golfers, and he left the game in a slump. He moved quietly to Chicago andbecame the pro at Medinah Country Club, where he followed fellow Golf Hall of Fame member TommyArmour.No major tournaments were held again until 1946. By that time Guldahl had lost almost all interest in the tour.His son says, “Dad could play lights-out golf when he wanted to, but the competitive drive just wasn’t thereanymore. And he just hated traveling.”Guldahl eventually moved to Florida, but when he was offered the chance to become a teaching pro and “golfemeritus” at the brand new Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, he jumped at it. He and LaVerne bought a smallhouse in nearby Sherman Oaks.Right from the start he relished his new role. “He was immensely popular with everyone,” club pro Mike Spaydshares. “He seemed genuinely interested in everyone. He was the club’s ambassador to new members and was aliaison between management and the men’s club. He was so gentle, so considerate of everyone.”Ron Cherney, a member of Braemar when Guldahl was golfer emeritus, recalls, “He was very popular. Everyonewanted to be able to talk with him, and he made himself available to club members all the time.”Known as “Goldie” at Braemar, he often spoke proudly about his family. Every Saturday, he and Ralph, Jr.would play 18 holes together. “Members really wanted to play with Dad, though he rarely gave advice—justtaught by example. And his swing was asgood as ever,” Junior remembers.Father and son were very close, and Senioroften spoke of losing his passion for playingtournaments when Ralph, Jr. was a toddler.He explained to young Ralph, “Your momand I didn’t like raising you out of a suitcase.Playing the tour isn’t much of a life for thefather of a young son.”So is it a tragedy that Ralph Guldahl left theprofessional golf tour for good in 1942,eventually becoming the top gun at BraemarCountry Club for 28 years—right up to hispassing in 1987? To the contrary.There are many at Braemar who would saythat was the greatest thing that everhappened to Ralph Guldahl, because heaffected so many golfers—of all ages—withhis humble style and positive example. Hewas without question the most popular prothe club has ever had—in spite of the fact that he never gave more than two or three actual lessons a day.Instead, he preferred to teach on the course while shooting a round. He particularly loved assisting golfers whoexhibited a “natural swing.” To this day, warm stories are told on the Braemar greens about Guldahl—hishumble nature, love of the game and of his family.As golf enthusiasts will tell you, one of the greatest things about the game is that, unlike most sports, you canplay it in your later years. Guldahl did—and well.At the age of 75, he shot 18 holes at Braemar while playing with some celebrities. Most often the formertournament pro didn’t keep score, but on that day the group did. The scorecard that day showed that RalphGuldahl, in declining health and just three months before he died, shot even par at 71. GULDAHL, RALPH (1911–1987).Ralph Guldahl, professional tournament golfer, was born on November 22, 1911, in Dallas, Texas, the second of three sons of Olaf Guldahl and Anna Nordly, Norwegian immigrants. He began caddying at Lakewood Country Club at age eleven and then started playing regularly at the Randall Park city course and was captain of the 1927 state champion Woodrow Wilson High School team. He honed his competitive skills at the Tenison and Stevens Park municipal courses against the likes of Harry Cooper and Gus Moreland, as well as Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan of nearby Fort Worth. He turned professional in January 1930, at the Texas Open in San Antonio, and was the youngest qualifier for that year's United States Open. Working as a Dallas club professional, he saved enough to attempt the California winter tournaments in 1931 and there won his first money title. During that year he married La Verne Fields, of San Angelo, his lifelong wife and mother of their only child, Ralph, Jr. After finishing second by one stroke at the 1933 United States Open, Guldahl entered a slump, during which both his game and confidence went to pieces. Financially strapped, he worked in Hollywood as a carpenter on the Warner Brothers studio lot, where from several actors and directors he secured the necessary backing to rejoin the Professional Golfers Association tour. In 1936, with additional loans, he reemerged triumphantly, and for four years (1936–40) was the nation's preeminent, and perhaps most underrated, major-tournament golfer. Blessed with superb concentration, his deliberate style did not attract galleries and sportswriters as he compiled an unexcelled record. In addition to seven tour titles, he won the Radix Trophy for the lowest per-round average (1936), three consecutive Western Opens (1936–37–38), back-to-back U. S. Opens (1937–38), the exclusive Masters Tournament (1939), and all his matches for the American team against the British in his only Ryder Cup appearance (1937). He established, said Bobby Jones, the enduring reality that "four good rounds, not just three," were necessary to win a major championship. Because of this remarkable run, he is the thirteenth-ranked PGA tournament player for the period 1930–45. In 1940, following a strong U.S. Open and the last of his sixteen PGA victories, Guldahl left the tour, a widely discussed decision. Did his swing, which he analyzed on film and in a self-written instructional book, Groove Your Golf (1939), desert him? Did the effects of an earlier hip injury take their toll? Did his competitiveness flag? Most compelling was his admission that he tired of the long-distance automobile travel grind in favor of normal family life, which he had not known since his marriage. Classified 4-F, he held several prestigious club positions during World War II. After a brief return to the tour in the late 1940s, he sold insurance in Southern California until 1961, when he became the professional at the new Braemar Country Club in Tarzana. Well-liked and a popular teacher, he remained at Braemar until his death, on June 12, 1987, at Sherman Oaks, California. He is a member of both the PGA and World Golf halls of fame. After 1930, the world of golf was looking for the next Bobby Jones, someone who could dominate the game, provide excitement, make the morning sports page a must read to get the results of the latest tournament, and be a national hero. For a while, Ralph Guldahl was that man, the successor to Jones and to Walter Hagen before Jones. Guldahl won the Western Open, one of golf’s biggest prizes at the time, three years in a row, back-to-back U.S. Opens, the Masters and compiled a perfect Ryder Cup record – all from 1936 to 1940. But then Guldahl disappeared from golf. Like many American professionals, Guldahl started in the game as a caddie. At age 11, he was struck with double pneumonia and, in those years before antibiotics, he was lucky to pull through. The family doctor suggested outdoor exercise to regain his full strength and to build stamina, and caddying at Lakewood Country Club in his hometown of Dallas fit the bill. In 1929, Guldahl won the Dallas City Championship, and he also led his high school team to victory in the state championship. The next year, Guldahl skipped his graduation to play in the Texas Open, finished in 11th place and decided on the spot to take the $87.50 in prize money and turn pro. Guldahl was playing well with what euphemistically was called a "caddie swing," one that might have some odd movements to it but generally worked well. Guldahl had a very fast backswing, cocked his wrists quickly, made a large shoulder turn, with his right elbow flying, and only a hint of a pivot. His legs and hips moved only slightly. At 6 foot 2 inches and 175 pounds, Guldahl had a strong physique. He wasn’t a long hitter, but he was accurate and excelled at the short game and putting. In other words, his swing wasn’t pretty or rhythmic, but it worked, and he could repeat it. Sam Snead, who wasn’t in the habit of praising other golfers’ swings, said, “The greatest I ever saw for a grooved swing was Ralph Guldahl.” In 1933, Guldahl qualified for the U.S. Open at North Shore outside Chicago. He played well, but at the start of the final round, he was six shots back of the leader, amateur Johnny Goodman. Guldahl lost three strokes early in the round to Goodman's fast start, but Goodman began to falter as Guldahl’s game picked up. Guldahl needed a 4 on the last hole to tie Goodman and force a playoff. Guldahl‘s second shot landed in a greenside bunker. He played out, leaving himself a straight, uphill 4-footer, which he missed on the left side of the cup. Goodman won, becoming the last amateur to date to win the U.S. Open. The missed putt at North Shore did something to Guldahl’s psyche. The golfing public seemed to think that Guldahl lost the Open more than Goodman won it. Guldahl himself thought that he’d lost something with his game. Guldahl returned to Dallas and took a job selling automobiles. It wasn’t his milieu; he sold just one car … to himself. He and his wife, LaVerne, had a son, Ralph Jr., who was having health problems, so they moved to Los Angeles for a warmer and drier climate. Guldahl had heard that many movie stars were taking up golf and that there was money to be made giving lessons. Guldahl was trying to scrape by, but he was so short of money that he couldn’t pay his $25 PGA of America dues. He came to the attention of two movie actors: Rex Bell, who was a star in “B” westerns, and Robert Woolsey, who played some comedic roles. Guldahl gave them lessons and played some small money games with them at a nine-hole course in Palm Springs. Bell and Woolsey thought that Guldahl had the game to get back into big-time golf and staked him $100 to qualify for the 1936 U.S. Open at Baltusrol in New Jersey. Guldahl qualified for the Open and tied for eighth, winning $137.50. The money wasn’t much, but his position in the field was encouraging. Guldahl would go on to win the Western Open with a final-round 64, the Augusta Open (not to be confused with the Masters) and the Miami Biltmore Open and finish second in three other events. Guldahl was back. He won the Radix Trophy for the lowest scoring average of the year, 71.63 per round. In 1937, Guldahl was invited to the Masters for the first time. In the final round, he was in contention on the back nine, but he went for the flagstick cut on the right side of the 12th green, ended up in Rae’s Creek and made a double-bogey 5. On the par-5 13th, Guldahl went for the green in two with a 3-iron and ended up in the creek in front of the green, took a drop, pitched onto the green and two-putted for 6. From there, Guldahl played the final five holes in even par and led by one stroke over Ed Dudley. But Byron Nelson still was on the course. He had made the turn in 2-over 38 and trailed by four strokes. Nelson made a 10-foot birdie putt at the 12th and an eagle 3 at the 13th, the two holes that Guldahl butchered a little earlier in the afternoon. In those two holes, Nelson picked up six strokes on Guldahl and, instead of being four strokes back, Nelson was two strokes ahead and would go on to win the Masters, with Guldahl finishing solo second. The 1937 U.S. Open was scheduled for Oakland Hills, near Detroit. Guldahl was cruising along to victory when, as he stood at the 72nd tee, he asked playing competitor “Lighthorse” Harry Cooper what he needed to win, a 5 or a 6. Cooper responded, “Just don’t drop dead. That’s the only way you can miss.” Guldahl made a par 5 for an Open-record 281 total, defeating Sam Snead by two strokes. Ralph Guldahl salutes the gallery at Oakland Hills after winning the 1937 U.S. Open. Ralph Guldahl salutes the gallery at Oakland Hills after winning the 1937 U.S. Open. © USGA ARCHIVES Guldahl had become a superstar, but he didn’t have an agent to help him secure endorsements, exhibitions and other spoils of victory. In fact, the only golfer with an agent/business manager was Walter Hagen, who had retained Bob Harlow to handle commercial matters. Fortunately for Guldahl, he was a Wilson staff member, and the sporting-goods company arranged for a series of exhibitions with another Wilson staffer, Sam Snead. Guldahl and Snead were opposites in many ways. Snead possessed a fluid swing, which was a marvel to watch and try to emulate; Guldahl owned an odd swing. Snead always had a funny quip or two for the galleries and the press; Guldahl was rather quiet and serious, and he showed little emotion on the course. Snead said of his exhibition partner, “If Guldahl gave someone a blood transfusion, the patient would freeze to death.” “The truth is that behind my so-called poker face, I’m burning up,” Guldahl said. “I know they call me ‘the dumb Swede,’ and they say I’ve got no imagination, that I don’t know enough to worry about a golf title. I do know that all that matters in golf is the next shot. Maybe the ‘dumb’ reputation helps me. The others are likely to start pressing if they think I’m not worrying.” In September, Guldahl would repeat as Western Open champion and be the first person to hold the U.S. Open and Western Open titles in the same year. In 1938, Guldahl made another run at the Masters title, but final-round three-putts at the 16th and 18th holes left him tied with Cooper at 1-under 287. Henry Picard would take the title at 285. Guldahl had played another outstanding but frustrating Masters, narrowly missing the victory. Guldahl next headed to Cherry Hills near Denver for the U.S. Open. He shot even-par 284, six strokes ahead of Dick Metz, to take the Open title for the second year in a row. One reporter commented, “The champion is establishing himself as a stretch runner of the Man o’ War type,” referencing the 1920 Preakness- and Belmont-winning thoroughbred. Guldahl won the Open on a Saturday, but he had to catch an early-morning train from Denver to Chicago and then travel to St. Louis to defend his Western Open title at Westwood Country Club. The tournament started on Tuesday, so there was little time for practice. A strong contingent of contestants showed up to see whether Guldahl could pull off the “hat trick” of winning three Western Opens in a row. He did it with an amazing final-round 65 for a 279 total and seven-stroke victory over Snead. Charlie Bartlett of the Chicago Tribune wrote “[Guldahl] today brought off the most remarkable golf achievement since Robert Jones’s 1930 grand slam…. So it was this afternoon that the game’s new monarch decided to assert himself in the fashion of kings. Within a space of five days he has accomplished a feat hitherto unmatched by any golfer in the history of the country’s two ranking medal-play shows.” In 1939, Guldahl won four tournaments, including the elusive the Masters, where he had finished runner-up in the two previous years. Because of poor weather, the final two rounds were played on Sunday before a crowd of 8,000, the largest to date for the Masters. At the end of the third round, Guldahl held a one-stroke lead over Sarazen, and two over Snead, Billy Burke, Lawson Little and Byron Nelson. In the afternoon, Snead went off early and was in the clubhouse with a brilliant 68 and a Masters-record 280 score. Guldahl finished the front nine with an even-par 36 as the rest of the contenders dropped away. He needed a 33 on the back nine to beat Snead. Guldahl birdied the 10th, then made two pars. At 13, he hit a poor drive and had a sidehill lie and a 230-yard carry to the green. He’d had a similar shot two years before and dumped his ball into the creek fronting the green, leading to bogey and a loss to Nelson. Guldahl studied the possibilities for five minutes, then pulled out his 3-wood. His ball started on line and stayed there, settling 6 feet from the cup. Guldahl made eagle, played the rest of the holes in even par and signed for a one-stroke victory over Snead. In 1940, Guldahl won twice, including the Inverness Four-Ball partnered with Snead, and he was a semifinalist in the PGA Championship. Then he disappeared. As Fred Corcoran, who ran the tour, commented, “[Guldahl] was the greatest golfer in the world, and he lost it overnight. He woke up one morning, and it was gone. In one year, he went from who’s who to who’s he?” There are many theories about what happened. First, World War II broke up the tour in the early 1940s. Then, there was Guldahl’s apparent loss of interest in tournament golf. He’d been at the top for five years, which involved a lot of stress and pressure, especially with a wife and family at home. Guldahl’s wife and son had their own theory. In 1939, Guldahl was asked to write a book on how he played golf. Most golfers in his position would have hired a ghost writer, but Guldahl decided to write the book on his own. He locked himself in a room for several months, working away on how he executed his shots, his swing theory and the like. The book, “Groove Your Golf,” featured an introduction by Bobby Jones. The book was a “flicker” book, with photos of his swing in action. The reader would flick through the pages, and there was Guldahl’s swing, just like a movie. Guldahl’s son said the photographer had lined up the camera so the golf ball appeared to be farther forward in the stance than it actually was. This caused his dad to change his stance to match the photo, and his game never was the same. Others thought the whole process made Guldahl second-guess everything instead of just playing the way he always had. Perhaps he’d never tried to analyze his swing. In 1948, Guldahl took a job as head professional at Medinah near Chicago. As a three-time winner of the Western Open, two-time U.S. Open champion and a former Masters winner, Guldahl could have kept the job for life. But his wife said the Chicago climate adversely affected her hay fever, so they returned to California, where Guldahl sold insurance. Then, in 1961, he took a job as head professional at Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, Calif., in suburban Los Angeles. He was well-liked by the members, who encouraged him to accept his invitation to play in the 1964 Masters as a former champion. Guldahl returned to Augusta and played respectable golf, but he missed the cut. He had a wonderful time seeing old friends, attending the Champions Dinner and holding interviews with reporters who had not seen him play. He’d never sought the spotlight, but it was on him again as one of the game’s dominant players of an age gone past. Guldahl continued returning to Augusta for the Masters every year except one through 1973, when he was no longer eligible for the tournament itself. However, he still played in the Wednesday Par 3 Contest, to be welcomed by contestants and recognized by appreciative galleries. Guldahl stayed on as pro at Braemar and, upon retirement in 1978, was made professional emeritus. He continued to play golf with members and give lessons until his death at age 75 in 1987. GHS member and past president John Fischer III is known for his love of golf history. The former journalist and retired attorney researches and writes articles on various aspects of golf history for websites such as The Morning Read as well as golf magazines that include our own quarterly, The Golf. We may be forgiven, I think, if we claim John as “our own.” Fischer’s articles are often emailed to a private list and titled “Random Golf Footnotes,” and they are a delight to read. In fact, based on a recent note to The Morning Read, he is building quite a cadre of admirers on that platform who are keen to learn more about interesting sidelights and near-forgotten aspects of the game’s rich history.

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