Byron Nelson
Encyclopedia
John Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour
golf
er between 1935 and 1946.
Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan
and Sam Snead
, were born within seven months of each other in 1912. Although he won many tournaments in the course of his relatively brief career, he is mostly remembered today for having won 11 consecutive tournaments and 18 total tournaments in 1945. He retired officially at the age of 34 to be a rancher, later becoming a commentator and lending his name to the HP Byron Nelson Championship, the first PGA Tour event to be named for a professional golfer. In 1974, Byron Nelson received the Bob Jones Award
, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association
in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.
Nelson became the second recipient of the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award
in 1997, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame
in 1974. He received the 1994 Old Tom Morris Award
from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
, GCSAA's highest honor. Nelson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2006.
, Byron Nelson was the son of Madge Allen Nelson and John Byron Nelson, Sr. His parents set a precedent for him not only in their long lives — Madge Nelson lived to age 98, and her husband to age 77 — but also in their religious commitment. Madge, who had grown up Baptist
, was baptized in the Church of Christ
at age 18, and John Byron Sr., raised Presbyterian, was baptized in the Church of Christ soon after meeting Madge. The senior Byron Nelson went on to serve as an elder in the Roanoke Church of Christ, and the younger Byron Nelson was a committed member of that congregation — even performing janitorial services there from time to time long after he became famous — he later placed his membership at the Hilltop Church of Christ in Roanoke from 1989 until 2000, when he moved his membership to the Richland Hills Church of Christ in North Richland Hills, Texas
in later life.
When Nelson was 11 years old, the family moved to Fort Worth
, where he barely survived typhoid fever
after losing nearly half his body weight to the disease, which also left him unable to sire children. Soon after his baptism at age 12, he started caddy
ing at Glen Garden Country Club. On his caddying days, Nelson said, "I knew nothing about caddying at first, but it wasn't difficult to learn. The other caddies, though, didn't like to see any new ones, because that might mean they wouldn't get a job sometime." An article on Nelson in Sports Illustrated
noted that initially caddies were not permitted to play at the club: "[H]e would often practice in the dark, putting his white handkerchief over the hole so he could find it in the darkness." The club later changed its policy and sponsored the Glen Garden Caddy Tournament, where a 14-year-old Nelson beat fellow caddy and future golf great Ben Hogan
by a single stroke after a nine-hole playoff. Nelson and Hogan were rivals but close friends in their teen years, and for the first part of their professional careers as well, but Nelson's early success was difficult for the struggling Hogan to deal with, and they gradually grew apart, while retaining mutual respect.
In 1934, Nelson was working as a golf pro in Texarkana, Texas
, when he met future wife Louise Shofner, to whom he was married for 50 years, before she died in 1985 after two severe stroke
s.
. A pair of top-three finishes in important Texas events encouraged him. He then took a club professional's job at the Ridgewood Country Club
in New Jersey
in 1935. He worked hard on his game, having earlier realized that with the technological change from hickory to steel shafts, which was gathering momentum in the early 1930s, that the golf swing would have to adapt as well. Nelson was among the first of a new generation of players who developed a full swing with increased leg drive leading the downswing; this is the forerunner of modern golf technique as practised by top players, right to the present day. Nelson is sometimes credited as being the father of the modern golf swing. He refined the changes for a couple of years, and then took his game to the highest level of competition, the PGA Tour. Nelson waited until 1935 to post his first significant victory, at the New Jersey State Open
. He followed this up with a win at the Metropolitan Open
the following year. He reportedly won this tournament with "$5 in my pocket".
Nelson was hired as the head professional at the Hershey Country Club in Hershey, Pennsylvania
, and worked there until 1940, when he took a new job as head pro at the Inverness Club
in Toledo, Ohio
.
. During this tournament he shot a first-round 66, which stood as a record as the lowest first round in Masters' history until Raymond Floyd
had 65 en route to winning the 1976 event. Nelson would subsequently win four more major tournaments, the U.S. Open
in 1939, the PGA Championship
in 1940 and 1945, and a second Masters in 1942. Nelson had a blood disorder that caused his blood to clot four times slower than normal, which kept him out of military service during World War II
. It has sometimes mistakenly been reported that he had hemophilia; this is not true.
During World War II, Nelson gave hundreds of golf exhibitions across the country to raise money for charitable causes.
In his career, Nelson won 52 professional events. Nelson won the Vardon Trophy
in 1939. He played on the U.S. Ryder Cup
teams in 1937 and 1947 and was non-playing captain of the team in 1965. After 1946, Nelson curtailed his schedule, although he continued to make regular appearances at The Masters as a competitor, played occasional Tour events, appeared in a few overseas tournaments, and later served as a ceremonial starter for many years.
. There has been debate to how impressive these results are, as it was believed to be a weakened tour due to the war. But in reality many of the leading golfers of that time, including Sam Snead
and Ben Hogan
still played a full or at least part schedule that year. Both Snead and Hogan won multiple times on the tour in 1945. During this year Nelson finished second another 7 times, set a record for the scoring average (68.33 for 18 holes) that was only recently broken (by Tiger Woods
in 2000), a record 18 hole score (62), and a record 72-hole score (259, which beat the previous record set by Ben Hogan
earlier that year). This year is now known as the greatest single year by a player on the PGA Tour, as Arnold Palmer said: "I don't think that anyone will ever exceed the things that Byron did by winning 11 tournaments in a row in one year."
Even more recently, Tiger Woods referred to the year as "one of the greatest years in the history of the sport."
' 142. The PGA Tour defines a "cut" as receiving a paycheck, even if an event has no cut per se. In Nelson's era, only the top 20 in a tournament received a check. In reality, Nelson's "113 consecutive cuts made" are representative of his unequaled 113 consecutive top 20 tournament finishes.
, Marty Fleckman
, and Tom Watson
.
home around noon. He was survived by Peggy, his wife of nearly 20 years, sister Margaret Ellen Sherman, and brother Charles, a professor emeritus
at Abilene Christian University
, where Byron Nelson had been a trustee and benefactor. Nelson met his second wife, the former Peggy Simmons, when she volunteered at the Bogie Busters celebrity golf tournament in Dayton, Ohio
in 1985.
Nelson was often referred to as "Lord Byron," after the English poet by that name, in recognition of his reputation for gentlemanly conduct, a nickname given him by Atlanta
sports journalist O. B. Keeler. Many of his obituaries referenced this reputation.
Nelson has several successful years as a television
golf commentator. Nelson had a significant role in the development of Tom Watson
as a world-class player in the mid-1970s, and had earlier mentored Ken Venturi
in the 1950s, while he was a rising star.
Nelson was ranked as the fifth greatest golfer of all time by Golf Digest
magazine in 2000. On this list, Jack Nicklaus
was first, Nelson's longtime rivals Ben Hogan
and Sam Snead
were second and third respectively, and Bobby Jones
was fourth. A 2009 Sports Illustrated
panel ranked him seventh on its list of all-time greatest golfers, behind Nicklaus, Tiger Woods
, Jones, Hogan, Snead, and Arnold Palmer
.
The "Iron Byron" electro-mechanical machine or robot used by the United States Golf Association
, as well as golf manufacturers, to compare and test clubs and balls for conformity to standards was named for Nelson, honoring the consistency of his swing.
In Jack Nicklaus's 1978 book On and Off the Fairway, Nicklaus wrote that Nelson was the straightest golfer he ever saw. The two never played competitively, but a 14-year-old Nicklaus was in the crowd of youngsters at the 1954 U.S. Junior Amateur
, when Nelson gave an exhibition hitting golf shots.
through Roanoke, Texas
is named Byron Nelson Boulevard, in honor of Nelson's residence; the street he lived on was recently changed to Eleven Straight Lane in honor of his 1945 record. In Irving, Texas a street immediately adjacent to the Four Seasons Resort and Club, where the HP Byron Nelson Championship is played each year, is named Byron Nelson Lane. A street in Southlake, Texas, Byron Nelson Parkway, was named in his honor, as was a street in a residential neighborhood in McAllen, Texas
.
On October 16, 2006, President
George W. Bush
approved H.R. 4902 awarding Byron Nelson the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award that can be bestowed by the Legislative Branch of the United States government. The resolution cites Mr. Nelson's "significant contributions to the game of golf as a player, a teacher, and a commentator." Representative Michael C. Burgess
(R-TX) sponsored the resolution, originally proposed March 8, 2006, well before Nelson's death. Senate Resolution 602 memorialized Nelson on September 29, 2006.
On April 23, 2007 the Northwest Independent School District
named their second high school Byron Nelson High School
. This is the first high school named in honor of Byron Nelson, and opened in the fall of 2009. The school is located in Trophy Club, Texas
, near Nelson's hometown of Roanoke.
Orange County Choppers
built three choppers in dedication which were auctioned off.
Major championships
are shown in bold.
Source:
Note: The PGA Championship was match play until 1958
1 Defeated Craig Wood and Denny Shute in a 36-hole playoff - Nelson (68-70=138), Wood (68-73=141), Shute (76) (eliminated after first 18)
2 Defeated Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff - Nelson (69), Hogan (70)
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for Top 10.
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er between 1935 and 1946.
Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan
William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
and Sam Snead
Sam Snead
Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
, were born within seven months of each other in 1912. Although he won many tournaments in the course of his relatively brief career, he is mostly remembered today for having won 11 consecutive tournaments and 18 total tournaments in 1945. He retired officially at the age of 34 to be a rancher, later becoming a commentator and lending his name to the HP Byron Nelson Championship, the first PGA Tour event to be named for a professional golfer. In 1974, Byron Nelson received the Bob Jones Award
Bob Jones Award
The Bob Jones Award is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. It is named in honor of Bobby Jones.-Winners:*1955 Francis Ouimet*1956 William C. Campbell*1957 Babe Zaharias...
, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.
Nelson became the second recipient of the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award
PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award
Created in 1996, the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the PGA Tour over an extended period of time through their actions on and off the golf course....
in 1997, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame
World Golf Hall of Fame
The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
in 1974. He received the 1994 Old Tom Morris Award
Old Tom Morris Award
The Old Tom Morris Award is the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America's most prestigious honor. It is presented each year to an individual who "through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by...
from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America was originally founded in 1926 when 60 superintendents met at the Sylvania Country Club in Toledo, Ohio to form the National Association of Greenkeepers of America ....
, GCSAA's highest honor. Nelson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2006.
Early life and career
Born near Waxahachie, TexasWaxahachie, Texas
Waxahachie is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States, and a southern suburb of Dallas. The population was 21,426 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ellis County....
, Byron Nelson was the son of Madge Allen Nelson and John Byron Nelson, Sr. His parents set a precedent for him not only in their long lives — Madge Nelson lived to age 98, and her husband to age 77 — but also in their religious commitment. Madge, who had grown up Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, was baptized in the Church of Christ
Church of Christ
Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices. They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ. Historically,...
at age 18, and John Byron Sr., raised Presbyterian, was baptized in the Church of Christ soon after meeting Madge. The senior Byron Nelson went on to serve as an elder in the Roanoke Church of Christ, and the younger Byron Nelson was a committed member of that congregation — even performing janitorial services there from time to time long after he became famous — he later placed his membership at the Hilltop Church of Christ in Roanoke from 1989 until 2000, when he moved his membership to the Richland Hills Church of Christ in North Richland Hills, Texas
North Richland Hills, Texas
North Richland Hills is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 63,343 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Tarrant County. In 2006, North Richland Hills was selected as one of the "Top 100 Best Places to live in America"...
in later life.
When Nelson was 11 years old, the family moved to Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, where he barely survived typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
after losing nearly half his body weight to the disease, which also left him unable to sire children. Soon after his baptism at age 12, he started caddy
Caddy
In golf, a caddy is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin...
ing at Glen Garden Country Club. On his caddying days, Nelson said, "I knew nothing about caddying at first, but it wasn't difficult to learn. The other caddies, though, didn't like to see any new ones, because that might mean they wouldn't get a job sometime." An article on Nelson in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
noted that initially caddies were not permitted to play at the club: "[H]e would often practice in the dark, putting his white handkerchief over the hole so he could find it in the darkness." The club later changed its policy and sponsored the Glen Garden Caddy Tournament, where a 14-year-old Nelson beat fellow caddy and future golf great Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan
William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
by a single stroke after a nine-hole playoff. Nelson and Hogan were rivals but close friends in their teen years, and for the first part of their professional careers as well, but Nelson's early success was difficult for the struggling Hogan to deal with, and they gradually grew apart, while retaining mutual respect.
In 1934, Nelson was working as a golf pro in Texarkana, Texas
Texarkana, Texas
Texarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue...
, when he met future wife Louise Shofner, to whom he was married for 50 years, before she died in 1985 after two severe stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
s.
Father of the modern golf swing
After turning professional in 1932, Nelson served as a club professional in Texas, and played as many significant tournaments as he could afford, to develop his game. Money was tight, as Texas was hit very hard by the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. A pair of top-three finishes in important Texas events encouraged him. He then took a club professional's job at the Ridgewood Country Club
Ridgewood Country Club
The Ridgewood Country Club is a country club located in Paramus, New Jersey. It was founded in 1890 in neighboring Ridgewood, but has been at its current location since 1926.-History:...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in 1935. He worked hard on his game, having earlier realized that with the technological change from hickory to steel shafts, which was gathering momentum in the early 1930s, that the golf swing would have to adapt as well. Nelson was among the first of a new generation of players who developed a full swing with increased leg drive leading the downswing; this is the forerunner of modern golf technique as practised by top players, right to the present day. Nelson is sometimes credited as being the father of the modern golf swing. He refined the changes for a couple of years, and then took his game to the highest level of competition, the PGA Tour. Nelson waited until 1935 to post his first significant victory, at the New Jersey State Open
New Jersey State Open
The New Jersey State Open Championship is the New Jersey state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the New Jersey State Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1921 at a variety of courses around the state...
. He followed this up with a win at the Metropolitan Open
Metropolitan Open
The Metropolitan Open is golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 and is the third oldest "Open" golf tournament in the United States after the U.S. Open and the Western Open. It is held at member clubs in New York, New Jersey, and...
the following year. He reportedly won this tournament with "$5 in my pocket".
Nelson was hired as the head professional at the Hershey Country Club in Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey is a census-designated place in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The community is located 14 miles east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
, and worked there until 1940, when he took a new job as head pro at the Inverness Club
Inverness Club
Inverness Club is a country club in Toledo, Ohio that is famous for its golf course . The golf course is so well known since it has hosted four U.S. Opens, two U.S. Senior Opens, two PGA Championships, and a U.S. Amateur...
in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
.
Wins major championships
Nelson won his first major event at The Masters in 1937, winning by two shots over Ralph GuldahlRalph Guldahl
Ralph J. Guldahl was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the sport for three years in the late 1930s.-Early life until 1939:Guldahl was born in Dallas, Texas...
. During this tournament he shot a first-round 66, which stood as a record as the lowest first round in Masters' history until Raymond Floyd
Raymond Floyd
Raymond Loran "Ray" Floyd is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour....
had 65 en route to winning the 1976 event. Nelson would subsequently win four more major tournaments, the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
in 1939, the PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
in 1940 and 1945, and a second Masters in 1942. Nelson had a blood disorder that caused his blood to clot four times slower than normal, which kept him out of military service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It has sometimes mistakenly been reported that he had hemophilia; this is not true.
During World War II, Nelson gave hundreds of golf exhibitions across the country to raise money for charitable causes.
In his career, Nelson won 52 professional events. Nelson won the Vardon Trophy
Vardon Trophy
The Vardon Trophy is awarded annually by the PGA of America to the PGA Tour's leader in scoring average. When the award was first given in 1937, it was awarded on the basis of a points system. No award was given from 1942–1946 due to World War II. In 1947, the PGA began awarding it for low...
in 1939. He played on the U.S. Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
teams in 1937 and 1947 and was non-playing captain of the team in 1965. After 1946, Nelson curtailed his schedule, although he continued to make regular appearances at The Masters as a competitor, played occasional Tour events, appeared in a few overseas tournaments, and later served as a ceremonial starter for many years.
Record-breaking year
In 1945 Nelson enjoyed a record-breaking year, winning 18 of 35 PGA tournaments including 11 in a row. Both records are still yet to be beaten. Nelson however lost many chances at major championships during this year, and previous years, because of the war, and only won the 1945 PGA ChampionshipPGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
. There has been debate to how impressive these results are, as it was believed to be a weakened tour due to the war. But in reality many of the leading golfers of that time, including Sam Snead
Sam Snead
Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
and Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan
William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
still played a full or at least part schedule that year. Both Snead and Hogan won multiple times on the tour in 1945. During this year Nelson finished second another 7 times, set a record for the scoring average (68.33 for 18 holes) that was only recently broken (by Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
in 2000), a record 18 hole score (62), and a record 72-hole score (259, which beat the previous record set by Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan
William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
earlier that year). This year is now known as the greatest single year by a player on the PGA Tour, as Arnold Palmer said: "I don't think that anyone will ever exceed the things that Byron did by winning 11 tournaments in a row in one year."
Even more recently, Tiger Woods referred to the year as "one of the greatest years in the history of the sport."
Cut streak
Nelson's record of 113 consecutive cuts made is second only to Tiger WoodsTiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
' 142. The PGA Tour defines a "cut" as receiving a paycheck, even if an event has no cut per se. In Nelson's era, only the top 20 in a tournament received a check. In reality, Nelson's "113 consecutive cuts made" are representative of his unequaled 113 consecutive top 20 tournament finishes.
Coach and mentor
Among the rising golf talents Nelson coached and mentored, from the 1950s to the 1970s, are Ken VenturiKen Venturi
Kenneth Venturi is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.-Early years and amateur career:Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area...
, Marty Fleckman
Marty Fleckman
Martin A. Fleckman is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s.Fleckman was born in Port Arthur, Texas. He credits Byron Nelson, Carl Lohren and Jim Hardy with teaching him how to play golf. At the age of 20 in 1964, Fleckman won the individual title at the...
, and Tom Watson
Tom Watson (golfer)
Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
.
Death and legacy
Nelson died Tuesday, September 26, 2006. According to a family friend, Nelson died at his Roanoke, TexasRoanoke, Texas
Roanoke is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States and part of the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex. The population is currently 7,900.The main east-west road through town, State Highway 114 Business, is named "Byron Nelson Boulevard" in honor of the legendary golfer who resided in the community...
home around noon. He was survived by Peggy, his wife of nearly 20 years, sister Margaret Ellen Sherman, and brother Charles, a professor emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
at Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...
, where Byron Nelson had been a trustee and benefactor. Nelson met his second wife, the former Peggy Simmons, when she volunteered at the Bogie Busters celebrity golf tournament in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
in 1985.
Nelson was often referred to as "Lord Byron," after the English poet by that name, in recognition of his reputation for gentlemanly conduct, a nickname given him by Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
sports journalist O. B. Keeler. Many of his obituaries referenced this reputation.
Nelson has several successful years as a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
golf commentator. Nelson had a significant role in the development of Tom Watson
Tom Watson (golfer)
Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
as a world-class player in the mid-1970s, and had earlier mentored Ken Venturi
Ken Venturi
Kenneth Venturi is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.-Early years and amateur career:Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area...
in the 1950s, while he was a rising star.
Nelson was ranked as the fifth greatest golfer of all time by Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
magazine in 2000. On this list, Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
was first, Nelson's longtime rivals Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan
William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
and Sam Snead
Sam Snead
Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
were second and third respectively, and Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones (golfer)
Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
was fourth. A 2009 Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
panel ranked him seventh on its list of all-time greatest golfers, behind Nicklaus, Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
, Jones, Hogan, Snead, and Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
.
The "Iron Byron" electro-mechanical machine or robot used by the United States Golf Association
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
, as well as golf manufacturers, to compare and test clubs and balls for conformity to standards was named for Nelson, honoring the consistency of his swing.
In Jack Nicklaus's 1978 book On and Off the Fairway, Nicklaus wrote that Nelson was the straightest golfer he ever saw. The two never played competitively, but a 14-year-old Nicklaus was in the crowd of youngsters at the 1954 U.S. Junior Amateur
U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship
The United States Junior Amateur Championship is one of the thirteen U.S. national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association. It is open to amateur boys who are under 18 on the last day of the competition and have a USGA Handicap Index of 6.4 or less. The competition was...
, when Nelson gave an exhibition hitting golf shots.
Posthumous honors
State Highway 114 BusinessState Highway 114 (Texas)
State Highway 114 or SH 114 is a state highway that runs from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex westward across the state to the state border with New Mexico, where it becomes New Mexico State Road 114, which eventually ends at Elida, New Mexico at US 70/NM 330.-History:The route was originally...
through Roanoke, Texas
Roanoke, Texas
Roanoke is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States and part of the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex. The population is currently 7,900.The main east-west road through town, State Highway 114 Business, is named "Byron Nelson Boulevard" in honor of the legendary golfer who resided in the community...
is named Byron Nelson Boulevard, in honor of Nelson's residence; the street he lived on was recently changed to Eleven Straight Lane in honor of his 1945 record. In Irving, Texas a street immediately adjacent to the Four Seasons Resort and Club, where the HP Byron Nelson Championship is played each year, is named Byron Nelson Lane. A street in Southlake, Texas, Byron Nelson Parkway, was named in his honor, as was a street in a residential neighborhood in McAllen, Texas
McAllen, Texas
McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. It is located at the southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley and is part of the . Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the U.S.–Mexico border and the Mexican city of Reynosa, the Rio...
.
On October 16, 2006, President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
approved H.R. 4902 awarding Byron Nelson the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award that can be bestowed by the Legislative Branch of the United States government. The resolution cites Mr. Nelson's "significant contributions to the game of golf as a player, a teacher, and a commentator." Representative Michael C. Burgess
Michael C. Burgess
Michael Clifton Burgess, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus.-Early life, education, and early career:...
(R-TX) sponsored the resolution, originally proposed March 8, 2006, well before Nelson's death. Senate Resolution 602 memorialized Nelson on September 29, 2006.
On April 23, 2007 the Northwest Independent School District
Northwest Independent School District
Northwest Independent School District is a public school district based in far north Fort Worth, Texas . It is named for its location in northwest Tarrant County, though it also serves portions of Denton County and Wise County....
named their second high school Byron Nelson High School
Byron Nelson High School
Byron Nelson High School is located in Trophy Club, Texas about north of Fort Worth, Texas, in Denton County and opened in August 2009 for the 09-10 school year. It is the second high school in the Northwest Independent School District. It cost around $96 million, making it one of the most...
. This is the first high school named in honor of Byron Nelson, and opened in the fall of 2009. The school is located in Trophy Club, Texas
Trophy Club, Texas
Trophy Club is an affluent town located in Denton and Tarrant Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is a wealthy northern suburb of the city of Fort Worth and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The population was 8,024 at the 2010 Census...
, near Nelson's hometown of Roanoke.
Orange County Choppers
Orange County Choppers
Orange County Choppers is a custom and production motorcycle manufacturer based in Orange County, New York, that was founded by Paul Teutul, Sr., and Paul Teutul, Jr., in 1999. The company was featured on American Chopper, a reality TV show that debuted in September 2002 on the Discovery Channel,...
built three choppers in dedication which were auctioned off.
PGA Tour wins (52)
- 1935 (1) New Jersey State OpenNew Jersey State OpenThe New Jersey State Open Championship is the New Jersey state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the New Jersey State Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1921 at a variety of courses around the state...
- 1936 (1) Metropolitan OpenMetropolitan OpenThe Metropolitan Open is golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 and is the third oldest "Open" golf tournament in the United States after the U.S. Open and the Western Open. It is held at member clubs in New York, New Jersey, and...
- 1937 (2) Masters Tournament, Belmont Country Club Match Play
- 1938 (2) Thomasville OpenThomasville Open (PGA Tour)The Thomasville Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1936 to 1941. It was held at the Glen Arven Country Club in Thomasville, Georgia.-Winners:*1941 Harold "Jug" McSpaden*1940 Lloyd Mangrum*1939 Henry Picard*1938 Byron Nelson*1937 Dick Metz...
, Hollywood Open - 1939 (4) Phoenix Open, North and South OpenNorth and South OpenThe North and South Open was one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century. It was played at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, long the largest golf resort in the world, which also staged a series of other tournaments with the "North...
, U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
, Western OpenWestern OpenThe Western Open, a professional golf tournament, was first played in 1899. At the time of its 2006 playing, the Western Open was the 3rd oldest active PGA Tour tournament, after the British Open and U.S. Open... - 1940 (3) Texas Open, Miami OpenMiami OpenThe Miami Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1924 to 1955. It was played at what is now the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club in Miami, Florida. The event was played in December from 1924 to 1926 and from 1937 to 1955...
, PGA ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... - 1941 (3) Greater Greensboro Open, Tam O'Shanter Open, Miami OpenMiami OpenThe Miami Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1924 to 1955. It was played at what is now the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club in Miami, Florida. The event was played in December from 1924 to 1926 and from 1937 to 1955...
- 1942 (3) Oakland OpenOakland OpenThe Oakland Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1937 to 1944. It was played in Oakland, California at the Claremont Country Club in 1937 and at the Sequoyah Country Club from 1938 to 1944.-Winners:*1944 Jim Ferrier*1943 No tournament...
, Masters Tournament, Tam O'Shanter Open - 1944 (8) San Francisco Victory Open, Knoxville War Bond Tournament, New York Red Cross Tourney, Minneapolis Four-Ball (with Harold "Jug" McSpaden), Tam O'Shanter Open, Nashville Open, Texas Victory Open, San Francisco Open
- 1945 (18) Phoenix Open, Corpus Christi Open, New Orleans OpenNew Orleans OpenThe New Orleans Open is a defunct tennis tournament for male tennis players, held in New Orleans, United States. It was established in 1978 and was played until 1980. Wojtek Fibak, John McEnroe and Roscoe Tanner all won the tournament during its run....
, Miami International Four-BallMiami International Four-BallThe Miami International Four-Ball was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1924 to 1954. It was played primarily at what is now the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club in Miami, Florida...
(with Harold "Jug" McSpaden), Charlotte Open, Greater Greensboro Open, Durham OpenDurham OpenThe Durham Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played three times from 1944 to 1945. The tournament was held at the Hope Valley Country Club in Durham, North Carolina. Each tournament had a purse of $5,000 with a winner's share of $1,000 .In 1944, Craig Wood won the Durham Open for...
, Atlanta Open, Montreal Open, Philadelphia Inquirer OpenPhiladelphia Inquirer OpenThe Philadelphia Inquirer Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played at various clubs in the greater Philadelphia area in the 1940s. The first event played as the Philadelphia Inquirer Open Invitational; it was last played in 1949. Fred Byrod was the Inquirer employee who acted as...
, Chicago Victory National Open, PGA ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipThe PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
, Tam O'Shanter Open, Canadian Open, Knoxville InvitationalKnoxville InvitationalThe Knoxville Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was held at the Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1945 and 1946. The 7,009-yard course opened in 1927 and was designed by Donald Ross....
, Esmeralda OpenEsmeralda OpenThe Esmeralda Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was played in the 1940s. It was held at Indian Canyon Golf Course in Spokane, Washington...
, Seattle Open, Glen Garden Open - 1946 (6) Los Angeles Open, San Francisco Open, New Orleans OpenNew Orleans OpenThe New Orleans Open is a defunct tennis tournament for male tennis players, held in New Orleans, United States. It was established in 1978 and was played until 1980. Wojtek Fibak, John McEnroe and Roscoe Tanner all won the tournament during its run....
, Houston Open, Columbus Invitational, Chicago Victory National Open - 1951 (1) Bing Crosby Pro-Am
Major championships
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
are shown in bold.
Source:
Other wins (12)
- 1937 Central Pennsylvania Open
- 1939 Massachusetts OpenMassachusetts OpenThe Massachusetts Open is the Massachusetts state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Massachusetts Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 at a variety of courses around the state. It was considered a PGA Tour event from...
- 1940 Ohio OpenOhio OpenThe Ohio Open is the Ohio state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Northern Ohio section of the PGA of America. It was first played in 1924 and has been played annually at a variety of courses around the state...
- 1941 Ohio OpenOhio OpenThe Ohio Open is the Ohio state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Northern Ohio section of the PGA of America. It was first played in 1924 and has been played annually at a variety of courses around the state...
, Seminole Pro-Am - 1942 Toledo Open, Ohio OpenOhio OpenThe Ohio Open is the Ohio state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Northern Ohio section of the PGA of America. It was first played in 1924 and has been played annually at a variety of courses around the state...
- 1943 Kentucky OpenKentucky OpenThe Kentucky Open is the Kentucky state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Kentucky Golf Association...
- 1944 New York Open, Beverly Hills Open
- 1948 Texas PGA Championship
- 1955 French OpenOpen de FranceThe Open de France is a European Tour golf tournament. Inaugurated in 1906 it is the oldest national open in Continental Europe and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since the tour's inception in 1972....
Wins (5)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 1937 Masters Tournament The 1937 Masters Tournament was contested from April 1 to April 4 at Augusta National Golf Club. It was the 4th Masters Tournament. Byron Nelson made up six strokes on Ralph Guldahl over two holes on the final day to win by two strokes. Compared to Guldahl's 5-6, Nelson played the 12th and 13th... |
Masters Tournament | 4 shot deficit | |||
| 2 strokes |  United States Ralph GuldahlRalph Guldahl Ralph J. Guldahl was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the sport for three years in the late 1930s.-Early life until 1939:Guldahl was born in Dallas, Texas... |
||||
| 1939 | U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
5 shot deficit | Playoff 1 | United States Denny Shute Denny Shute Herman Densmore "Denny" Shute was an American golfer who won three major championships in the 1930s.Shute was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His father was born in England. He attended Western Reserve University , and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta. He was married on March 20, 1930 to Hettie Marie Potts... , United States Craig WoodCraig Wood (golfer) Craig Ralph Wood was an American professional golfer in the 1930s and 1940s, the winner of 21 PGA Tour titles including two major championships and a member of three Ryder Cup teams .... |
|
| 1940 | PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
n/a | 1 up | n/a | United States Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
| 1942 1942 Masters Tournament The 1942 Masters Tournament was contested from April 9 to April 13 at Augusta National Golf Club. It was the 9th Masters Tournament.Byron Nelson shot five under par in the final 13 playoff holes to defeat Ben Hogan 69-70. Hogan led by three strokes after five holes. This was Nelson's second Masters... |
Masters Tournament (2) | 2 shot lead | |||
| Playoff 2 | United States Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
||||
| 1945 | PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... (2) |
n/a | 4 & 3 | n/a | United States Sammy Byrd Sammy Byrd Samuel Dewey Byrd was an American professional baseball player and professional golfer. He went by both "Sammy" and "Sam".... |
Note: The PGA Championship was match play until 1958
1 Defeated Craig Wood and Denny Shute in a 36-hole playoff - Nelson (68-70=138), Wood (68-73=141), Shute (76) (eliminated after first 18)
2 Defeated Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff - Nelson (69), Hogan (70)
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | T9 | T13 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT | T32 | CUT | T20 | T5 | 1 |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 5 | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | QF | QF | 2 |
| Tournament | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | 3 | 2 | 1 | NT | NT | NT | T7 | T2 | T8 | T8 |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
T5 | T17 | NT | NT | NT | NT | T2 | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
1 | 2 | SF | NT | 2 | 1 | QF | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T4 | T8 | T24 | T29 | T12 | T10 | 39 | T16 | T20 | WD |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T28 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T32 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | T32 | T33 | CUT | CUT | T15 | CUT |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for Top 10.
Awards
- Vardon TrophyVardon TrophyThe Vardon Trophy is awarded annually by the PGA of America to the PGA Tour's leader in scoring average. When the award was first given in 1937, it was awarded on the basis of a points system. No award was given from 1942–1946 due to World War II. In 1947, the PGA began awarding it for low...
: 1939 - PGA Tour Money Winner: 1944, 1945
- Associated Press Male Athlete of the YearAssociated Press Athlete of the YearThe first Athlete of the Year award in the United States was initiated by the Associated Press in 1931. At a time when women in sports were never given the same recognition as men, the AP offered a male and a female athlete of the year award to either a professional or amateur athlete...
: 1944, 1945 - Bob Jones AwardBob Jones AwardThe Bob Jones Award is the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. It is named in honor of Bobby Jones.-Winners:*1955 Francis Ouimet*1956 William C. Campbell*1957 Babe Zaharias...
: 1974 - World Golf Hall of FameWorld Golf Hall of FameThe World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
: 1974 - Old Tom Morris AwardOld Tom Morris AwardThe Old Tom Morris Award is the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America's most prestigious honor. It is presented each year to an individual who "through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by...
: 1994 - PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement AwardPGA Tour Lifetime Achievement AwardCreated in 1996, the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the PGA Tour over an extended period of time through their actions on and off the golf course....
: 1997 - Payne Stewart AwardPayne Stewart AwardThe Payne Stewart Award is an award given by the PGA Tour in honor of World Golf Hall of Famer Payne Stewart. It is given to a player who shows respect for the traditions of the game, commitment to uphold the game's heritage of charitable support and professional and meticulous presentation of...
: 2000 - Congressional Gold Medal: 2006
See also
- Golfers with most PGA Tour winsGolfers with most PGA Tour winsThis is a list of golfers who have won five or more official money events on the PGA Tour.Players under 50 years of age are shown in bold. On his 50th birthday a golfer becomes eligible to compete on the Champions Tour, and he is unlikely to add to his tally of PGA Tour wins after that date This is...
- Golfers with most major championship wins
- Most PGA Tour wins in a yearMost PGA Tour wins in a yearThe following is a list of all occasions on which a golfer has won eight or more tournaments on the PGA Tour in a year. It is complete through 2010.Byron Nelson's record 18 victories came in a year when many potential rivals would have been in the armed forces...
- Longest PGA Tour win streaksLongest PGA Tour win streaksThe following represents the golfers who have won at least 3 consecutive starts in PGA Tour events. Note that in some cases the players have competed in and failed to win non-PGA Tour events in between these events.Sources:*ESPN *PGA TOUR 2007 Guide...
- Byron Nelson AwardVardon TrophyThe Vardon Trophy is awarded annually by the PGA of America to the PGA Tour's leader in scoring average. When the award was first given in 1937, it was awarded on the basis of a points system. No award was given from 1942–1946 due to World War II. In 1947, the PGA began awarding it for low...
- Harold "Jug" McSpaden
External links
- Memorial Page for Byron Nelson, Hilltop Church of Christ, Roanoke, Texas (includes biographical sketch, quotations, photographs, and links to obituaries)
- Byron Nelson profile
- Byron Nelson profile at Golf Legends
- Byron Nelson's Congressional Medal
- Tribute to Byron Nelson
- HP Byron Nelson Championship Web site - golf tournament named after Byron Nelson
- HP Byron Nelson Championship Media Guide - contains biographical information
- Golf legend Nelson dies, Dallas Morning News, 26 Sep 2006
- American Golf Legend Nelson Dies BBC Sport, 26 Sep 2006