2004 PGA TOUR Media Guide

World Golf Hall of Fame PGA TOUR Pioneers/Members (cont.)Hale Irwin (1992)An All-American in golf and All-Conference in football at the University ofColorado, Irwin won the 1967 NCAA Golf Championship. Between 1974 and1990, he captured three U.S. Open titles, the last at age 45 in a 19-holeplayoff. After 1995, he devoted himself to golf course design and theChampions Tour.Tony Jacklin (2002)In 1969, Tony Jacklin became the first British player in 18 years to win the BritishOpen. He followed that with the 1970 U.S. Open title, the first victory in thattournament by a British player in 50 years. Jacklin may be best remembered asCaptain of the victorious European Ryder Cup teams in 1985, 1987 and 1989.Bernhard Langer (2002)Langer is the most accomplished golfer in German history. He accumulatedmore than 50 worldwide victories and won the Masters twice. Langercompeted for Europe in 10 Ryder Cup competitions and amassed one of thebest records for the European Team.Lawson Little (1980)Stocky and powerful, but renowned for his short game, Little’s greatestachievements came as an amateur. In 1934 and 1935, he captured the “LittleSlam,” winning both the U.S. and British Amateur Championships. Afterturning professional in 1936, he won seven events, most notably the 1940 U.S.Open in a playoff with Gene Sarazen.Gene Littler (1990)Littler’s first PGA TOUR win came in 1954 as an amateur. His last was in 1977at age 47. He won the U.S. Amateur in 1953 and the U.S. Open in 1961, butlost both the Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship in playoffs.Littler amassed a total of 29 career PGA TOUR victories.Lloyd Mangrum (1998)Known as a tough competitor with an aggressive style of play, Mangrumcompeted in an era that also included Hall of Famers Ben Hogan, ByronNelson, Jimmy Demaret and Sam Snead. He counted the 1946 U.S. Openamong his 36 career victories.Cary Middlecoff (1986)After becoming the first amateur to win the North and South Open, Dr.Middlecoff abandoned a career in dentistry and turned professional in 1947.A brilliant analyst of the game and the golf swing, he won the U.S. Open in1949 and 1956 and the Masters Tournament in 1955. He retired with 37 careervictories.Johnny Miller (1996)Miller dominated international golf in the early 1970s, winning 20tournaments in six years. A remarkable 63 in the final round secured hisvictory in the 1973 U.S. Open at Oakmont. Winner of the 1976 British Open atRoyal Birkdale, Miller gained renown as a television commentator.Byron Nelson (1974)“Lord Byron” won two Masters Tournaments, two PGA Championships andthe 1939 U.S. Open. He is best remembered for his 1945 season, when he won19 tournaments, including 11 consecutively, finished second seven times andcompiled a remarkable stroke average of 68.33. In 1947, at age 34, Nelsonretired to his ranch in Texas.Jack Nicklaus (1974)The legendary Bobby Jones said of him: “He plays a game with which I am notfamiliar.” In his monumental career, Nicklaus amassed 18 professional majorchampionship victories, far surpassing any golfer before or since. With morethan 100 victories around the world, “The Golden Bear” is arguably the bestgolfer of the modern era.Greg Norman (2001)The “Great White Shark” won the 1986 and 1993 British Opens in aprofessional career that has produced some 90 victories worldwide, including20 PGA TOUR titles. He captured the Arnold Palmer Award as the TOUR’sleading money-winner in 1986, 1990 and 1995. He won the 1994 PLAYERSChampionship with a record 24-under-par total.Arnold Palmer (1974)The most charismatic player in history, Palmer’s emergence in the late 1950scoincided with televised golf to generate unprecedented interest in the game.Palmer won the U.S. Amateur in 1954 and the U.S. Open in 1960. Also amongthe more than 80 professional victories he collected were four MastersTournaments, two British Opens and five major championships on theChampions Tour.Gary Player (1974)This South African made up for his diminutive size with a rigorous schedule offitness training and persistent practice unequaled in golf. His career victoriesnumbered more than 120 worldwide and included all four majorchampionships. Player found later success as a dominant force on theChampions Tour.Nick Price (2003)One of the more dominant players of the 1990s, winning two PGAChampionships (1992, 1994) and a British Open (1994) among his 16 PGATOUR victories in that decade, and 18 total. The South African, winner of morethan 40 titles worldwide, is also a two-time PGA TOUR Player of the Year(1993, 1994) and a two-time Vardon Trophy winner (1993, 1997).Chi Chi Rodriguez (1992)Rodriguez won eight PGA TOUR events and collected more than 20 ChampionsTour titles in his career. But it is his charitable work that will be bestremembered. His pro-am tournament helped fund the Children’s Hospital in hisnative Puerto Rico, and his Youth Foundation has raised millions fordisadvantaged children in Florida.Paul Runyan (1990)Although one of the shortest hitters of his time, Runyan won more than 50professional tournaments. After joining the tour in 1933, he captured 16events in two years and was leading money-winner in 1933 and 1934. A highlyregarded short game and putting instructor, he won the PGA Championshiptwice, in 1934 and 1938.Gene Sarazen (1974)Sarazen was the first golfer to win all four major championships. He won theU.S. Open in 1922 and 1932: the PGA in 1922, 1923, and 1933; and the BritishOpen in 1932. But his victory in the 1935 Masters Tournament is bestremembered for a remarkable final-round double-eagle on the 15th hole atAugusta National.Horton Smith (1990)In 1929, at age 21, Smith played in 19 professional events, winning eight andfinishing second four times. He remained a top professional throughout the1930s, winning the first and third Masters Tournaments in 1934 and 1936. Hislast tournament win came in 1941, the year before he left golf to join the army.Sam Snead (1974)“Slammin’ Sam” is renowned for his classical swing and the longevity of hiscareer. The winner of three PGA Championships, three Masters Tournamentsand the British Open, he made eight Ryder Cup appearances and was captainof the U.S. Team three times. Snead recorded 82 TOUR victories, his last in1965 at age 52.Payne Stewart (2001)Before his tragic death in a 1999 plane crash, Stewart had won 18tournaments around the world, including three major championship titles:1989 PGA Championship, 1991 and 1999 U.S. Open. While known for histrademark knickers and tam o’shanter cap, his love for the game and passionwith which he played made him one of the most respected players of his time.Peter Thomson (1988)One of the most intriguing players the game has known, the Australian-bornThomson captured five British Open titles between 1954 and 1965, includingthree consecutively from 1954 to 1956. With wide interests that ranged frompolitics to music, Thomson maintained successful careers as a writer and golfcourse architect outside of competition.SECTION 9 / ADDITIONAL INFOWWW.PGATOUR.COM 2004 PGA TOUR Media Guide / 9-21