Who’s Byron Nelson?

While using the HP Byron Nelson like this week's PGA Tour attraction, I thought it usually is worthwhile to take a brief consider the man for whom the tournament is known as. Nelson is just 1 of 2 professional golfers with a good PGA Tour tournament as his namesake (Arnold Palmer will be the other).

Byron Nelson is primarily remembered today for his remarkable 1945 period, in which he triumphed in 11 straight tournaments—and 17 overall. It's a record that likely should never be broken, even by Tiger woods. He won 31 of 54 tournaments in the 1944 - 1945 seasons and did the unthinkable: he retired from professional golf at age 36. He had by this time, achieved his goal of earning enough to buy some sort of ranch in Texas.

"When I was playing regularly, I saw it a goal, " Nelson when said. "I could begin to see the prize money going on the ranch, buying a tractor, or a cow. It gave us incentive. "

Nelson possessed 63 wins between 1932 along with 1946, including the Professionals in 1937 and 1942, that U. S. Open in 1939 plus the PGA Championship in 1940 in addition to 1945.

Some have lower his victories, saying that within the war years, he was playing against a limited field. However, the 1945 was afre the wedding of the war, and among the list of players he defeated this year were Sam Snead, Dan Hogan and Jimmy Demaret (all associated with whom had victories this year). It also should be remembered that in world of golf, you don't play against the field even though you play against a course. In 1945, Nelson destroyed the courses by having a 68. 33 scoring usual, a single season record that stood for fityfive years (broken by Padraig harrington in 2000). With some 68 average, he was going to win, no matter whom he was playing alongside.

It's also recently been revealed that Nelson likely won 12 in the row that year, but always was an excessive amount of a gentleman to mention it.

The first inductee in the World Golf Hall from Fame, Nelson was given the PGA Tour's lifetime achievement award in 1997 and was posthumously awarded some Congressional Golf Medal with 2006.

Nelson is considered one of many fathers of the modern swing. His long, smooth action, combined with more hip bone action than in earlier eras to find the most out of this "new fangled" steel shafts. He was so consistent that this USGA equipment testing machine is named the "Iron Byron. "

As a result of strange coincidence, the three great golfers of this era—Nelson, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead—all were born within seven months of each other. Two, Nelson and additionally Hogan, caddied together with Glen Garden Country Club in Fort Worth, Colorado front range. Their story is documented inside of a recent book: American Triumvirate: Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, and the Modern age of Golf

However a lot of Nelson is remembered with regard to his on-course achievements, still, his real legacy can be in the very large number of golfers—both amateur and professional—that he mentored over time. Nelson apparently always had time for you to encourage literally thousands associated with young players, to allow them to have a lesson, and for you to them letters. Among some of those he helped: Tom Watson, Ken Venturi, Scott Verplank, along with Ben Crenshaw.

I'll always remember when he pulled me aside... and basically gave his opinion on my game and things that might be pitfalls in the future, what I should complete. I was pretty impressionable, an extremely young kid, and he was a guy I idolized. He didn't must do that. It really carressed me. Without a uncertainty, Mr. Nelson has been one of several role models of my entire life.

By all accounts, Nelson was a gentleman holdings and liabilities sense of the word. A story about Nelson with Mark Frost's The Match up: The Day the Online game of Golf Changed For good, illustrates the point. Within mid 1950s, Nelson was traveling with Ken Venturi, actively playing exhibition matches, and coaching the young rising superstar:

In each exhibition they played with the host club's head specialized and reigning amateur champion in a best-ball match. At every last stop, Byron made an area of inquiring who held the local scoring record, which usually belonged to 1 or the other within their opponents that day. Byron advised Ken that wherever this individual went, no matter precisely how well he was actively playing, he should never break that record to be a show of respect to help his host; that was the way gracious visitors were meant to behave.

I think one and only thing that rivals Byron's greatness on a golf course is the way he conducted his life - being gentleman, a role type and an ambassador.

That Byron Nelson incorporates a tournament named after him is a fitting tribute. I just hope that it remains his memorial for a few, many years to can be bought.