Early Life
Nelson was born in the region close to the small Texas town of Waxahachie on Feb. 4, 1912. In 1923, his family migrated to Fort Worth, where Nelson came down with an almost fatal case of typhoid fever. He survived despite losing a dangerous amount of weight and began a caddying job the next year at Glen Garden Country Club. Nelson took up golf and played after hours until he became proficient at the game. He defeated another caddy named Ben Hogan for the caddie title in 1926. Hogan himself would go on to be a professional golfing stalwart.
Professional Success
Nelson took a job as a golf professional during the Depression in Texarkana, Texas, where he met and married his first wife, Louise. Nelson entered the professional ranks in 1932 but failed to win a tournament until he annexed the title in the 1935 New Jersey State Open. In 1937, Nelson's opening round 66 helped propel him to a victory in the Masters in Augusta, Georgia. He would go on to win major titles in the 1939 United States Open, the 1940 Professional Golfers Association Championship and the 1942 Masters.
1945
A blood disorder that precipitated slow clotting kept Nelson out of the military during World War II. In the latter years of the war, Nelson became incredibly dominant on the professional tour, culminating with 18 victories in 1945. At one point, he won 11 straight, including tournaments such as the Charlotte and Greensboro Opens, the Durham Open, the PGA Canadian Open and the Chicago Victory Open. The only major tournament Nelson won that year was the PGA Championship, which was his fifth and final major. The war caused the cancellation of the Masters that year. In 1945, Nelson set records for lowest scoring average, and he had 19 consecutive rounds under the score of 70.
Accomplishments
Nelson left the tour at the age of 34 after the 1946 season, after he had won enough prize money to buy a cattle ranch. In his obituary on ESPN Golf's website, Nelson said he made $182,000 during his entire professional career. He returned to Texas where he began a life as a rancher. He won 61 titles, which included 54 PGA events and was a member of the Ryder Cup team in 1937 and 1947. Nelson had nine of his wins in 1944 before his wonderful 1945 season and six more in 1946 before he retired. Nelson also made the cut in a tournament in 113 straight events, which was the record until Tiger Woods broke it in 2000.
Later Years
Nelson came out of retirement periodically to compete, with his last PGA victory coming in 1951 at the Bing Crosby Pro-Am. He went overseas in 1955 to play in the British Open for only the second time and, while in Europe, took the French Open at the age of 43. He became a ceremonial starter at the Masters along with Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen. The Byron Nelson Classic, which in time became the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, is the only PGA event that bears a professional golfer's name. Nelson died in 2006 at 94 from natural causes.
About The Author
John Lindell lives in eastern Connecticut with his wife Dianne. He has worked in greyhound racing for over 25 years and is a regular contributor to the industry's leading magazine-The Greyhound Review. John has written extensively on subjects such as baseball, fishing, and health related issues. In addition to Demand Studios he is also a writer for Associated Content.
