Who Are The 50 Best Golfers in History?
5. Walter Hagen
Hagen was noted for many things: Flashy clothes, pretending that he partied, opening up clubs to professional golfers and winning the PGA five times. But he won much more than that. Hagen was the first native American to win the British Open in 1922. And he didn’t stop at one. He won four of them, in 1922, 1924, 1928 and 1929 defeating Jim Barnes, Ernest Whitcombe, Gene Sarazen and Johnny Farrell.
But Hagen was an American winner. His first of 11 majors came in he 1914 U.S. Open over amateur Chick Evans. He won it again after WWI beating Mike Brady in a playoff.
His run of five PGA titles began in 1921 when he beat two-time champ Jim Barnes. Then he won four in a row, a feat which has never been matched, starting in 1924 and going through 1927. In that pummeling of professional golfers he defeated Jim Barnes, Bill Mehlhorn, Leo Diegel and Joe Turnesa.
All told, Hagen won 75 professional tournaments, 45 in he U.S.. He played in many exhibition matches across the U.S. sponsored by Wilson Sporting Goods. He was the first captain of the U.S Ryder Cup team in 1927, and continued to lead the eam another five times.
Next: No. 4 - Mickey Wright