The Masters: Greatest Champions in Tournament History
By Tim Letcher
Byron Nelson (winner in 1937 and 1942)
Byron Nelson had one of the most amazing careers in professional golf history. He won 52 tournaments during his storied career, but could have won many, many more tournaments had he not retired at age 34.
That’s right, in just 12 years as a pro, Nelson won 52 times. Included in that amazing record are a pair of records that will probably never be broken. In 1945, Nelson entered 30 tournaments. He won 18 times. That’s correct, 18 wins in one season. Even more amazing may be that, at one point in 1945, he won 11 straight tournaments, something that no one has come close to matching since.
Nelson won his pair of Masters titles prior to setting those records. In 1937, Nelson won for the first time, shooting a 5-under par to defeat a field that included two-time champion Horton Smith and Gene Sarazen.
In 1942, Nelson claimed his second green jacket by winning the final Masters before World War II, when the event was canceled for three years (1943, 1944 and 1945). And he did it in dramatic fashion, beating Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff.
The playoff did not get off to a good start for Nelson, who double-bogeyed the first hole to immediately fall two shots behind. He would birdie the second hole, as did Hogan, but a bogey on the fourth hole saw Nelson fall into a three-shot hole.
However, Nelson rallied in a big way, eventually leading by three shots on the back nine before winning with a 3-under par score of 69.
Nelson is not only one of the greatest Masters champions. He’s one of the greatest champions in golf history.