He won more tournaments than any other golfer in the history of the US PGA Tour, 82, and he was still competing at the top well after turning 50. At 67, he became the oldest player to make the second round cut of a PGA tournament, the Westchester Classic in 1979. Thanks to a formidable physique, he was one of the most competitive veterans on Tour even after his 60th birthday.
Born in Hot Springs (Virginia), Sam Snead died in Fall Hills (New Jersey) on 23rd May 2002 from heart problems, just four days short of his 90th birthday. His death came the same week as the Memorial Tournament, dedicated by the PGA as a tribute to the legends of golf.
He began playing golf during the Great Depression, encouraged by his father, who gave him a club he himself had chiselled from a branch.
Known as “Slammin’ Sam”, or simply ”Slammer”, because of his long driving, Snead won 135 times throughout the world, including seven Grand Slams: three US Masters at Augusta (1949, 1952
and 1954 – the latter in a memorable 18-hole play-off against Ben Hogan); three US PGA Championships (1942, 1949 and 1951); and one British Open (1946). All that eluded him was the US Open – he was second four times.
He won 27 times on the Tour before securing his first major. In 1950, he won 11 PGA events, becoming the first player to top 10 in a single season. In his first season on the Tour, 1937, he had won five tournaments, three fewer than in his second season.
Blessed with what the experts describe as a “sweet swing”, Snead won the same tournament more times than anyone else: eight victories in the Greater Greensboro Open, the final one also being his last victory, in 1965, aged 52 years, 10 months and eight days – making him the oldest golf winner in the world.
At 62, he finished third in the US PGA Championship (1974), and five years later carded rounds of 67-66 in the Quad Cities Open. He also won six tournaments on the PGA Seniors Tour and five World Seniors Championships. In 1983, aged 71, he carded a 60 at his home club, The Homestead.
He was named to the World Hall of Fame in 1974; won the Harry Vardon Trophy for best player of the year four times; finished top of the money list on three occasions; played in 10 Ryder Cups; and captained the Americans three times.
His exquisite swing was a model for all golfers. Another golfing great, Jack Nicklaus, described his swing as “the most fluid and elegant movement ever seen on a golf course”.
One of Snead’s favourite phrases was: “Take care of your accounts, stay away from whisky, and never concede a putt.” And another: “If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way the do a golf club they’d starve to death.” And: “Thinking instead of acting is the number one golf disease.”
From 1984 to 2002, Snead hit the honorary drive that opened each edition of the US Masters at Augusta. Until 2001 he shared the honour with Byron Nelson and until 1999 with Gene Sarazen.
