Golf loses one of its all time greats.

9/26/2006 4:02:20 PM

Hes no Shooter McGavin

9/26/2006 4:02:53 PM

Quote :

"Golf legend Byron Nelson dies at 94ESPN.com news services DALLAS -- Professional golfer Byron Nelson, who had the greatest year in the history of professional golf when he won 18 tournaments in 1945, including 11 in a record row, died Tuesday. He was 94. Career PGA Tour wins leaders Rank Player Wins 1 Sam Snead 82 2 Jack Nicklaus 73 3 Ben Hogan 64 4 Arnold Palmer 62 5 Tiger Woods 53 6 Byron Nelson 52 7 Billy Casper 51 8 Walter Hagen 44 9 Cary Middlecoff 40 T-10 Gene Sarazen 39 T-10 Tom Watson 39 There was no cause of death listed on the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Web site Tuesday. A family friend told the Dallas Morning News Nelson died at his home around noon. Known as "Lord Byron" because of his elegant swing and gentle manner, Nelson won 31 of 54 tournaments in 1944-45 then at the age of 34 retired after the 1946 season to spend more time on his Texas ranch. The namesake of the Byron Nelson Classic, Nelson was passed by Tiger Woods for fifth on the all-time career victory list earlier this month. Woods won the Deutsche Bank Championship on Sept. 4 for his 53rd career victory; Nelson has 52. "When I was playing regularly, I had a goal," Nelson recalled years later. "I could see the prize money going into the ranch, buying a tractor, or a cow. It gave me incentive." That incentive pushed Nelson to become one of the best players of his era. He won the Masters in 1937 and '42, the U.S. Open in 1939 and the PGA Championship in 1940 and '45. In 1945, Nelson won a record-setting 11 tournaments in a row, a mark also being challenged by Woods. Woods has won five consecutive PGA Tour events so far this season. "In this day and age, with this competition, to win 11 in a row would be almost unheard of," Woods said after his fifth straight victory when asked how Nelson's accomplishment compared with others, like Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. "What Byron accomplished, that goes down as one of the great years in the history of our sport. ... DiMaggio's record, I see that being broken more than winning 11 in a row." Woods' next PGA Tour start will be the American Express Championship outside London at the end of September. He also finished second once in the U.S. Open, twice in the Masters and three times in the PGA. Nelson played in British Open only twice, finishing fifth in 1937 "

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=2603645

9/26/2006 4:19:42 PM

9/26/2006 4:43:59 PM

Quote :

"Nelson won 31 of 54 tournaments in 1944-45 "

That is domination there. Tiger might be able to challenge that stat if he actually played every week.




[Edited on September 26, 2006 at 4:58 PM. Reason : k]

9/26/2006 4:58:06 PM

He also retired from the tour at age 34

9/26/2006 5:01:56 PM

And so ends the last trace of the name "Byron" in the Anglo-Saxson population

9/26/2006 5:05:35 PM

I was going to make this thread.

Glad some people care.

This man was a living legend.

9/26/2006 5:16:05 PM