Snead, Sam (1912-2002), was one of the best American golfers of all time. From 1936 to 1965, Snead won a record 82 tournaments sanctioned by the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA). That record was matched only in 2019, when the American golfer Tiger Woods won his 82nd PGA tournament. Overall, Snead claimed a total of 165 tournament victories. He became known as “Slammin’ Sammy” for his powerful drives and naturally smooth swing.
Snead won the United States PGA Championship in 1942, 1949, and 1951 and the Masters Tournament in 1949, 1952, and 1954. He won the British Open in 1946. Snead finished second in the United States Open four times. In 1965, he won the Greensboro Open at age 52, becoming the oldest man ever to win a regular PGA tournament.
Samuel Jackson Snead was born on May 27, 1912, in Ashwood, Virginia, near Hot Springs. He turned professional in 1934 and won his first important tournament, the Oakland Open, in 1937. In 1980, he joined the PGA senior tour, limited to golfers at least 50 years of age. Snead died on May 23, 2002.
