Snead, Sam (Samuel Jackson Snead) [key], 1912–2002, American golfer, b. Ashwood, Va. An outstanding high school athlete, he turned to golf after injuring a hand as a football player. He attracted attention with several professional victories in 1937 and won his first major title, the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) championship, in 1942. After serving in World War II, he returned to the game and won (1946) the British Open title. In 1949, Snead won the PGA and the Masters. He gained his third PGA in 1951 and additional Masters titles in 1952 and 1954. Snead (teamed with Arnold Palmer in 1960 and with Jimmy Demaret in 1961) figured in two Canada Cup victories for the United States. Nicknamed “Slamming Sammy” because of his graceful but powerful tee shots, he was a leading PGA money winner and set the record for PGA tournament wins (82; equaled by Tiger Woods in 2019).
See J. Dodson, American Triumverate: Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, and the Modern Age of Golf (2012).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Sports: Biographies
