Samuel Jackson Snead (/sniːd/; May 27, 1912 – May 23, 2002) was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for the better part of four decades (having won PGA of America and Senior PGA Tour events over six decades)[1] and widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

Snead was famed for his folksy image, wearing a straw hat, and making such statements as "Keep close count of your nickels and dimes, stay away from whiskey, and never concede a putt.

"[8] Fellow West Virginia Golf Hall of Fame Inductee Bill Campbell has said of Snead, "He was the best natural player ever.

Gary Player once said, "I don't think there's any question in my mind that Sam Snead had the greatest golf swing of any human being that ever lived."

Snead joined the PGA Tour in 1936 and achieved immediate success by winning the West Virginia Closed Pro tournament.

Gene Tunney's program in San Diego, and was given a medical discharge for a back injury in September 1944.

[24] In July 1936, Snead won his first tournament, the West Virginia Closed Pro, contested at The Greenbrier's Championship Course and Old White Course.

In Snead's debut in the U.S. Open hosted at Oakland Hills, he finishes runner-up to Ralph Guldahl (who won with 19 clubs in his bag).

[28] Snead shared the first round lead shooting 69 with fellow West Virginian Denny Shute (1936 and 1937 PGA Champion).

In 1938, Snead first won the Greater Greensboro Open, the first of eight times, the Tour record for victories in a single tournament event.

Needing a par to win at the Philadelphia C.C., but not knowing that, since on-course scoreboards did not exist at that time, Snead posted a triple-bogey 8 on the par-5 72nd hole, taking a risky shot from a difficult lie in the fairway.

[34] At the U.S. Open in 1947, Snead missed a 30-inch (76 cm) putt on the final playoff hole to finish runner-up to Lew Worsham.

[46][47][48] In December 1959, Snead took part in a controversial match against Mason Rudolph, at the Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda.

The match played under the NBC's "World Championship Golf" series, was a match-play event that was tied after 11 holes.

With the match legally concluded, Snead deliberately missed puts later in the program to create the legitimate result, a Rudolph win.

Snead explained the match had ended up on the 11 loss of hole penalties, and said he did not disqualify himself in order not to spoil the show.

This occurred shortly after the investigations into the quiz show scandals where players were given answers to questions in fixed matches.

The low woman was Mickey Wright, herself Snead's equivalent in women's golf, with the most wins on that tour.

In 1965, Snead became the oldest player (52 years, 10 months, and 8 days) to win on the PGA Tour (the Greater Greensboro Open).

Snead was selected to the 1939 Ryder Cup team however the event was never played due to World War II.

In 1974, at age 61, he shot a third-round 66 at the Los Angeles Open at Riviera Country Club to move into contention.

In 1979, he was the youngest PGA Tour golfer to shoot his age (67) in the second round of the 1979 Quad Cities Open.

In 1982, he teamed with Don January to shoot 27-under-par to win the rain-shortened 54-hole Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf event at Onion Creek Club "The Birthplace of the Senior PGA Tour" in Austin, Texas.

He was survived by two sons: Sam Jr. of Hot Springs, and Terry, of Mountain Grove, Virginia, and a brother, Pete, of Pittsburgh, as well as two grandchildren.

"[59] He played himself in the 1951 Ben Hogan semi-autobiographical movie starring Glenn Ford and Anne Baxter called Follow the Sun.

The United States Golf Association banned this technique in 1968 by amending the old Rule 35–1,[62] since, until that time, golfers had always faced the ball when striking.

Snead then went to side-saddle putting, where he crouched and angled his feet towards the hole, and held the club with a split grip.

Snead holds the following records: Sources:[1][40] *Note: Tournament shortened to 18/54 holes due to weather.