Gene Sarazen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gene Sarazen |
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Sarazen in 1922
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Eugenio Saraceni |
| Nickname | The Squire |
| Born | February 27, 1902 Harrison, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 13, 1999 (aged 97) Naples, Florida |
| Height | 5 ft 5+1/2 in |
| Weight | 162 lb (73 kg; 11.6 st) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Residence | Brookfield, Connecticut |
| Spouse | Mary Sarazen (m. 1924–86, her death) |
| Children | Mary Ann, Gene Jr. |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1920 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 48 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 38 |
| Other | 10 |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 7) |
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| The Masters Tournament | Won: 1935 |
| U.S. Open | Won: 1922, 1932 |
| The Open Championship | Won: 1932 |
| PGA Championship | Won: 1922, 1923, 1933 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1974 |
| PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award |
1996 |
| Bob Jones Award | 1992 |
| Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year |
1932 |
Gene Sarazen (born Eugenio Saraceni, February 27, 1902 – May 13, 1999) was an American professional golfer. He was one of the best players in the world during the 1920s and 1930s. Gene won seven major championships in golf.
He is one of only five golfers to win all four of golf's biggest tournaments at least once. This amazing achievement is called the Career Grand Slam. The four major tournaments he won are:
- U.S. Open (in 1922 and 1932)
- PGA Championship (in 1922, 1923, and 1933)
- The Open Championship (in 1932)
- Masters Tournament (in 1935)
Contents
Early Life and Golf Journey
Eugenio Saraceni was born on February 27, 1902, in Harrison, New York. His parents were poor immigrants from Sicily. When he was ten years old, Gene started working as a caddy at golf clubs nearby.
He began playing golf himself and taught himself how to play. He learned and practiced until he became very skilled. Gene used a special way to hold the golf club called the interlocking grip, which was quite new at the time.
Gene Sarazen's Amazing Career
Gene Sarazen started working as a golf professional in the New York area when he was a teenager. In 1921, he became a professional at Titusville Country Club. The next year, in 1922, he signed a contract to be the professional at Highland Country Club.
He spent most of his time practicing at Oakmont Country Club. In July 1922, he won the U.S. Open after starting four shots behind. Later that summer, he also won the PGA Championship.
Sarazen was a famous rival of amateur golfer Bobby Jones and also competed against Walter Hagen. These three golfers were the top players in the world during the 1920s. Their exciting rivalries made golf much more popular around the world. They also helped the United States become a leading country in golf.
Gene Sarazen won 38 events on the PGA Tour. He was added to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. In 1932, he was named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. He also received the PGA Tour's first Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. Gene played on six U.S. Ryder Cup teams between 1927 and 1937.
The Modern Sand Wedge
Gene Sarazen is famous for inventing the modern sand wedge. He first used this new club in secret at The Open Championship in 1932, which he won! He called it the "sand iron."
Before Sarazen, golfers struggled to hit the ball out of sand traps. Gene's new club had a special design. He added extra weight to the back of the club, making it easier to hit through the sand. This design allowed the club to glide through the sand, exploding it out, rather than digging in.
This invention changed golf forever. Every top golfer since then has used a similar sand wedge design. It also led to new ways of playing short shots from the grass, helping golfers get lower scores.
The "Shot Heard 'Round the World"
One of Gene Sarazen's most famous moments happened at the 1935 Masters Tournament. On the fifteenth hole, he hit a shot that became known as "the shot heard 'round the world."
He used a "spoon" (like a modern four-wood) to hit the ball 232 yards (212 m) right into the hole! This amazing shot was a double eagle, which means he scored three strokes under par on that hole. At that moment, he was three shots behind Craig Wood, but the double eagle tied them for the lead.
Sarazen then played a 36-hole playoff the next day and won the Masters by five shots. To remember this famous shot, the Sarazen Bridge was named in 1955 near the 15th green at Augusta National Golf Club. It is still one of the most famous shots in golf history.
Later Years and Legacy
Even though Gene Sarazen was not very tall (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in (1.66 m)), he was known for hitting the ball very far. He traveled around the world, playing exhibition matches and promoting golf. He earned a good living from the sport.
After he retired from full-time play, Sarazen was still a familiar face at the Masters. From 1981 to 1999, he joined other golf legends like Byron Nelson and Sam Snead to hit a special ceremonial tee shot before each tournament began. He also helped make golf popular by being a commentator on the Wonderful World of Golf TV show.
In 1973, at age 71, Sarazen made a hole-in-one at The Open Championship in Scotland. In 1992, he received the Bob Jones Award, which is the highest honor for sportsmanship in golf. Gene Sarazen also had the longest-running endorsement deal in sports history. He worked with Wilson Sporting Goods for 75 years, from 1923 until he passed away.
In 1978, Siena College in New York gave him an honorary degree. The Sarazen Student Union at the college was named after him in 1998. He also started a scholarship fund there to help students. Gene Sarazen often wore his signature plus-fours (a type of golf pants) when he hit the first ball at a golf tournament to raise money for his scholarship.
Gene Sarazen passed away in 1999 at the age of 97 from pneumonia in Naples, Florida. His wife, Mary, had passed away in 1986. They are buried together in Marco Island Cemetery.
Golf magazines have ranked Gene Sarazen as one of the greatest golfers of all time. In 2000, Golf Digest magazine ranked him 11th. In 2018, another expert ranked him as the ninth greatest golfer ever.
Major Championships: Wins
Gene Sarazen won seven major championships during his career:
- 1922 U.S. Open
- 1922 PGA Championship
- 1923 PGA Championship
- 1932 U.S. Open
- 1932 Open Championship
- 1933 PGA Championship
- 1935 Masters Tournament
Images for kids
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Sarazen with the PGA Championship trophy in 1939
See also
- Career Grand Slam Champions
- List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins
- List of men's major championships winning golfers
- Most PGA Tour wins in a year
- Sarazen World Open
