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Walter Hagen
Walter Hagen

Walter Hagen

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Metric
5  ft, 10  in
178 cm
Height
180 lbs
82 kg
Weight
1969 (Age 76)
DECEASED
1912
Turned Pro
Rochester, New York
Birthplace
5  ft, 10  in
178 cm
Height
180 lbs
82 kg
Weight
1969 (Age 76)
DECEASED
1912
Turned Pro
Rochester, New York
Birthplace
--
FEDEXCUP Rank (1941)
OWGR--
OWGR
--
Scoring Average (1941)
Performance
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Walter Hagen
Walter Hagen
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Walter Hagen

Full Name

5  ft, 10  in

178 cm

Height

180 lbs

82 kg

Weight

December 21, 1892

Birthday

1969 (Age 76)

DECEASED

Rochester, New York

Birthplace

Walter, Jr.

Family

1912

Turned Pro

15,675

Career Earnings

Indu

Hall of Fame

JOINED TOUR

  • PGA TOUR: 1916

PGA TOUR Victories (44)

  • 1914 U.S. Open Championship
  • 1916 Metropolitan Open, Shawnee Open, Western Open
  • 1918 North & South Open Championship
  • 1919 U.S. Open Championship, Metropolitan Open
  • 1920 Florida West Coast Open, Metropolitan Open, Bellevue C.C. Open
  • 1921 Western Open, PGA Championship
  • 1922 Deland Open Championship, Florida West Coast Open, White Sulphur Springs Open, The Open Championship
  • 1923 Texas Open, Florida West Coast Open, Asheville-Biltmore Open Championship, North & South Open Championship, Kansas Mid-Continent Pro Championship
  • 1924 North & South Open Championship, Metropolitan PGA, The Open Championship, PGA Championship, Princess Anne CC Open
  • 1925 PGA Championship
  • 1926 Florida West Coast Open, Eastern Open Championship, Western Open, PGA Championship
  • 1927 Western Open, PGA Championship
  • 1928 The Open Championship
  • 1929 Long Beach Open, Miami International Four-Ball, The Open Championship, Great Lakes Open
  • 1931 Coral Gables Open, Canadian Open
  • 1932 Western Open, St. Louis Open
  • 1933 Tournament of the Gardens Open
  • 1935 Gasparilla Open-Tampa
  • 1936 Inverness Four-Ball

International Victories (2)

  • 1920 French Open
  • 1924 Belgian Open

Additional Victories (5)

  • 1915 Massachusetts Open
  • 1915 California State Open
  • 1921 Michigan Open
  • 1930 Michigan PGA Championship
  • 1931 Michigan PGA Championship

PLAYOFF RECORD

PGA TOUR (5-1)

  • 1916 Defeated James Barnes, Metropolitan Open
  • 1919 Defeated Mike Brady, U.S. Open Championship
  • 1920 Defeated James Barnes, Metropolitan Open
  • 1923 Defeated Bill Mehlhorn, Texas Open
  • 1924 Florida West Coast Open
  • 1931 Defeated Percy Alliss, Canadian Open

National Teams

  • 1927, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1937 Ryder Cup Captain
  • 1927, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1935 Ryder Cup

Personal

  • Nicknamed "The Haig," he was widely considered to be the first athlete to become a millionaire. Began swinging a golf club on his family's Michigan farm at age 5. Grew up with an interest in taxidermy and stuffed birds and reptiles as a boy. By his late teens, he had received a license from the state of New York to practice taxidermy.
  • Was an accomplished baseball player and played semi-pro ball.
  • Was well known for his elegant fashion sense, both on and off the golf course. At one time, he hired a Rolls-Royce as a changing room at The Open Championship because professionals were not allowed into the clubhouse at the time.
  • Was also credited with adding color to his fashion on the golf course, and he favored two-toned shoes.
  • The trophy for the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, the Walter Hagen Cup, is named in his honor.
  • Divorced his wife, Edna Strauss in 1927.
  • Named Al Christie's assistant pro at Rochester CC in 1912.
  • In 1963, suffered through a tragedy when his 14-year-old grandson, Walter Hagen III, died following an accidental handgun shooting at the boy's home in Michigan.
  • Was an original member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. By his estimation, he played in 2,000 tournaments and exhibitions during his career.
  • In 1927, began an affiliation with Pasadena GC in St. Petersburg, site of his exhibition matches against Bobby Jones a year earlier.
  • Passed away in Traverse City, Mich., on October 6, 1962. Pallbearers at his funeral included Arnold Palmer, Walter Burkemo and former player and General Motors executive Al Watrous. Was interred at Holy Sepulchre Mausoleum in Southfield, Mich., buried next to his grandson.
  • Named first head pro at Oakland Hills CC in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., a job he held for one year in 1918.

Special Interests

  • Taxidermy, baseball

Career Highlights

1974 Season

Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, five years after his death. Was part of the inaugural induction class, a group that also included Patty Berg, Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Francis Ouimet, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen, Harry Vardon and Babe Zaharias.

1967 Season

Became the fourth American to become an honorary member of Scotland's Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, joining President Dwight Eisenhower, Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet.

1962 Season

  • Awards: Received the William D. Richardson Award from the Golf Writers Association of America for outstanding contributions to golf.

1956 Season

Honored as The Outstanding Pro of the Century by Rochester CC in New York, where he previously worked as caddie master and professional.

1941 Season

  • Masters Tournament: Made his final PGA TOUR appearance, playing in the Masters Tournament. He shot an opening-round 87 and withdrew.
  • Ryder Cup: Another challenge match similar to the 1940 event took place at Detroit GC. The Ryder Cup team, Walter Hagen's Challengers, took on the Bobby Jones' Challengers, a tournament won by Jones' team.

1940 Season

  • PGA Championship: Qualified for match play at the PGA Championship at age 47 and won his first- and second-round matches. Played his final five holes in the first round in 1-under to beat Gil Sellers. In the afternoon, he beat Vic Ghezzi, 2 and 1, to earn his 40th and final match-play win in the event. His run ended in the quarterfinals, when he lost to Jug McSpaden, 1-up.
  • Ryder Cup: Led his 1939 Ryder Cup team members in a challenge match against other American players, an event that would raise funds for the United Service Organizations and the American Red Cross. At Oakland Hills CC in Michigan, against a team captained by Gene Sarazen, the Ryder Cup players captured a 7-5 victory, with the tournament raising approximately $15,000.

1939 Season

  • Walter Hagen 25th Anniversary: At the Walter Hagen Silver Jubilee, named for him and to honor the 25th anniversary of his U.S. Open victory at Midlothian CC in Blue Island, Ill., players returned to Midlothian for a best-ball event. He teamed with Gene Sarazen to finish fourth. Announced at the conclusion of the tournament that he was retiring as an active player. "I'm going to play for fun in a tournament or two occasionally. But it's too hard to keep in playing shape any more. I'm all washed up," he said.
  • Masters Tournament: Became the first player in Masters Tournament history to shoot the same score in all four rounds (76-76-76-76) to T33.
  • Ryder Cup: Named Ryder Cup captain, with matches scheduled at Ponte Vedra CC in Florida. The outbreak of World War II in Europe forced the cancellation of the event.

1938 Season

  • Canadian Open: Top performance was a T7 at the Canadian Open at Mississaugua G&CC outside Toronto.
  • St. Paul Open: Competed with his son in a sanctioned event for the first time. At the St. Paul Open in Minnesota, opened with a 77. Walter Jr., a member of the Notre Dame golf team, shot a 79, with both players eventually missing the cut.

1937 Season

Did not make an official start, instead focusing on playing exhibitions, primarily with Australian Joe Kirkwood, Sr., at international venues in Kirkwood's home country, Southeast Asia, South Africa and Europe.

  • Ryder Cup: Finally broke through as U.S. captain, leading his team to victory in the Ryder Cup away from the U.S. At Southport and Ainsdale GC in England, he guided the U.S. to an 8-4 win in the only Ryder Cup where he was a non-playing captain for the first time.

1936 Season

  • PGA Championship: Also missed the match-play portion of the PGA Championship at Pinehurst, shooting a 13-over 157 during medal play.
  • Inverness Four-Ball: Teamed with Ky Laffoon to win the Inverness Four-Ball in a field of eight teams.
  • Augusta National Invitation: Finished T11 at the Masters Tournament, (then the Augusta National Invitation) improving his score each day (77-74-73-72).
  • Tournament of the Gardens Open: Finished a distant 11 strokes back and T4 to Henry Picard at the Tournament of the Gardens Open at Charleston CC in South Carolina.
  • San Francisco Match Play: Of the 36 players in the San Francisco Match Play at Lake Merced GC, he surprisingly didn't get out of the medal round, falling three strokes out of qualifying for the eight-player match-play finals.
  • Sacramento Open: A week earlier, at the Sacramento Open, finished T7, four strokes out of the Wiffy Cox-Bill Mehlhorn playoff.
  • Los Angeles Open: Early in the year, opened with a 71-77 to just make the cut at the Los Angeles Open. Missed his tee time in the third round when he overslept and was disqualified.

1935 Season

  • Canadian Open: Finished T8 at the Canadian Open.
  • True Temper Open Championship: Finished sixth at the True Temper Open Championship (Cleveland).
  • General Brock Hotel Open: Finished T8 at the General Brock Hotel Open (Niagara Falls).
  • U.S. Open Championship: Contended at the U.S. Open for the final time in his career. Trailed by seven strokes through 36 holes and was three back going into the final round. Shot a 76 on the last day at Oakmont CC to finish solo third, three strokes behind Sam Parks, Jr. He had spanned 22 years between his first top-10 in the U.S. Open and his last.
  • Gasparilla Open-Tampa: Earned one title, capturing the Gasparilla Open in Tampa, Fla., in February. Ultimately wrapped up the title with a sterling, 6-under 64 at Palma Cela. Finished the tournament 71-72-73 for an even-par 280, making a 45-foot birdie on his 17th hole and an up-and-down par from the bunker on the closing hole to beat Clarence Clark, who had posted a 1-over 281 and was in the clubhouse.
  • Sacramento Open: Just missed a victory early in the season, finishing as a runner-up to Jug McSpaden at the Sacramento Open, thanks to a final-round 67 after opening the tournament with first- and second-round 74s.
  • Ryder Cup: Was the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for a fifth consecutive time, at the tournament at Ridgewood CC. Only played one match and skipped competing in singles, winning foursomes with Gene Sarazen in the Americans' 9-3 victory.

1934 Season

Opened his season with back-to-back T3s.

  • PGA Championship: Lost in the first round of the PGA Championship to Denny Shute, 4 and 3, at Park Club of Buffalo.
  • Western Open: Was solo eighth at the Western Open at the CC of Peoria.
  • Metropolitan Open: Was tied at the halfway point with Wiffy Cox at the Metropolitan Open in New Jersey but settled for a T2 with Cox when Paul Runyan overtook the duo and then clinched the title with a 5-foot par save on the 72nd hole to win by a stroke.
  • Augusta National Invitation: Played in the first Masters Tournament (then the Augusta National Invitational), shooting rounds of 71-76-70-77 to finish T11, his first of six career starts at Augusta National and tying for his best performance (matching a result he would have in 1936).
  • International Four-Ball Miami: Finished T3 at the International Four-Ball, where he teamed with Tom Creavy. The duo lost in a rout to Horton Smith and Al Espinosa in the semifinals in Miami, 10 and 9.
  • St. Petersburg Open: Finished T3 at the St. Petersburg Open.

1933 Season

Was top-10 in all six of his official starts.

  • Miami Biltmore Open: Ended his season in Miami, as well, finishing T3 at the Miami Biltmore Open at Miami CC.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Finished T4 at the U.S. Open, coming from way back with a final-round 66 at North Shore GC in Ohio. Ended five strokes behind winner, amateur Johnny Goodman.
  • Tournament of the Gardens Open: His lone title came at the Charleston Open in South Carolina. Took a wire-to-wire win, but battled Henry Picard for the entire week. Shot a final-round 71 to Picard's 69 to win by a stroke and take the $700 first-place check.
  • Lakeland Open: At the Orange Blossom Open in Lakeland, Fla., in February, was T2 at the 36-hole event, four strokes behind Al Watrous at Cleveland Heights GC.
  • Miami Open: Opened the season with a T5 at the Miami Open.
  • Ryder Cup: At the Ryder Cup at Southport and Ainsdale GC in England, his U.S. team lost the Cup by a point. He won his singles match against Arthur Lacey and halved his foursomes match, pairing with Gene Sarazen for the first time in this competition, against Percy Alliss and Charles Whitcombe.

1932 Season

  • St. Louis Open: Had a dominant final round at the St. Louis Open in October. Shot a final-round, 6-under 65–with four birdies and an eagle–at Meadow Brook CC to outdistance Macdonald Smith and Tony Manero by five strokes.
  • PGA Championship: Lost to John Golden, 1-up, at the PGA Championship at Keller GC in St. Paul, Minn., when Golden made a 10-foot birdie putt on the 43rd hole.
  • Canadian Open: Finished third at the Canadian Open, five strokes behind Harry Cooper at the Ottawa Hunt Club.
  • Western Open: Won the first of two tournaments in a month's time, capturing the Western Open in early July at Canterbury CC outside Cleveland. Trailed Olin Dutra by two strokes entering the final round but shot a 2-under 70 to pass Dutra and win by one.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Was solo 10th at the U.S. Open in Flushing, N.Y.
  • Coral Gables Open Invitational: Gene Sarazen got the better of him at the Coral Gables Open early in the season. Both players were four off the lead going into the final round, with Sarazen shooting a 69 to his 70 for a one-stroke victory.

1931 Season

  • PGA Championship: Lost in the first round of the PGA Championship to Peter O'Hara, 4 and 3, at Wannamoisett CC in Rhode Island.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Had his first U.S. Open top-10 since 1927 when he T7 at Inverness Club, also in Ohio.
  • Western Open: He began the final round of the Western Open four strokes behind Ed Dudley but couldn't make a dent in Dudley's lead and finished solo second to Dudley in Dayton, Ohio.
  • Ryder Cup: As U.S. Ryder Cup captain, the event moved to Scioto CC in Columbus, Ohio, with the U.S. winning the Cup back with a 9-7 victory. In foursomes, playing with Denny Shute, the duo won a 10-and-9 decision against George Duncan and Arthur havers. In singles, he beat Charles Whitcombe, 4 and 3.

1930 Season

  • St. Louis Open: Held a September battle with Tommy Armour at the St. Louis Open. Had to settle for a solo-second finish, with Armour prevailing by two strokes at Sunset CC.
  • PGA Championship: Failed to qualify through medal play for the match-play portion of the PGA Championship at Fresh Meadows CC in New York.
  • Western Open: Was solo sixth at the Western Open at Indianwood G&CC in Lake Orion, Mich.,, a feat he duplicated at the Canadian Open at Hamilton G&CC, three strokes out of the Tommy Armour-Leo Diegel playoff that Armour won.
  • St. Paul Open: A month earlier, was fourth at the St. Paul Open, six strokes shy of Harry Cooper.

1929 Season

  • PGA Championship: Made it to the semifinals of the PGA Championship for the final time, again losing to Leo Diegel, 3 and 2, in a tournament Diegel would go on to win at Hillcrest CC in Los Angeles. Routed Bob Shave, 9 and 8, in the first round and beat Charles Guest, 5 and 4 in the second round. Defeated Tony Manero, 6 and 5, in the quarterfinals before dropping the semifinal decision.
  • The Open Championship: Successfully defended his Open Championship crown in what turned out to be the easiest of his four wins in that tournament. He shot 75s in the first, third and fourth rounds but had the round of the tournament–a 67 in the second round–that helped him roll to a six-shot win over Johnny Farrell at Muirfield.
  • Ryder Cup: With the Ryder Cup in Great Britain for the first time, he was U.S. captain again, watching as Great Britain took a 7-5 victory. He teamed with Johnny Golden for a 2-up win in foursomes then lost to George Duncan, 10 and 8, in his singles match.

1928 Season

  • Catalina Island Open: A couple of days before Christmas, he came up short at the Catalina Island Open in California. Playing the nine-hole par-32 host site, he toured the course eight times and finished with a 10-under 256 (62-62-60-62), a stroke behind Horton Smith in what turned out to be a two-man race, with the next closest competitors 11 shots back. Following his first 36 holes on Catalina Island, he woke up early, went to the nearby mountains for a hunting expedition. He was successful in shooting seven mountain goats. Two days earlier, he had spent the morning fishing.
  • PGA Championship: His run of PGA Championship titles came to an end as did his streak of consecutive match-play victories in the tournament. He beat Willie Ogg and Julian Blanton in the first two rounds before falling to Leo Diegel, 2 and 1, in the quarterfinals at Five Farms CC in Baltimore. Prior to his loss to Diegel, dating to the first round of the 1924 PGA Championship, he won 22 consecutive scheduled 36-hole PGA Championship matches. He only played 726 of the scheduled 792 holes during his streak and defeated 18 different players (taking down Al Watrous, Johnny Farrell, Joe Turnesa and Diegel twice).
  • Canadian Open: At the Canadian Open, an event played opposite the Western Open, he led after 18, 36 and 54 holes but struggled in the final 18 and fell into a T2 behind Diegel.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Couldn't overcome a second-round 77 at the U.S. Open at Olympia Fields CC in Illinois, where he won the Western Open the year previously. Finished T4, two strokes out of the Johnny Farrell-Bobby Jones playoff.
  • The Open Championship: Earned his third Open Championship title on the site of his first championship–Royal St. George's. Battled Gene Sarazen all tournament. Held a one-stroke lead over Sarazen going into the final round and fashioned a closing 72 to win by two strokes.
  • 72-Hole Match Play: In a two-day, 72-hole match in April at Moor Park in London, lost to Archie Compston, 18 and 17. Compston took a 14-up lead after 36 holes and cruised from there, wrapping up the victory after playing only 19 holes on the second day.

1927 Season

  • PGA Championship: He made it four PGA Championship titles in a row, with a 1-up win in the finals over Joe Turnesa at Cedar Crest CC in Dallas. In his quarterfinal match, he enjoyed his second-most-dominant match win in his PGA Championship history, defeating Tony Manero, 11 and 10.
  • Western Open: Successfully defended his Western Open title by leading wire to wire at Olympia Fields CC, where he won the PGA Championship two years earlier. Led by six strokes after 36 holes and was nine ahead going into the final round. He shot a 5-over 75 in the final round but still won by four shots over Al Espinosa and Bill Mehlhorn.
  • Massachusetts Open: A fourth-round 77 left him second behind Johnny Farrell at the Massachusetts Open.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Stumbled to a final-round 81 at Oakmont CC to fall to a solo sixth at the U.S. Open.
  • Ryder Cup: After being instrumental in the formation of the Ryder Cup, he captained the U.S. team for the first of what would be seven consecutive matches in the biennial event. In those inaugural matches held at Worcester CC in Massachusetts. As a playing captain, he teamed with Johnny Golden to beat Ted Ray and Fred Robson in foursomes then beat Arthur Havers, 2 and 1, in singles. The U.S. rolled to a seven-point win over Great Britain.

1926 Season

  • PGA Championship: He picked up a third consecutive PGA Championship, with a 5-and-3 win over Leo Diegel in the 36-hole final at Salisbury GL in Westbury, N.Y.
  • Western Open: He was dominant at the Western Open, defeating Harry Cooper and Gene Sarazen by nine strokes at Highland G&CC in Indianapolis. Despite opening with a 5-over 75 in the first round, he went 68-66 in the second and third rounds to roll to the win.
  • Eastern Open Championship: Was similarly dominant at the Eastern Open in Delaware Water Gap, Pa. Opened with a 67 to break the Wolf Hollow CC course record by three strokes. Broke his own record a day later, with a 65. After an uncharacteristically poor third round, a 74, he came back with a 69 to beat Johnny Farrell by nine shots. His 12-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole that would have tied Emmet French's at-the-time, 72-hole record of 274 hung on the lip and didn't drop.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Was T7 at the U.S. Open in Columbus, Ohio.
  • Florida West Coast Open: In March, won his fourth Florida West Coast Open, shooting rounds of 70-73-69-71 to beat amateur Bobby Jones by two strokes in St. Petersburg.
  • Florida Central Competition: Was runner-up to Farrell at the Central Florida Open in January in Sanford. Held the 36-hole lead but shot a 4-over 74 in the third round and fell by a stroke.
  • 36-Hole Exhibition: Played a 36-hole exhibition in late September against former U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur champion Francis Ouimet in Wayland, Mass., losing 7 and 5 at Sandy Burr CC.
  • 72-Hole Exhibition Match: In June, played a 72-hole exhibition match against Abe Mitchell at Wentworth Club and St. George's Hill in England. He fell behind Mitchell, 4-down, after the first 18 holes but stormed back to win, 2 and 1.
  • Golf Championship of the United States: Played two exhibition matches against Bobby Jones, heralded as the Unofficial Golf Championship of the United States, with the first 36 holes played in late February in Sarasota, with the second 36 in St. Petersburg a week later at Pasadena GC. Through the first 36 holes, he was 8-up on Jones. In St. Petersburg, the duo only played 25 holes at Whitfield Estates, as he beat Jones, 12 and 11 and won $6,800 for his trouble, for many years believed to be the largest payout to a golf tournament winner. With Jones unable to accept any prize money because of his amateur status, he received a pair of diamond cufflinks and shirt studs from his competitor. With no fanfare or media attention, the duo played an additional 18-hole match, also at Pasadena GC. He beat Jones again, this time, 2-up.

1925 Season

  • PGA Championship: He won his second consecutive PGA Championship, defeating Bill Melhorn, 6 and 5, in the finals at Olympia Fields CC in Illinois. He had to survive a first-round match with Al Watrous that went 39 holes before he prevailed over Watrous, 1-up.
  • Western Open: Was runner-up at the Western Open for a third time, finishing T2 at Youngstown CC in Ohio, six strokes behind Macdonald Smith.
  • Canadian Open: Had a near miss at the Canadian Open, finishing T3 at Lambton GC in Toronto.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Finished T5 at the U.S. Open at Worcester CC. A month later, on July 1, during a friendly round in at the same course, he recorded the only hole-in-one of his career when he sunk his 1-iron on the sixth hole.

1924 Season

  • Princess Anne CC Open: In mid-November in Norfolk, Va., playing the final 36 holes of the Princess Ann Country Club Open in both light and heavy rain, he outdistanced Johnny Farrell by three strokes.
  • PGA Championship: At the PGA Championship in French Lick, Ind., he defeated Jim Barnes in the finals for a second time, winning 2-up.
  • The Open Championship: Picked up his second Open Championship title, beating Ernest Whitcombe by a stroke at Hoylake after rounds of 77-73-71-77. Under difficult conditions, his 77 tied him for low-final-round honors.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Was T4 at the U.S. Open at Oakland Hills CC, six strokes behind winner Cyril Walker.
  • North & South Open Championship: Won the North and South Open at Pinehurst in late March, taking a two-shot victory over Cyril Walker, the first of five titles on the campaign.
  • French Open: Played in the French Open, shooting a final-round 69 only to come up a stroke shy of winner, former British Amateur champ, Cyril Tolley.

1923 Season

Battled Sarazen on two unofficial occasions during the season. Played two 18-hole exhibitions in England in the summer, with the duo splitting in the two encounters.

  • Western Open: Was T2 with three other players at the Western Open at Colonial CC in Memphis, Tenn., finishing six strokes behind Jock Hutchison. Along with Hutchison, shot a final-round-best 67 on the par-71 course.
  • PGA Championship: Had one of the most decisive victories in PGA Championship history, defeating George McLean, 12 and 11, in the scheduled 36-hole semifinal match at Pelham GC in New York. In the final, he battled Gene Sarazen through the 36-hole final with the duo still tied. Finally, on the 38th hole, Sarazen won with a birdie.
  • The Open Championship: In defense of his Open Championship title, playing at Royal Troon, he fell a stroke short of Arthur Havers at Royal Troon.
  • Kansas Mid-Continent Pro Championship: Shared first-place honors with Joe Kirkwood, Sr., at the Mid-Continent Open in Wichita, Kan., when officials decided not to hold a playoff. The duo finished at 5-under 279, 11 strokes clear of the next-closest pursurer, Bill Mehlhorn. Earlier in the month, at the Wichita CC, in a practice round with Kirkwood, he fired a 62 on the par-74 layout.

1922 Season

Elected to not defend his PGA Championship, instead deciding to play in exhibition matches throughout the U.S., mainly with Joe Kirkwood, Sr. Traveled from coast to coast, playing in excess of 125 matches during the summer. In October, took on Sarazen in a 72-hole, two-day, match-play exhibition in two cities. Sarazen fell behind at Oakmont CC outside Pittsburgh but came back to win the match, 3 and 2, over the final 36 at Westchester CC in New York.

  • U.S. Open Championship: Finished solo fifth at the U.S. Open at Skokie CC in Glencoe, Ill., three strokes behind Gene Sarazen.
  • The Open Championship: At The Open Championship at Royal St. George's, he won the first of four titles, breaking a 54-hole tie with Jim Barnes by shooting a 72 to win by a stroke over Barnes and George Duncan. Two weeks earlier, in preparation for The Open Championship, he played a 36--hole exhibition against Archie Compston and lost decisively, 17 and 15.

1921 Season

  • PGA Championship: Won his first PGA Championship title, at Inwood CC in Far Rockaway, N.Y., rolling to decisive victories in all five of his matches. He defeated Cyril Walker, 5 and 4, in the semifinals and then took down Jim Barnes, 3 and 2, in the finals.
  • Western Open: Was dominant in winning the Western Open at Oakwood Club outside Cleveland, defeating Jock Hutchison by five strokes, thanks to an even-par 71 tying him for low round of the last day.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Had his first U.S. Open runner-up showing, but he never really threatened Barnes, who held a seven-stroke, 54-hole lead and won by nine strokes.
  • The Open Championship: Was a distant six shots back of Hutchison at The Open Championship at St. Andrews, finishing T6 with four other players.

1920 Season

Made five official starts.

  • Bellevue C.C. Open: His final victory of the season was at the Bellevue CC, beating a pair of Pats–O'Hara and Doyle–by eight shots in Syracuse, N.Y.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Only his T11 at the U.S. Open title was not a win or a runner-up showing.
  • Metropolitan Open: Won the Metropolitan Open for a second consecutive year, besting Jim Barnes in a playoff.
  • The Open Championship: Made his first appearance in The Open Championship and struggled mightily in his first round in England, shooting a back-nine 48 and a 72-hole score of 84 in his first tour of Royal Cinque Ports GC in Deal. He never broke par and shot a final-round 85 to finish T54 in the no-cut tournament.
  • North & South Open Championship: At the North and South Open at Pinehurst, was T2 with Clarence Hackney, a stroke behind winner Fred McLeod.
  • Florida West Coast Open: Began his season at the Florida West Coast Open in Tampa, a tournament he won by 12 strokes over Leo Diegel.
  • French Open: Won his first international title, the French Open, at Versailles. Through 36 holes, trailed leader, Frenchman Eugene Lafitte by four shots. Cut Lafitte's lead to three shots through 54 holes then fired a 75 to Lafitte's 78 in the final round to force a playoff, which he won.
  • Tournament of the Gardens Open: Was T4 early in the season in Charleston, S.C., at the Tournament of the Gardens Open at Charleston CC.

1919 Season

  • Western Open: Was T7 at the Western Open.
  • Metropolitan Open: Won the Metropolitan Open in a playoff after the duo tied at 292 in regulation. Had a chance to win without a playoff, but he missed a 2-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole after Barnes made a 30-footer on the same hole to draw even. In the playoff in Greenwich, Conn., he had a 70 to Barnes' 74.
  • U.S. Open Championship: With the U.S. Open back in business following World War I, he wasted little time making his mark. He earned his second Open title, this time in playoff fashion, over Mike Brady, who entered the final round at Brae Burn CC with a five-stroke cushion but skied to a final-round 80. In the 18-hole playoff, he shot a 77 to Brady's 78.

1918 Season

  • North & South Open Championship: In his one official start, at the North and South Open in North Carolina, he took a share of the lead at the 36-hole mark with Jim Barnes, Emmet French and Jock Hutchison then fired consecutive rounds of 73-72 to beat Barnes by two strokes.

1917 Season

  • Western Open: In defense of his Western Open title, he fell by two strokes to Jim Barnes at Westmoreland CC in Illinois.
  • Shawnee Open: Enjoyed a distant third-place showing at the Shawnee Open in Pennsylvania behind winner Eddie Loos.

1916 Season

  • PGA Championship: In the first PGA Championship, at Siwanoy CC in New York, he made it to the semifinals before dropping a 2-up decision to Hutchison.
  • Western Open: He captured the first of five career Western Open titles. At Blue Mound CC in Milwaukee, he edged Jock Hutchison and George Sargent by a stroke.
  • Shawnee Open: Picked up victories on back-to-back weekends in mid-August. Won the Shawnee Open at Shawnee CC in Pennsylvania by four strokes over Robert MacDonald.
  • Metropolitan Open: He won the Metropolitan Open in Atlantic City in come-from-behind fashion, trailing Charles Hoffner by four strokes through 54 holes. He shot a final-round 73 to force an 18-hole playoff with Jim Barnes and Hoffner after the trio tied at 19-over 307. He shot a 74 in the extra session to defeat Barnes by a stroke after Barnes took a penalty stroke when his shot from the bunker hit him. Hoffner shot 77.
  • U.S. Open Championship: Was solo seventh at the U.S. Open in Minnesota.
  • Unofficial Event at Van Cortlandt Park: Was T5 with Pat Doyle at an unofficial event at Van Cortlandt Park in New York, falling to Barnes.

1915 Season

  • U.S. Open Championship: In defense of his U.S. Open title, he was T10 at Baltusrol GC. Started slowly, with an opening 78 and never recovered.

1914 Season

  • U.S. Open Championship: Opened the U.S. Open with a tournament-low 68 at Midlothian CC in Illinois (one of only three sub-70 rounds that week) and then hung on to defeat amateur Chick Evans by a stroke.

1913 Season

  • U.S. Open Championship: Playing in his first U.S. Open, he T4 at The Country Club in Massachusetts, three strokes out of the Francis Ouimet-Harry Vardon-Edward Ray playoff. Showed his sense of style in that event as he wore a striped silk shirt and a bandana tied around his neck.