Philosophies of Life

Byron Nelson

The greatest season in the history of professional golf was completed by Byron Nelson in 1945. From March to August, “Lord Byron” won a record-setting 11 tournaments in a row, including the prestigious PGA Championship and the Canadian Open. In all, Nelson won 18 of 30 tournaments that year and was crowned 1945 Male Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. Amazingly, Nelson only earned $36,100 that year and all of it in the form of U.S. War Bonds. Nelson retired after the 1946 season and later became the first golfer to have a PGA Tour event named for him, the Bryon Nelson Classic. Golfers today routinely earn tens of millions of dollars annually, but no man or woman since Nelson has won more than 13 tournaments in a single season.