Paul Runyan
| Paul Runyan | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Paul Scott Runyan |
| Born | July 12, 1908 Hot Springs, Arkansas |
| Died | March 17, 2002 (aged 93) Palm Springs, California |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1925 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 37 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 29 |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 2) |
|
| Masters Tournament | 3rd/T3: 1934, 1942 |
| U.S. Open | T5: 1941 |
| The Open Championship | T18: 1961 |
| PGA Championship | Won: 1934, 1938 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1990 (member page) |
| PGA Tour leading money winner |
1934 |
Paul Scott Runyan (July 12, 1908 – March 17, 2002) was an American professional golfer. He was among the world's best players in the mid-1930s, won two PGA Championships, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan was also a golf instructor.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Runyan was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He started out as a caddie and then an apprentice at a golf course in his hometown, before turning pro at age 17. He was head professional at a Little Rock club by age 18.[1] He served as an assistant pro to Craig Wood at Forest Hills Golf Club in White Plains, New York, in 1931.
[edit] Tour winner
Three years later, Runyan defeated Wood in a playoff in the title match, to win the first of his two PGA Championships. Of Runyan's 29 career PGA Tour wins, 16 of them came in 1933 and 1934. His nine wins in 1933 make him one of only seven golfers to win nine or more times in one year on the PGA Tour. In the first Masters Tournament in 1934, Runyan was paired for the first 36 holes with tournament host Bobby Jones. Runyan won the PGA Tour money title in 1934, and was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1933 and 1935.
Runyan was competitive for many years, winning the PGA again in 1938 and leading the U.S. Open after three rounds as late as 1951. In the finals of his 1938 PGA, Runyan defeated Sam Snead 8 and 7, the most lopsided title match of the era when the PGA was contested at match play. This was despite Snead's vastly greater length off the tee, as much as 75 yards per hole.[1]
Fellow golfers nicknamed him "Little Poison" (a take on 1930s baseball player Lloyd Waner, who had the same nickname), primarily because he did not drive the ball very far, but also because he had a terrific short game. Runyan had worked tirelessly on his short game from boyhood, since he realized early on if he were to succeed in golf, he had to compensate for his lack of length. Runyan opined that he is the smallest player in golf history who had significant success.[1]
[edit] Master teacher
Runyan's teaching prowess led many top pros to him over his 75 years of teaching, including Gene Littler, Phil Rodgers, Frank Beard, Jim Ferree and Mickey Wright. Golf Magazine wrote: "... since the late 1930s, he has probably been the most influential short game instructor. Untold thousands have been taught his methods for putting and chipping." Runyan wrote an influential book outlining his short-game methods(Title?). In 2000, he astoundingly completed the annual Par 3 competition held one day before the Masters at the age of 91. He died in Palm Springs, California.[2]
[edit] Honors
Runyan was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1990. In addition, he is a member of the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Hall of Fame. He received the Harvey Penick Lifetime Teaching Award and the PGA of America Distinguished Service Award.
[edit] Professional wins
[edit] PGA Tour wins (29)
- 1930 (2) North and South Open, New Jersey Open
- 1931 (2) Metropolitan PGA, Westchester Open
- 1932 (1) Gasparilla Open Match Play
- 1933 (9) Agua Caliente Open, Miami Biltmore Open (March), Virginia Beach Cavalier Open, Eastern Open Championship, National Capital Open, Mid-South Pro-Pro (with Willie Macfarlane), Mid-South Open (tie with Willie Macfarlane and Joe Turnesa), Miami International Four-Ball (with Horton Smith), Pasadena Open
- 1934 (6) St. Petersburg Open, Florida West Coast Open, Tournament of the Gardens Open, The Cavalier Open, Metropolitan Open, PGA Championship
- 1935 (3) North and South Open, Grand Slam Open, Westchester Open
- 1936 (2) Westchester Open, Metropolitan PGA
- 1938 (1) PGA Championship
- 1939 (1) Westchester Open
- 1941 (1) Goodall Round Robin
(missing one win?)
Major championships are shown in bold.
[edit] Other wins
this list is probably incomplete
- 1934 Westchester Open
- 1935 Metropolitan PGA
- 1938 Argentine Open
- 1942 Westchester Open
[edit] Senior wins
- 1961 PGA Seniors' Championship, World Senior Championship
- 1962 PGA Seniors' Championship, World Senior Championship
[edit] Major championships
[edit] Wins (2)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | PGA Championship | 38 holes | Craig Wood |
| 1938 | PGA Championship (2) | 8 & 7 | Sam Snead |
Note: The PGA Championship was match play until 1958
[edit] Results timeline
| Tournament | 1928 | 1929 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | NYF | NYF |
| U.S. Open | 63 | DNP |
| The Open Championship | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | T3 | 7 | T4 | T19 | 4 | T16 |
| U.S. Open | DNP | DNP | T12 | DQ | T28 | T10 | T8 | T14 | T7 | T9 |
| The Open Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship | DNP | R16 | R32 | QF | 1 | QF | R64 | R16 | 1 | QF |
| Tournament | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T12 | T35 | 3 | NT | NT | NT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open | 49 | T5 | NT | NT | NT | NT | 21 | T6 | T53 | DNP |
| The Open Championship | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship | QF | R64 | DNP | NT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | T35 | DNP |
| U.S. Open | T25 | T6 | T22 | CUT | CUT | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship | R64 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship | DNP | T18 | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | WD | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | WD |
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
DQ = Disqualified
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF, F = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Barkow, Al (1986). Gettin' to the Dance Floor: An Oral History of American Golf. Atheneum Books. ISBN 978-0689115172.
- ^ "Paul Runyan, 93, Winner Of 29 Events on PGA Tour". The New York Times. March 19, 2002. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/19/sports/paul-runyan-93-winner-of-29-events-on-pga-tour.html. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
[edit] External links
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