Ralph Guldahl
3 Major Championships • 31th All-Time
Major Championship Wins
About Ralph Guldahl
Ralph Guldahl won 3 major championships during a 2-year span, with the first coming in 1937.
Learn more: Wikipedia
Career Highlights
- 1937 U.S. Open — Set new tournament record with 281 total, winning at Oakland Hills Country Club
- 1938 U.S. Open — Successfully defended title at Cherry Hills; last player to wear a necktie during play in U.S. Open
- 1939 Masters — Won at Augusta National by one stroke over Sam Snead for his third major championship
- Western Open Triple — Won prestigious Western Open three consecutive years (1936-1938) when it was considered nearly a major
- Dominant Stretch — Five straight seasons (1936-1940) with multiple PGA Tour titles, ahead of Snead, Nelson, Hogan, and Demaret
- 1937 Ryder Cup — Played on U.S. Ryder Cup team during his prime years
Did You Know?
- Lost His Game After Writing a Book: After completing "Groove Your Golf" in 1939 using high-speed photography flip-books, Guldahl's game mysteriously fell apart — though he later disputed the theory that analyzing his swing destroyed it
- Brief Car Salesman: After frustrating losses in 1935, Guldahl quit golf and became a car salesman before making a triumphant comeback in 1936
- Howard Hughes' Instructor: After retiring from competitive golf, became a club pro and taught billionaire Howard Hughes at Braemar Country Club in California