1945

Byron Nelson wins 18 times on the PGA Tour in a single season, including eleven tournaments in a row. I am quite confident these records will never be broken. Some will downplay the significance of the wins and the streak because of weak fields resulting from WWII, but consider this: Nelson’s scoring average that season was 68.3. That scoring average was not bested on the PGA Tour until Tiger Woods in 2000. When you consider how good Woods played that year, during his own truly historic run, and realize that only Tiger at his pinnacle bested Nelson’s 1945 average, it’s clear just how unbelievably good Nelson was. And considering he played wound balata balls and persimmon woods, on courses far less immaculately groomed than the pros play on today (anything but - during WWII courses were barely conditioned at all) I think his 68.3 scoring average is absolutely incredible. Nelson is an all time capital-G “Great” of the game. He was also one of the game’s greatest gentlemen.

1953

In 1953 Ben Hogan only played in six tournaments and he won five of them, including the Masters, the US Open and the Open Championship — the “Triple Crown.”

Hogan’s 1953 season was absolutely one of the top three or four years in golf history. At each of those major wins Hogan dominated. He won the Masters by five shots. He won the US Open by six shots and was the only player to finish under par. At Carnoustie, arguably the hardest golf course in the world, he won by four shots. He bettered his score each day, shooting 73-71-70-68. His final round 68 was the best of the tournament by any player, and set a new competitive course record.

Carnoustie was the only Open Hogan ever played, and it was his final major, one of the most impressive major victories of all time, leaving no doubt to his greatness.

1954

Sam Snead bests Ben Hogan in an 18 hole playoff to win his third Green Jacket. Snead has always been one of my favorite players. His swing is so beautiful. He’s one of the greatest talents ever. He won seven majors and this was his last, and he had to beat Hogan. Between them they’d won the previous three Masters. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to watch Hogan and Snead at Augusta?

1960

Arnold Palmer wins the Masters and the US Open, and for the first time crosses the Atlantic to play in the Open Championship. He wanted to match Hogan’s Triple Crown and have a shot at the professional Grand Slam. He finished second to Australian Kel Nagle, who hung on by a shot after Palmer charged from four back. Arnie would win the Open Championship the following two years in 1961 and 1962. His play at the Open in the early sixties truly helped revitalize the Open Championship, which had suffered during difficult economic times in the UK following WWII. Once Arnie started going, all the best American players followed.

The 1960 US Open at Cherry Hills was truly epic. Palmer won, making an incredible charge from eight shots behind the lead, after sports writers had written off his chances (too far back, they said). He drove the par-4 first hole and made birdie, shooting 65 (five under on the from nine) to win his only US Open.

Jack Nicklaus — 20 years old and still an amateur — played the final 36 holes paired with Ben Hogan. Hogan was 47. At different times during the final round both Hogan and Nicklaus were tied for the lead.

Nicklaus ultimately finished second, the best peformance by an amateur since Johnny Goodman won the US open as an amateur in 1933. Nicklaus’ total score of 282 set a record for lowest ever US Open score by an amateur, one which stood until 2019 — 59 years — when Victor Hovland scored 278 at Pebble Beach.

Hogan was tied for first on the 71st hole but found water on each of the last two holes, finishing bogey, triple. He often remarked how the thought of his third shot on the par-5 seventeenth, a wedge that spun back into the water, haunted him the rest of his life. He finished tied for ninth.

The 1960 US Open was the intersection of eras. Three of the greatest players of all time contending at the US Open, each at different stages of their careers. There has never since been a US Open like it.

The 1960 golf season and US Open are true pinnacles in the game. You can read more about it in Curt Sampson’s wonderful book, The Eternal Summer: Palmer, Nicklaus and Hogan in 1960, Golf’s Golden Year. It’s one of the best golf books I’ve ever read and I highly recommend it.

1962

Jack Nicklaus wins the US Open at Oakmont, his first win as a professional, defeating Arnold Palmer in his own backyard in an 18 hole playoff. It was a massive moment in golf. Nicklaus would go on to win 18 total professional majors, in addition to his two US Amateur victories. At the time, the fans in the gallery loved Palmer so much that they jeered Nicklaus, the kid they called '“Fat Jack.” In time they would grow to love him.

1971

Lee Trevino wins both the US Open and the Open Championship in a single season, becoming only the fourth man in history to accomplish the feat after Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan. At the US Open Trevino defeated Jack Nicklaus in an 18 hole playoff at Merion (Nicklaus was also runner-up to Trevino when Lee won the 1968 US Open). The win in 1971 was the first of Trevino’s two Open Championships — he would win it again in ‘72 for back-to-back Opens.

1973

Johnny Miller shoots a final round 63 to win the US Open at Oakmont, a truly incredible score given the difficulty of the course. He came from six shots back — he was T13 at the close of the third round. It was Miller at the peak of his powers. Though only his third PGA Tour win, in the following three years he would win 15 more times, including the Open Championship. In total, he won 25 times on the PGA Tour over the course of his career. Miller’s iron play was spectacular. I truly believe that at his best, Miller’s iron play was better than anyone else at their best ever, including Hogan.

The clubs Miller won with are fascinating. He was bagging a 1961 MacGregor driver, a 1945 MacGregor Tommy Armour 3-wood, a 1941 MacGregor Tommy Armour 4-wood. His irons were a blended set of 1945 MacGregor Tommy Armour 915Ts (2-7) and 1972 MacGregor Tourney Customs (8-PW) with hosels cut down and soles re-ground, smothered with lead tape to get the swingweight back. His sand wedge was a 58* 1959 Wilson Dyna-Power and he wielded a Bullseye Blade on the greens. It’s one of the coolest old school bags you’ll ever find — magic clubs.

1975

Jack Nicklaus wins his fifth Masters in an epic battle with Johnny Miller and Tom Weiskopf, who finished together tied for second place, one shot back. Nicklaus shot 68, Weiskopf shot 70, and Miller shot 66. Hale Irwin started Sunday way back, but shot a blazing 64 to finish T4. Nicklaus famously drained a 40-footer on 16 while Miller and Weiskopf watch from the tee. It was Jack at his best, fending off the decade’s brightest new stars. Neither Miller nor Weiskopf would ever win the Masters, despite spectacular play over many years. Miller finished second three times, Weiskopf four times. The 1975 Masters is an incredible tournament to watch, one of the highlights of awesome golf played in the 1970s on the PGA Tour.

1976

Johnny Miller wins his Open Championship. A 19 year old Seve Ballesteros led the tournament through three rounds and was paired with Miller in the final round. Ballesteros faltered, shooting a 74. But despite dropping shots through the middle of his round he played the final six holes in four under par. Miller bogeyed the first hole, but played beautifully from there, carding a 66, playing the final nine in five under. He won by six shots. Winning both Opens in a career is something I consider important. It truly validated Miller.

For Seve, the ‘76 Open was a precursor to his greatness. It was only his second Open. He played with his signature flair, making incredible shots and recoveries from everywhere, and the world fell in love with him and his dramatic style. He went on to win three Opens, and two Masters, and dominated in Ryder Cups, leading a European charge in the event that persists three decades later.

1977

Tow Watson wins his second Open Championship, famously battling Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry … “The Duel in the Sun.” They entered the final round tied for first, three shots clear of the field. They quickly separated themselves completely from the rest. By the back nine it was a two-man showdown. After nine holes Nicklaus was two under and led by a shot. With a birdie at the twelfth he led by two, but then Watson birdied at 13, 15 and 17 to take a one-stroke lead into the final hole. With his approach to the last, he placed a perfect iron shot within a few feet of the cup — an almost sure birdie. Nicklaus needed a three on the final hole to have any chance to catch Watson, and put pressure on him to hole that short putt. He found trouble off the tee but managed to find the green with his second, forty feet from the hole. As only Nicklaus can, he drained the long putt. But it wasn’t enough to unsteady Watson, who holed the short one for his own birdie and a one-shot victory.

It is well known that on the sixteenth tee, tied at ten under, Watson turned to Nicklaus and said, “This is what it’s all about, isn’t it?” To which Jack replied, “You bet it is.”

It does not get any better than the “Duel in the Sun.”

There’s a fantastic book about it, Duel in the Sun: Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus in the Battle of Turnberry. It’s a great read, as is this classic Sports Illustrated story by the great Dan Jenkins.

1979

Seve Ballesteros wins the Open Championship, his first major. He won the Open three times, as well as two Masters. Images of his exuberant victory are among the most iconic in golf. Nobody played with such passion and flair.

1982

Tom Watson wins the US Open at Pebble Beach, holing a brilliant short-side chip from deep rough to birdie the 17th. He birdied 18 as well and won by two over Jack Nicklaus. His hole-out on 17 is one of the greatest shots in golf history.

Later that same year Watson would go on to win the Open Championship at Troon, becoming the fifth of only six players in history to win both Opens in the same year. The others are Bobby Jones (1926 & 1930—Jones is the only player to accomplish the feat twice), Gene Sarazen (1932), Ben Hogan (1953), Lee Trevino (1971) and Tiger Woods (2000).

1986

Jack Nicklaus, age 46, wins his sixth Masters. It was one of the most magnificent back nine on Sunday performances you’ll ever see. Nicklaus was four shots off the lead after three rounds. On Sunday he carded a 65, shooting seven under on the back nine, playing brilliantly and holing fantastic putts. He defeated the likes of Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros in their primes. It was truly one of the greatest victories of all time.

1990

Nick Faldo wins both the Masters and the Open Championship. I have always been a Faldo fan. I admire his style of play. He wasn’t a long hitter, he was a precision player and a beautiful shotmaker who could dissect a course. I just loved watching him play, and I’ve always wanted to play like he did — with that type of control.