Bobby Jones, one of the elite golf players in the history of the sport
Anyone who loves to follow the game of golf must know who Bobby Jones was. Despite the fact that he never played professional golf, he remains one of most influential players in the history of the sport.
By profession, he was a lawyer. However, hardly anyone knows him by his line of work. Rather he is known for his amateur golf career, which is regarded as the most successful one on national and international level.
During 1923 to 1930, he competed in almost every big tournament around the world and gave a tough time to his professional rivals on the course.
The year 1930 is said to be the major reason behind his success. That was a time he did something that no one else had done in the past.
During the season, he bagged all the major titles and became the only player in the history of the game to achieve that feat.
At that time, there was neither the Masters Tournament nor the PGA Championship. The Grand Slam consisted of the US Open and the British Open, added with the amateur versions of both the tournaments.
Since then, not a single player has managed to win all the four major golf championships in a single year.
There is something more to address here. It was not just the Grand Slam that makes him one of the elite golfers in the history.
In fact, it was his confidence that makes him a legend of the sport. At the start of the 1930 golf season, he decided to bet on himself with British bookmakers that he will win all the four major championships in a single calendar year.
It seemed almost impossible, especially for an amateur player. Therefore, the bookmakers gave him a rate of 50 – 1. At the end of the season, he pocketed $60,000 after winning the bet.
The time when he achieved that feat, he was just 28 years old. Right at the beginning of the following season, he decided to quit his career as a golfer. Thereafter, he used to practice law full time.
Soon after that, he founded the Augusta National Golf Club in 1933. A few years later, he co-founded the Masters Tournament, which is now played as the first major championship of the season each year.
Jones came out of his retirement in 1934, in order to participate in the Masters Tournament. He then kept on playing in the event until 1948, when he decided to say good bye to the game permanently, due to health issues.
It has been more than eight decades since he competed against some of the best golfers of his time. Still, his legacy continues to live on.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
Tags: