Sam Snead

Ranked #5 of 12 · Golf

#5GOAT Rankings
United StatesCountry
1936-1979Career

Why they rank here

Sam Snead owned the most natural swing in golf and the record that proves it: 82 PGA Tour victories, the all-time mark until Tiger Woods tied it in 2019. Known as Slammin' Sammy for his effortless power and flexibility, he could still kick the top of a door frame in his seventies. Snead won 7 majors, including three Masters and three PGA Championships. His career-long frustration was the U.S. Open, which he never won despite four runner-up finishes, the single gap in an otherwise complete record. His professional career spanned five decades; in 1979 he became the first player to shoot his age on the PGA Tour, carding a 66 at 67, then repeating the feat, a testament to the longevity of the smoothest action the game has produced.

Career profile

Majors
7
PGA Tour wins
82
Worldwide wins
165+
Masters titles
3

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