Pete Brown (golfer)
Pete Brown (February 2, 1935 – May 1, 2015) was an American professional golfer who is best known as the first African American to win a PGA Tour event with his win at the Waco Turner Open.
| Pete Brown | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 2, 1935 Port Gibson, Mississippi |
| Died | May 1, 2015 (aged 80) Augusta, Georgia |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 14 st) |
| Nationality |  |
| Career | |
| Status | Professional |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 14 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 2 |
| Other | 12 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | DNP |
| PGA Championship | T33: 1964 |
| U.S. Open | T58: 1969 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
Early life
Brown was born in Port Gibson, Mississippi and grew up in Jackson, Mississippi.[1] He started in golf as a caddy at the municipal course in his hometown.[2] He suffered from non-paralytic polio in the late 1950s but recovered and resumed playing competitive golf.[3]
Career
He turned professional in 1954, winning the Negro National Open consecutively in 1961 and 1962. Brown received his PGA Tour card in 1963.[1] He was not the first African American to obtain his PGA players card; that honor belonged to Charlie Sifford. Brown's victory at the 1964 Waco Turner Open did, however, earn him a place in history as the first African American to win a PGA event. He played on the PGA Tour for 17 years and posted a second tour win at the 1970 Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational in a playoff over Tony Jacklin.[4][5]
Brown played on the Senior PGA Tour (now Champions Tour) beginning in 1985. His best finishes were a pair of T-6s in 1985 at the Senior PGA Tour Roundup and the MONY Syracuse Senior Classic.
Personal life
Brown and his wife, Margaret, are the parents of six daughters.[1] He was the head pro at Madden Golf Course in Dayton, Ohio for more than 20 years.[6] He lived in Evans, Georgia from 2012 to 2015.[3][7]
Brown died in Augusta, Georgia on May 1, 2015 at the age of 80.[8]
Professional wins (14)
PGA Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 3, 1964 | Waco Turner Open | −8 (71-71-68-70=280) | 1 stroke | |
| 2 | Feb 1, 1970 | Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational | −13 (76-67-67-65=275) | Playoff |  |
PGA Tour playoff record (1–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1964 | Almaden Open Invitational | |
Casper won with birdie on third extra hole after 18 hole playoff; Casper: −4 (68), Brown: −4 (68), Steelsmith: +1 (73) |
| 2 | 1970 | Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational | |
Won with par on first extra hole |
Other wins (12)
- Four time USG (Negro) National Open Champion
- Four time Long Star Open Champion
- Three time North & South Champion
- 1962 Michigan Open
References
- "The first African American to Win a PGA Event". afrogolf.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
- "Remembering the old UGA tour". Black Enterprise. September 1997. Archived from the original on 2006-02-28. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
- McAllister, Mike (April 29, 2014). "Breakthrough at Burneyville". PGA Tour.
- "Golf Tournament Honorees". Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
- "PGA Tour Buick Invitational". Retrieved September 27, 2007.
- "Pete Brown, First African-American To Win A PGA Event, Believes In The Big Stik Driver" (Press release). Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
- Bamberger, Michael (April 8, 2014). "After a hardscrabble life as a Tour journeyman, Augusta's own Jim Dent hit it big and paid it forward". Golf.com.
- Livsey, Laury (May 1, 2015). "Brown passes away at age 80". PGA Tour.
External links
- Pete Brown at the PGA Tour official site