By Stone Martindale Sep 26, 2006, 23:02 GMT
"I don't know very much. I know a little bit about golf. I know how to make a stew. And I know how to be a decent man."-- Byron Nelson in 1997
American Ryder Cup player Tiger Woods smiles at supporters as he walks along the 8th during play on the final day of the 36th Ryder Cup at the K Club near Dublin, Sunday 24 September 2006. Woods was a student of Byron Nelson's swing and technique, and has the highest respect for him. EPA/GERRY PENNY
"What Byron accomplished, that goes down as one of the great years in the history of our sport. ... DiMaggio's record, I see that being broken more than winning 11 in a row."-- Tiger Woods
IRVING, Texas- Byron Nelson, known as "Lord Byron" whose 11 straight tournament victories in 1945 stand as one of sport's most enduring records, died Tuesday of natural causes at the age of 94.
Like British golf legend John Jacobs, Byron Nelson earned his golf guru status by his legendary career in the frustratingly difficult game.
Nelson had the greatest year in the recorded history of professional golf in 1945 when he won 18 tournaments. He captured 31 of 54 tournaments in 1944-45. Then, at age 34, he retired after the 1946 season to spend more time home on his Texas ranch.
The Byron Nelson Classic had new legend Tiger Woods record fifth on the all-time career victory list earlier this month. Woods won the Deutsche Bank Championship for his 53rd career victory; Nelson has 52 victories.
"When I was playing regularly, I had a goal," Nelson recalled years after his retirement. "I could see the prize money going into the ranch, buying a tractor, or a cow. It gave me incentive."
In 1945, Nelson won a record-setting 11 tournaments in a row, a mark also being challenged by Woods. Woods has won five consecutive PGA Tour events so far this season.
"In this day and age, with this competition, to win 11 in a row would be almost unheard of," Woods said after his fifth straight victory when asked how Nelson's accomplishment compared with others, like Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak.
"What Byron accomplished, that goes down as one of the great years in the history of our sport. ... DiMaggio's record, I see that being broken more than winning 11 in a row."
ESPN reports that Nelson finished second once in the U.S. Open, twice in the Masters and three times in the PGA. Nelson played only twice in the British Open finishing fifth in 1937.
Many consider Nelson's long, fluid swing as the model of the modern way to swing in golf, and his friendly demeanor and kind way with words won him many fans.
"He was a legend who transcended generations and was loved and respected by everyone who knew him. Our players, young and old, looked to Byron as the consummate role model of our sport. His legacy spans across his historic performances, the gentle and dignified way he carried himself and his tremendous contributions to golf and society," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said.
In the 1960s he became one of golf's early TV announcers.
ESPN reported Nelson had invented a popular "Texas style" swing that was upright and compact, unlike some of the unwieldy swings of early players.
"The mechanics of my swing were such that it required no thought," Nelson said. "It's like eating. You don't think to feed yourself. If you have to think about your swing it takes that much away from your scoring concentration.
Nelson's Statistics:• Won 52 PGA Tour events.• Won 11 tournaments in a row in 1945 (an all-time record).• Won 18 total tournaments that year• Won five total majors (1937 and '42 Masters, 1939 U.S. Open, 1940 and '45 PGA Championship)• Made 113 consecutive cuts at one point, second all-time to Tiger Woods' 142• Played on Ryder Cup teams in 1937 and 1947 and was a non-playing captain of the 1965 team.• Finished in the Top 10 in 65 consecutive tournaments from 1942 to 1946.• The EDS Byron Nelson Championship is the only PGA Tour stop named after a professional golfer.• First win was 1935 New Jersey State Open• Last win was 1951 Bing Crosby Pro-Am
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