Jones, Bobby (1902-1971) Bobby Jones, an American golfer, was one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. In 1930, Jones became the only player ever to win the United States Open, the British Open, the United States Amateur, and the British Amateur tournaments in one year. These were the world's four major golf events at that time. After completing this "Grand Slam," Jones retired from tournament play at the age of 28.

Between 1923 and 1930, Jones won 13 major titles. In addition to his Grand Slam, he won the U.S. Open in 1923, 1926, and 1929; the British Open in 1926 and 1927; and the U.S. Amateur in 1924, 1925, 1927, and 1928.

Jones was born in Atlanta, Ga. His full name was Robert Tyre Jones, Jr. After his retirement, Jones and banker Clifford Roberts founded the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. In 1934, Jones and Roberts established an annual tournament for the course that was later called the Masters. The Masters is now one of golf's major championships.

Zaharias, Babe Didrikson (1911?-1956)  Babe Didrikson Zaharias is generally considered the greatest woman athlete in sports history. She gained her most enduring fame in golf and track and field, but she also competed in basketball, baseball, pocket billiards, tennis, diving, and swimming. In a 1932 track and field meet, she set four world records in three hours. At the 1932 Olympic Games, she set world records in the 80-meter hurdles, the javelin throw, and the high jump.

Didrikson began concentrating on golf in the early 1930's. Her style of play dramatically changed women's golf. Her powerful swing, low scores, and showmanship attracted many new fans to women's golf. Didrikson won the U.S. Women's Amateur tournament in 1946. In 1946 and 1947, she won 17 tournaments in a row, including the 1947 British Women's Amateur tournament. She became the first American to win this event. Didrikson turned professional in 1947. She was one of the founders of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). She won the U.S. Women's Open in 1948, 1950, and 1954. The 1954 victory came a year after she had cancer surgery.

Mildred Ella Didrikson was born in Port Arthur, Texas. She was nicknamed Babe after baseball slugger Babe Ruth because of the many home runs she hit playing baseball as a child. She married George Zaharias, a wrestler, in 1938.

Hagen, Walter (1892-1969)    Walter Hagen was a great golfer and the player most responsible for elevating professional golf into a major sport. Hagen's insistence on first-class treatment at tournaments raised the stature of professional golfers during a time when amateur players dominated the game. His popularity greatly contributed to making golf a spectator sport.

Hagen's skill as a player combined with his showmanship and colorful lifestyle to make him golf's first celebrity. Hagen sometimes arrived for a match in a chauffeur-driven limousine and wearing a tuxedo. He was the first golfer to earn more than a million dollars in tournaments and exhibitions and the first player to market golf equipment bearing his name.

Walter Charles Hagen was born in Rochester, N.Y. Between 1914 and 1929, he won 11 major tournaments. He won the United States Open in 1914 and 1919; the British Open in 1922, 1924, 1928, and 1929; and the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) tournament in 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1927.

Hogan, Ben (1912-1997)  Ben Hogan, an American golfer, was one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Hogan won more than 60 tournaments, including the United States Open four times, the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) tournament twice, the Masters twice, and the British Open once.

In 1949, a bus struck the car Hogan was driving. The collision fractured his left collarbone, left ankle, pelvis, and a rib. Hogan barely survived the injuries. Doctors feared he might not be able to walk again, much less play golf. Yet, just 17 months after the accident, Hogan won the 1950 U.S. Open. He played the tournament with his legs wrapped in bandages.

Hogan was born in Dublin, Tex. His full name is William Benjamin Hogan. He became famous for his determination to perfect his swing through hours of practice. Hogan was one of the smallest golf champions, weighing only 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms).

Lopez, Nancy (1957-...) Nancy Lopez became one of the greatest and most popular players in the history of women's golf. Her exciting game and warm personality made Lopez a crowd favorite from the start of her career. Her skill and popularity raised women's professional golf to greater prominence. In 1978, her first full year as a professional, she won nine tournaments, five in succession. She won eight tournaments in 1979.

Lopez was born in Torrance, California, and raised in Roswell, New Mexico. She began learning golf from her father, an amateur player. She won the New Mexico Women's Amateur title at the age of 12. Lopez joined the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) in 1977. She won Player of the Year honors several times. After gaining the 35th victory of her career in 1987, Lopez was inducted into the LPGA's Hall of Fame. In 1982, she married major league baseball player Ray Knight.

Nicklaus, Jack (1940-...)  Jack Nicklaus, an American golfer, ranks among the greatest players in the history of the sport. Nicklaus was the first player to win all four of golf's major titles at least twice. He won the British Open in 1966, 1970, and 1978; the U.S. Open in 1962, 1967, 1972, and 1980; the Masters tournament in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, and 1986; and the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) tournament in 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, and 1980. He also won the United States Amateur tournament in 1959 and 1961 before turning professional.

Jack William Nicklaus was born in Columbus, Ohio. He was nicknamed the "Golden Bear" for his blond hair. His first professional tournament victory came in 1962 when he defeated Arnold Palmer in a playoff for the 1962 U.S. Open championship. Nicklaus has also designed a number of golf courses.

Palmer, Arnold (1929-...)  Arnold Palmer, American golfer, became one of the greatest and most popular players in the history of the sport. Palmer was the first player to win the Masters tournament four times--in 1958, 1960, 1962, and 1964. Palmer's appealing personality and bold playing style helped to greatly increase the popularity of golf. Throughout his career, Palmer has attracted a huge crowd of supporters called "Arnie's Army" at tournaments. His charisma also was largely responsible for making golf a popular television sport.

Arnold Daniel Palmer was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Palmer turned professional after winning the United States Amateur tournament in 1954. He won the U.S. Openin 1960 and the British Open in 1961 and 1962.

Price, Nick (1957-...)  Nick Price is a successful South African professional golfer. Price has won three major golf championships, the PGA Championship in 1992 and 1994 and the British Open in 1994.

Nicholas Raymond Leige Price was born in Durban, South Africa. He began his golf career at the age of 8 as a caddie for his brother. Price started playing amateur tournament golf as a teen-ager and became a professional golfer in 1977.

Snead, Sam (1912-...)  Sam Snead won more tournaments than any other American golfer. From 1936 to 1965, Snead won a record 84 tournaments sanctioned by the Professional Golfers' Association, and he has claimed a total of 165 tournament victories. He became known as "Slammin' Sammy" for his powerful drives and naturally smooth swing.

Snead won the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) championship in 1942, 1949, and 1951 and the Masters tournament in 1949, 1952, and 1954. He won the British Open in 1946. Snead finished second in the United States Open four times. In 1965, he won the Greensboro Open, becoming the oldest man ever to win a regular PGA tournament.

Samuel Jackson Snead was born in Ashwood, Va., near Hot Springs. He turned professional in 1934 and won his first important tournament, the Oakland Open, in 1937. In 1980, he joined the PGA senior tour, limited to golfers at least 50 years of age.

Trevino, Lee (1939-...)  Lee Trevino is an American golfer. Few people had heard of Trevino before he won the U.S. Open in 1968. But he soon gained fame as one of the most colorful and popular figures in sports. During tournaments, Trevino often joked with his many followers, who became known as "Lee's Fleas."

In 1971, Trevino accomplished one of the most remarkable winning streaks in golf history. Within 16 weeks that year, he won five tournaments and finished among the top five money winners in four other tourneys. Trevino also won the U.S. Open in 1971, the British Open in 1971 and 1972, and the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Championship in 1974 and 1984. Lee Buck Trevino was born in Dallas, Texas.

Woods, Eldrick (Tiger) (1975-...)  Tiger Woods (1975-...), an American golfer, created a sensation in the sports world with his brilliant play. In 2001, Woods won the 65th Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Course in Georgia, becoming the only golfer in history to hold the four major professional championship titles at the same time. In 2000, Woods won golf's three other major tournaments -- the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship.

Woods won the British Open in 2000 with a record 19 under par, completing a career Grand Slam. The Grand Slam of golf consists of, in order of play, the Masters Tournament, the United States Open, the British Open, and the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Championship. Woods is the youngest golfer to complete a Grand Slam. The only other golfers to accomplish such a feat are Jack Nicklaus at age 26, Gary Player at 29, Gene Sarazen at 33, and Ben Hogan at 40. Woods won the 1997 Masters Tournament at the age of 21. He became the youngest golfer and the first with African American heritage to win the Masters. Woods set a record by playing the 72 holes of the tournament in 18 strokes under par. He also won the PGA Championship in 1999 and 2000. Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open by 15 strokes, the largest margin of victory in the Open and any other major championship. Woods is especially known for his long, accurate drives, but he has also gained praise for his complete game as well as his composure and his competitive intensity.

Woods first gained attention as an amateur golfer. He won the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship in 1991, 1992, and 1993. He also won the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1994, 1995, and 1996. He won the Division I men's title in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships in 1996 while attending Stanford University. Woods turned professional in 1996 and won two tournaments as a pro in that year.

Woods was born in Cypress, California. His given name is Eldrick Woods. His father named him "Tiger" after an Army buddy. Woods had a great impact on golf internationally because of his diverse ethnic background, which is African American, American Indian, Chinese, European, and Thai.