Walter Hagen
| Walter Hagen | |
|---|---|
| — Golfer — | |
Hagen in 1914
|
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Walter Charles Hagen |
| Nickname | Sir Walter, The Haig |
| Born |
December 21, 1892 Rochester, New York |
| Died | October 6, 1969 (aged 76) Traverse City, Michigan |
| Height | 5 ft 10.5 in (1.79 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
| Nationality |
 United States
|
| Residence | Traverse City, Michigan (1958–1969) |
| Spouse | Edna Crosby Straus (m. 1923–37) Margaret Johnson (m. 1917–21) |
| Children | Walter Jr. (1918–82) |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1912 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 75 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 45 (8th all time) |
| Other | 30 |
| Best results in major championships (wins: 11) |
|
| Masters Tournament | T11: 1936 |
| U.S. Open | Won: 1914, 1919 |
| The Open Championship | Won: 1922, 1924, 1928, 1929 |
| PGA Championship | Won: 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1974 (member page) |
Walter Charles Hagen (December 21, 1892 – October 6, 1969) was an American professional golfer and a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of 11 professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus (18) and Tiger Woods (14).
Hagen won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, and won the Claret Jug three more times. He also won the PGA Championship a record-tying five times (all in match play), and the Western Open five times when it had near-major championship status. Hagen totaled 45 PGA wins in his career, and was a six-time Ryder Cup captain. The Masters Tournament, the newest major, was established in 1934, after his prime.
Born in Rochester, New York, Hagen came from a working-class family of German descent. His parents were William and Louisa (Boelke) Hagen, his father worked as a millwright and blacksmith in Rochester's railroad-car shops. Walter was the second of William and Louisa's five children and the only son.
Hagen developed his golf game at the Country Club of Rochester, beginning as a caddy, and earned money to help support his family from pre-teen age. He earned ten cents per round and was occasionally tipped another five cents. Hagen played golf at every chance he got; caddy access to the course was limited to off-peak times, as it was elsewhere in the U.S. during that era. Hagen, with assistance from head professional Alfred Ricketts, gradually improved his golf skill to the stage where he was an expert player by his mid-teens, and was then hired by the club to give lessons to club members and to work in the pro shop. He made his top-class professional debut at age 19 at the 1912 Canadian Open, placing 11th, a good showing. Hagen followed up with a surprise 4th place showing at the 1913 U.S. Open at Brookline where he stated that he was treated badly by the other professionals who knew nothing about him. Hagen said "they pushed me off the tee and told me I could practice when they were through". He vowed to play in the 1914 U.S. Open and "win it", and he did exactly that.
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