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Gene SarazenGolf player
Date of Birth: 27.02.1902
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen, whose real name was Eugenio Saraceni, was born in the small town of Harrison, in southern New York State, in 1902. At the age of 10, Gene began playing golf, but he couldn't afford a personal coach, so he taught himself the game, making plenty of mistakes along the way. However, these mistakes would prove to be valuable lessons for the future.
In his teenage years, Gene started to train harder, which helped him win the PGA Championship in 1922. This victory surprised many of his peers, as he wasn't considered a leading contender due to the presence of golf stars like Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones, both of whom were older than Sarazen. Nevertheless, the young athlete finished the entire course first. The 1922 championship also marked the moment when the United States surpassed Great Britain as the leading golf country in the world.
Throughout his career, Gene Sarazen won 39 tournaments on the PGA Tour, participated in the Ryder Cup six times as part of the American team, and became a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. He was also the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Unique Playing Style
Sarazen's playing style was noticeably different from his competitors. Due to his small stature (just over 165 cm), he couldn't use long clubs to hit the ball further. Instead, he focused on the power of his swing and developed a double grip technique, which allowed him to achieve one of the longest drives of his time. Sarazen is also known for inventing the "sand wedge," a club that helps golfers get out of sand traps and bunkers commonly found on golf courses.
One of Sarazen's notable achievements was a record-breaking shot during The Masters Tournament in 1935. He hit the ball 235 yards with a small 4-iron club, and it landed perfectly in the hole, earning him his first-ever "double eagle." No one could catch up to Sarazen after that shot, and he became the tournament's champion.
Life After Golf
After retiring from professional golf, Sarazen continued to be involved in the sport. He won the PGA Seniors' Championship twice and worked as a television host for the show "Wonderful World of Golf." In 1973, he astonished the public once again by making a hole-in-one on the first hole. Even after his death, Sarazen set another record, as he remained loyal to his sponsor, Wilson Sporting Goods, from 1923 until his passing.
In 1978, Sarazen received an honorary degree from Siena College in New York, and the students' union was named after him as a tribute. Shortly before his death, Sarazen established a foundation that annually supports promising athletes in pursuing higher education at top American universities.
Gene Sarazen passed away at the age of 97 in Florida, due to complications from pneumonia. In 2000, Golf Digest ranked him 11th in the list of the greatest golfers of all time.
