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Pete Brown (golfer)

Pete Brown
Personal information
Born(1935-02-02)February 2, 1935
Port Gibson, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedMay 1, 2015(2015-05-01) (aged 80)
Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight190 lb (86 kg; 14 st)
Sporting nationality United States
Career
StatusProfessional
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Champions Tour
Professional wins14
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour2
Other12
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipT33: 1964
U.S. OpenT58: 1969
The Open ChampionshipDNP

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.

Early life

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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

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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.

Brown was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.[6] [7] [8]

Personal life

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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.[9] He lived in Evans, Georgia, from 2012 to 2015.[3][10]

Brown died in Augusta, Georgia, on May 1, 2015, at the age of 80.[11]

Professional wins (14)

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PGA Tour wins (2)

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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 United States Dan Sikes
2 Feb 1, 1970 Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational −13 (76-67-67-65=275) Playoff England Tony Jacklin

PGA Tour playoff record (1–1)

No. Year Tournament Opponent(s) Result
1 1964 Almaden Open Invitational United States Billy Casper, United States Jerry Steelsmith 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 England Tony Jacklin Won with par on first extra hole

Other wins (12)

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "The first African American to Win a PGA Event". afrogolf.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  2. ^ "Remembering the old UGA tour". Black Enterprise. September 1997. Archived from the original on February 28, 2006. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  3. ^ a b McAllister, Mike (April 29, 2014). "Breakthrough at Burneyville". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "Golf Tournament Honorees". Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  5. ^ Kelley, Brent. "PGA Tour Buick Invitational". about.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  6. ^ "Pete Brown: Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Inductee for Golf". Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  7. ^ Cleveland, Rick (October 22, 2019). "His wife says Pete Brown, finally recognized at home, is smiling down, saying 'Amen!'". Mississippi Today.
  8. ^ "Wyatt Emmerich: Sports hall of fame was a great event". August 13, 2021.
  9. ^ "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 January 10, 2024.
  10. ^ 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. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  11. ^ Livsey, Laury (May 1, 2015). "Brown passes away at age 80". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on March 11, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
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