Pete Brown (golfer)

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.

Pete Brown
Personal information
Born(1935-02-02)February 2, 1935
Port Gibson, Mississippi
DiedMay 1, 2015(2015-05-01) (aged 80)
Augusta, Georgia
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

Early life

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

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.

In 2021, Brown was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.[6]

Personal life

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.[7] He lived in Evans, Georgia, from 2012 to 2015.[3][8]

Brown died in Augusta, Georgia, on May 1, 2015, at the age of 80.[9]

Professional wins (14)

PGA Tour wins (2)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory		Runner-up
1May 3, 1964Waco Turner Open−8 (71-71-68-70=280)1 strokeUnited States Dan Sikes
2Feb 1, 1970Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational−13 (76-67-67-65=275)PlayoffEngland Tony Jacklin

PGA Tour playoff record (1–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(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)
  • Four time USG (Negro) National Open Champion
  • Four time Long Star Open Champion
  • Three time North & South Champion
  • 1962 Michigan Open

References
  1. "The first African American to Win a PGA Event". afrogolf.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  2. "Remembering the old UGA tour". Black Enterprise. September 1997. Archived from the original on 2006-02-28. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  3. McAllister, Mike (April 29, 2014). "Breakthrough at Burneyville". PGA Tour.
  4. "Golf Tournament Honorees". Archived from the original on July 23, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  5. "PGA Tour Buick Invitational". Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  6. "Wyatt Emmerich: Sports hall of fame was a great event". 13 August 2021.
  7. "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 September 27, 2007.
  8. 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.
  9. Livsey, Laury (May 1, 2015). "Brown passes away at age 80". PGA Tour.
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