Editing Byron Nelson

{{short description|American professional golfer (1912–2006)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name              = Byron Nelson
| image             = Byron Nelson by Acme, 1944.jpg
| caption           = Byron Nelson, {{circa|1944}}
| fullname          = John Byron Nelson Jr.
| nickname          = Lord Byron
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1912|2|4}}
| birth_place       = [[Waxahachie, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2006|9|26|1912|2|4}}
| death_place       = [[Roanoke, Texas]], U.S.
| height            = 6 ft 1 in
| nationality       = {{Flagu|United States}}
| spouse            = {{ubl|{{marriage|Louise Shofner Nelson|1934|1985|end=her death}}|{{marriage|Peggy Simmons Nelson|November 15, 1986|<!--2006; his death-->}}<ref name=nytdva07>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/sports/golf/27anderson.html?_r=0 |newspaper=The New York Times |last=Anderson |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Anderson (sportswriter) |title=An honor for Byron Nelson, Golf's patron saint |date=June 27, 2007 |access-date=June 1, 2016}}</ref>}}
| yearpro           = 1932
| extour            = [[PGA Tour]]
| prowins           = 64
| pgawins           = 52 ([[List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins|6th all-time]])
| otherwins         = 12
| majorwins         = 5
| masters           = '''Won''': [[1937 Masters Tournament|1937]], [[1942 Masters Tournament|1942]]
| usopen            = '''Won''': [[1939 U.S. Open (golf)|1939]]
| open              = 5th: [[1937 Open Championship|1937]]
| pga               = '''Won''': [[1940 PGA Championship|1940]], [[1945 PGA Championship|1945]]
| wghofid           = byron-nelson
| wghofyear         = 1974
| award1            = [[Vardon Trophy]]
| year1             = 1939
| award2            = [[PGA Tour#Money winners and most wins leaders|PGA Tour<br />leading money winner]]
| year2             = 1944, 1945
| award3            = [[Associated Press Athlete of the Year|Associated Press<br />Male Athlete of the Year]]
| year3             = 1944, 1945
| award4            = [[Bob Jones Award]]
| year4             = 1974
| award5            = [[PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award|PGA Tour Lifetime<br />Achievement Award]]
| year5             = 1997
| award6            = [[Payne Stewart Award]]
| year6             = 2000
| award7            = [[Congressional Gold Medal]]
| year7             = 2006
| awardssection     = #Awards
}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Golddusttwins.jpg|thumb|220px|The "Gold Dust Twins":<br />[[Jug McSpaden]] (left) and Nelson]] -->
'''John Byron Nelson Jr.''' (February 4, 1912 – September 26, 2006) was an American [[professional golfer]] between 1935 and 1946, widely considered one of the greatest golfers of all time.

Nelson and two other legendary champions of the time, [[Ben Hogan]] and [[Sam Snead]], were born within seven months of each other in 1912.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://golf.about.com/od/golfersmen/p/ben_hogan.htm |title=Ben Hogan |publisher=About.com |last=Kelley |first=Brent |access-date=May 25, 2007 |archive-date=May 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527030254/http://golf.about.com/od/golfersmen/p/ben_hogan.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://golf.about.com/od/golfersmen/p/sam_snead.htm |title=Sam Snead |publisher=About.com |last=Kelley |first=Brent |access-date=May 25, 2007 |archive-date=January 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170127014547/http://golf.about.com/od/golfersmen/p/sam_snead.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Although he won many tournaments in the course of his relatively brief career, he is mostly remembered today for having won 11 consecutive tournaments and 18 total tournaments in 1945. He retired officially at the age of 34 to be a rancher, later becoming a commentator and lending his name to the [[Byron Nelson Classic]], the first [[PGA Tour]] event to be named for a professional golfer. As a former [[Masters Tournament|Masters]] champion he continued to play in that annual tournament, placing in the top-10 six times between 1947 and 1955 and as high as 15th in 1965.<ref name=augusta>[http://www.augusta.com/masters/historic/leaderboards/1965leaderboard.shtml Historic Augusta Leaderboards]</ref>

In 1974, Nelson received the [[Bob Jones Award]], the highest honor given by the [[United States Golf Association]] in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf, and was inducted into the [[World Golf Hall of Fame]].<ref name="WGHF">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldgolfhalloffame.org/byron-nelson/ |title=Byron Nelson profile |publisher=World Golf Hall of Fame |access-date=January 16, 2014}}</ref> He became the second recipient of the [[PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award]] in 1997. He received the 1994 [[Old Tom Morris Award]] from the [[Golf Course Superintendents Association of America]], that organization's highest honor. Nelson was posthumously awarded the [[Congressional Gold Medal]] in 2006.

==Early life==
Born near [[Waxahachie, Texas]], Byron Nelson was the son of Madge Allen Nelson (1893–1992) and John Byron Nelson Sr. (1889–1965). His parents set a precedent for him not only in their long lives &mdash; Madge Nelson lived to age 98, and her husband to age 77 &mdash; but also in their religious commitment. Madge, who had grown up [[Baptist]], was baptized in the [[Church of Christ]] at age 18, and John Byron Sr., raised [[Presbyterian]], was baptized in the Church of Christ soon after meeting Madge. The senior Byron Nelson went on to serve as an [[Elder (Christianity)|elder]] in the Roanoke Church of Christ, and the younger Byron Nelson was a committed member of that congregation, even performing janitorial services there from time to time long after he became famous. He placed his membership at the Hilltop Church of Christ in Roanoke from 1989 until 2000, when he moved his membership to the Richland Hills Church of Christ in [[North Richland Hills, Texas]].<ref name="cchron">{{cite news|url=http://www.christianchronicle.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=474 |title=Legendary golfer Byron Nelson, a faithful church member, dies at 94 |first=Bobby Jr. |last=Ross|work=The Christian Chronicle |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024041952/http://www.christianchronicle.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=474 |archive-date=2007-10-24 }}</ref>

When Nelson was 11 years old, the family moved to [[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]], where he barely survived [[typhoid fever]] after losing nearly half his body weight to the disease, which also left him unable to sire children{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}. Soon after his baptism at age 12, he started [[caddying]] at Glen Garden Country Club.<ref name="cchron"/> On his caddying days, Nelson said, "I knew nothing about caddying at first, but it wasn't difficult to learn. The other caddies, though, didn't like to see any new ones, because that might mean they wouldn't get a job sometime."<ref>{{cite book |title=The Gigantic Book of Golf Quotations |editor-first=Jim |editor-last=Apfelbaum |year=2007 |publisher=World Golf Hall of Fame |isbn=978-1-60239-014-0}}</ref> An article on Nelson in ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' noted that initially caddies were not permitted to play at the club: "[H]e would often practice in the dark, putting his white handkerchief over the hole so he could find it in the darkness."<ref name="siobit">{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/magazine/09/26/byron.nelson/index.html?section=si_topstories |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604045947/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/magazine/09/26/byron.nelson/index.html?section=si_topstories |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |title=Grace, style and morality: Nelson will be known as 'legend who will never fade' |first=Art |last=Stricklin |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=September 26, 2006 |access-date=November 2, 2006}}</ref> The club later changed its policy and sponsored a caddie tournament, where a 14-year-old Nelson beat fellow caddie and future golf great [[Ben Hogan]] by a single stroke after a nine-hole playoff.<ref name="cchron"/><ref name="siobit"/> Nelson and Hogan were rivals but close friends in their teen years, and for the first part of their professional careers as well, but Nelson's early success was difficult for the struggling Hogan to deal with, and they gradually grew apart, while retaining mutual respect.<ref name=dodson>{{cite book |title=Ben Hogan: An American Life |first=James |last=Dodson |year=2004 |publisher=Doubleday |isbn=978-0-385-50312-9 |url=https://archive.org/details/benhoganamerican00dods }}</ref>

In 1934, Nelson was working as a golf pro in [[Texarkana, Arkansas]], when he met his future wife Louise Shofner, to whom he was married for 50 years before she died in 1985 after two severe [[stroke]]s.<ref name=nytdva07/><ref name="cchron"/>

==Professional career==

===Championship heyday===
After turning professional in 1932, Nelson served as a club professional in Texas and played as many significant tournaments as he could afford, to develop his game. Money was tight, as Texas was hit very hard by the [[Great Depression]]. A pair of top-three finishes in important Texas events encouraged him. He then took a club professional's job at the [[Ridgewood Country Club]] in [[New Jersey]] in 1935. He worked hard on his game, having earlier realized that with the technological change from hickory to steel shafts, which was gathering momentum in the early 1930s, that the golf swing would have to adapt as well. Nelson was among the first of a new generation of players who developed a full swing with increased leg drive leading the downswing; this is the forerunner of modern golf technique as practiced by top players, right to the present day. Nelson is sometimes credited as being the father of the modern golf swing. He refined the changes for a couple of years, and then took his game to the highest level of competition, the PGA Tour.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite book |title=Gettin' to the Dance Floor: An Oral History of American Golf |first=Al |last=Barkow |author-link=Al Barkow |year=1985 |publisher=Atheneum |isbn=978-0689115172}}</ref> Nelson's first significant victory was in 1935 at the [[New Jersey State Open]]. He followed this up with a win at the [[Metropolitan Open]] the following year. He reportedly won this tournament with "$5 in my pocket".<ref name="Interview">{{cite journal|url=http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/features/kessler/columnist/0,17742,545269-3,00.html |title=Golf's great gentleman looks back – and ahead |access-date=May 22, 2007 |last=Kessler |first=Peter |journal=Golf Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927231301/http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/features/kessler/columnist/0%2C17742%2C545269-3%2C00.html |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1937, Nelson was hired as the head professional at the Reading Country Club in [[Reading, Pennsylvania]], and worked there until 1940, when he took a new job as head pro at the [[Inverness Club]] in [[Toledo, Ohio]].<ref name=dodson/> While at Inverness, Nelson coached and mentored the promising young player [[Frank Stranahan]], who would go on to stardom over the next two decades.

===Wins major championships===
Nelson won his first [[Men's major golf championships|major]] title at [[Masters Tournament|The Masters]] in [[1937 Masters Tournament|1937]], two shots ahead of runner-up [[Ralph Guldahl]]. During this tournament, he shot a first-round 66, which was the lowest first-round score at the Masters until [[1976 Masters Tournament|1976]], when [[Raymond Floyd]] shot a 65 en route to his victory.<ref name="Dallas">{{cite news |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/golf/stories/092706dnnewnelsonchrono.321c420.html |title=A course for success |access-date=May 22, 2007 |last=Townsend |first=Brad |newspaper=The Dallas Morning News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061103054912/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/golf/stories/092706dnnewnelsonchrono.321c420.html |archive-date=November 3, 2006}}</ref> Nelson won four more majors, the [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] in [[1939 U.S. Open (golf)|1939]], the [[PGA Championship]] in [[1940 PGA Championship|1940]] and [[1945 PGA Championship|1945]], and a second Masters in [[1942 Masters Tournament|1942]].

====World War II years====
Nelson had a blood disorder that caused his blood to clot four times slower than normal, which kept him out of military service during [[World War II]]. It has sometimes mistakenly been reported that he had [[hemophilia]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Nelson |first=Byron |title=How I Played the Game |year=1993 |publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing |isbn=978-0-87833-819-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780878338191 }}</ref> During the war, Nelson gave hundreds of golf exhibitions across the country to raise money for charitable causes, often partnering with [[Harold "Jug" McSpaden]], who was also exempt from military service.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==Career highlights==
[[File:Byron Nelson war bonds 1944.jpg|thumb|Nelson holding $8,000 worth of war bonds he won during eight major tournaments in 1944.]]
In his career, Nelson won 52 professional events, and, along with McSpaden, was one of golf's "[[Gold Dust Twins]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://talesfromthebunker.com/harold-%E2%80%9Cjug%E2%80%9D-mcspaden-the-other-gold-dust-twin/ |title=Tales from the Bunker" Harold "Jug" McSpaden – The Other "Gold Dust Twin" |date=September 5, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113161637/http://talesfromthebunker.com/harold-%E2%80%9Cjug%E2%80%9D-mcspaden-the-other-gold-dust-twin/ |archive-date=January 13, 2014 }}</ref>

Nelson won the [[Vardon Trophy]] in 1939.<ref name="About"/> He played on two [[Ryder Cup]] teams, in [[1937 Ryder Cup|1937]] and [[1947 Ryder Cup|1947]], and was non-playing captain in [[1965 Ryder Cup|1965]].<ref name="About"/> After 1946, Nelson curtailed his schedule, although he continued to make regular appearances at The Masters as a competitor, played occasional Tour events, appeared in a few overseas tournaments, and later served as a ceremonial starter for many years.<ref name="About"/>

===Record-breaking year===
In 1945, Nelson enjoyed a record-breaking year, winning 18 PGA tournaments out of the 30 he played, including 11 in a row that he played in.<ref name="About">{{cite web |url=http://golf.about.com/od/golfersmen/p/byron_nelson.htm |title=Byron Nelson |publisher=About.com |last=Kelley |first=Brent |access-date=May 18, 2007 |archive-date=May 24, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070524092659/http://golf.about.com/od/golfersmen/p/byron_nelson.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Both records are yet to be beaten. Nelson's run of 11 wins started in March with the [[Miami International Four-Ball]], where he partnered [[Jug McSpaden]]. He then won 10 individual events ending with the [[Canadian Open (golf)|Canadian Open]] in August, a run that finished when he finished tied for fourth place in the [[Memphis Invitational]]. During this run, he won the 1945 [[PGA Championship]], the only major championship played that year.<ref name="About"/> The week after the PGA Championship he missed the [[St. Paul Open]] with a back injury. There has been debate as to how impressive these results are, as it was believed to be a weakened tour due to the war.<ref name="About2"/> But in reality many of the leading golfers of that time, including [[Sam Snead]] and [[Ben Hogan]] still played a full or at least part schedule that year.<ref name="About2"/> Snead won 6 times in 1945 while Hogan won 5 times in the latter part of the year. During this year Nelson finished second another 7 times, set a record for the scoring average (68.33 for 18 holes) that was broken by [[Tiger Woods]] in 2000, a record 18 hole score (62), and a record 72-hole score (259, which beat the previous record set by  [[Ben Hogan]] earlier that year).<ref name="About2">{{cite web |url=http://golf.about.com/od/golfersmen/a/menstop10years_3.htm |title=Top 10 Individual Seasons in Men's Golf History |publisher=About.com |last=Kelley |first=Brent |access-date=May 21, 2007 |archive-date=March 24, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070324070156/http://golf.about.com/od/golfersmen/a/menstop10years_3.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> This year is now known as the greatest single year by a player on the PGA Tour, as Arnold Palmer said: "I don't think that anyone will ever exceed the things that Byron did by winning 11 tournaments in a row in one year."<ref name="SandTrap">{{cite web|url=http://thesandtrap.com/columns/profiles/byron_nelson |title=Byron Nelson |publisher=The Sand Trap |date=September 29, 2006 |first=Jeff |last=Smith |access-date=May 22, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015203742/http://thesandtrap.com/columns/profiles/byron_nelson |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref> Even more recently, Tiger Woods referred to the year as "one of the great years in the history of the sport".<ref name="SandTrap"/>

===Cut streak===
Nelson's record of 113 consecutive cuts made is second only to [[Tiger Woods]]' 142. The PGA Tour defines a "cut" as receiving a paycheck, even if an event has no cut ''per se''. In Nelson's era, only the top 20 in a tournament received a check. In reality, Nelson's "113 consecutive cuts made" are representative of his unequaled 113 consecutive top 20 tournament finishes. Almost half of those top 20s were during the weakened tour war years of 1944 & 1945. In fact, 26 of Nelson's 52 tour wins were during those two weakened tour years of 1944 & 1945. Before 1944 he had never won more than 4 events in any year.

===First to win 50 PGA Tour events===
With his win at the 1946 Columbus Invitational, Nelson became the first player to reach 50 career PGA Tour wins. This feat has since been matched by [[Ben Hogan]], [[Sam Snead]], [[Arnold Palmer]], [[Jack Nicklaus]], [[Billy Casper]], and [[Tiger Woods]].

===Notable performances===
Nelson achieved several notable performances of scoring and accuracy at key moments in major championships:
* 1937 Masters: Nelson scored a birdie and an eagle on holes 12 and 13 in the final round, making up six strokes on his main rival [[Ralph Guldahl]], who played those same holes with a double bogey and a bogey; Nelson went on to win.
* 1939 U.S. Open: Nelson hit the flagstick six times on approach shots during the regulation 72 holes and the 36 playoff holes, he won the championship.<ref>{{cite book |title=The U.S. Open: Golf's Ultimate Challenge |first=Robert |last=Sommers |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1996 |edition=2nd |asin=B011MBVA54}}</ref>
* 1945 PGA Championship: In the semi-final 36-hole match against [[Jim Turnesa]], Nelson was down four holes with five holes remaining. He played those finishing holes with an eagle and four birdies to win the match; Turnesa scored a birdie and four pars over those holes; Nelson won the title the next day.

==Retirement==
Nelson retired officially at the relatively early age of 34 to become a rancher, buying a ranch in Roanoke, Texas.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6jgbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=00wEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3738%2C5411336 |newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press |title=Nelson Retires From Tourneys |date=October 7, 1946 |page=13}}</ref>

Nelson later became a television golf commentator, during the 1960s and 1970s.

===Byron Nelson Classic===
From 1968, Nelson lent both his name and support to the [[Byron Nelson Golf Classic]] in Dallas; this was the first regularly-held PGA Tour event to be named for a professional golfer; the tournament had been previously staged as the Dallas Open.

===Late-career competition, wins===
As a former [[Masters Tournament|Masters]] champion, he continued to play in that annual tournament, placing in the top-10 six times between 1947 and 1955, and as high as 15th in 1965, at age 53.<ref name=augusta/> From 1947 to 1955 Nelson played in 12 majors and won none.

Nelson did win the 1951 [[Bing Crosby Pro-Am]], a PGA Tour event that he had not won before. He also won the 1955 [[Open de France|French Open]]. Nelson gave paid golf exhibitions for many years after he retired from the Tour, notably after his 1951 Crosby victory.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

===Writes memoirs===
Nelson published his memoir "How I Played The Game" in 1993 (by Taylor Publishing, Dallas).

Over nearly 70 years in the sport, Nelson played with many celebrities and well-known personalities, including: [[Roone Arledge]], [[Bing Crosby]], [[James Garner]], [[Bob Hope]], [[Bobby Knight]], [[Randolph Scott]], [[Ed Sullivan]], [[Johnny Weissmuller]], [[Lawrence Welk]], and [[Babe Zaharias]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Nelson |first=Byron |title=How I Played the Game |year=1993 |publisher=Taylor Publishing Company |location=Dallas, Texas |isbn=0-87833-819-5 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780878338191/page/221 221–247] |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780878338191/page/221 }}</ref>

===Coach and mentor===
Among the rising golf talents Nelson coached and mentored, from the 1950s to the 1970s, are [[World Golf Hall of Fame]] members [[Ken Venturi]] and [[Tom Watson (golfer)|Tom Watson]], along with [[Marty Fleckman]] (who won the 1965 NCAA title and one PGA Tour event), and the dominant amateur [[Harvie Ward]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever |last=Frost |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Frost |date=November 6, 2007 |publisher=[[Hachette Books|Hyperion Books]] |isbn=978-1-4013-0278-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/matchdaygameofgo00fros }}</ref>

==Death and legacy==
Nelson died Tuesday, September 26, 2006.<ref name="nyt"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/golf/stories/092706dnmetnelsonob.1bd747e3.html |title=Byron Nelson: Golf's legend, par excellence |first1=Brad |last1=Townsend |first2=Bill |last2=Nichols |newspaper=The Dallas Morning News |date=September 27, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206200228/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/golf/stories/092706dnmetnelsonob.1bd747e3.html |archive-date=February 6, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/5383458.stm |title=American Golf Legend Nelson Dies |work=BBC Sport |date=September 26, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513103110/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/5383458.stm |archive-date=May 13, 2012}}</ref> According to a family friend, Nelson died at his [[Roanoke, Texas]] home around noon. He was survived by Peggy, his wife of nearly 20 years, sister Margaret Ellen Sherman (1920–2007), and brother Charles (1926–2018), a professor [[emeritus]] at [[Abilene Christian University]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-11 |title=ACU Remembers: Dr. Charles Nelson |url=https://acu.edu/2018/06/11/acu-remembers-dr-charles-nelson/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=Abilene Christian University |language=en-US}}</ref> where Byron Nelson had been a trustee and benefactor. Nelson met his second wife, the former Peggy (McDonald) Simmons of Toledo, Ohio,<ref name=nytdva07/> when she volunteered at the Bogie Busters celebrity golf tournament in [[Dayton, Ohio]] in 1985.<ref name="dayton">{{cite news |url=http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/2006/09/26/ddn092706nelson.html |title=Dayton was Byron Nelson's 2nd home |first=Bucky |last=Albers |date=September 27, 2006 |newspaper=Dayton Daily News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930183531/http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/2006/09/26/ddn092706nelson.html |archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref>

Nelson was often referred to as "Lord Byron", after the [[George Byron, 6th Baron Byron|English poet by that name]], in recognition of his reputation for gentlemanly conduct, a nickname given him by [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]] sports journalist O. B. Keeler.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/26/sports/golf/26cnd-nelson.html?ex=1162616400&en=6fed6abefdbd45cb&ei=5070 |title=Byron Nelson, Golf Champion, Is Dead at 94 |first=Richard |last=Goldstein |newspaper=The New York Times |date=September 26, 2006 |access-date=November 1, 2006}}</ref> Many of his obituaries referenced this reputation.<ref name="jeffrude">{{cite news |url=http://www.golfweek.com/ourtake/287135217111292.php |title=Legendary memories: Byron Nelson was larger than life, and I was lucky to call him a friend |first=Jeff |last=Rude |work=Golf Week |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061031205900/http://www.golfweek.com/ourtake/287135217111292.php |archive-date=October 31, 2006}}</ref><ref name="celizic">{{cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15021575/ |title=Death of Nelson shuts door on greatest era: 'Lord Byron' embodied the essence of the game like no one else |first=Mike |last=Celizic |work=MSNBC |date=October 3, 2006 |access-date=November 2, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061031014131/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15021575/ |archive-date=October 31, 2006 }}</ref>

Nelson had several successful years as a [[television]] golf commentator. Among the memorable events he broadcast was the 1966 U.S. Open for [[ABC Sports]]. Nelson's comments as Arnold Palmer let slip a big lead to [[Billy Casper]] on the final nine holes: "A few holes ago, everybody thought this championship was over. Golf is the strangest game in the world."<ref>{{cite book |title=Arnie & Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf's Greatest Rivalry |url=https://archive.org/details/arniejackpalmern00ocon |url-access=registration |first=Ian |last=O'Connor |date=April 11, 2008 |chapter=Chapter 8: Master of Disaster |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |isbn=978-0618754465}}</ref> It was at the 1974 U.S. Open that Nelson met Watson for the first time, and the two connected after Watson let a big lead get away in the final round.

Nelson was ranked as the fifth greatest golfer of all time by ''[[Golf Digest]]'' magazine in 2000. On this list, [[Jack Nicklaus]] was first, Nelson's longtime rivals [[Ben Hogan]] and [[Sam Snead]] were second and third respectively, and [[Bobby Jones (golfer)|Bobby Jones]] was fourth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_7_51/ai_63015233 |title=50 Greatest Golfers of All Time: And What They Taught Us |access-date=2007-12-05 |last=Yocom |first=Guy |date=July 2000 |work=[[Golf Digest]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217174706/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_7_51/ai_63015233 |archive-date=2007-12-17 }}</ref> A 2009 ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' panel ranked him seventh on its list of all-time greatest golfers, behind Nicklaus, [[Tiger Woods]], Jones, Hogan, Snead, and [[Arnold Palmer]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Golf Book' |page=147 |publisher=Sports Illustrated |year=2009 |isbn=978-1603200851}}</ref>

The "Iron Byron" electro-mechanical machine or robot, developed by [[Battelle Memorial Institute]] and [[True Temper Sports]] and used by the [[United States Golf Association]] and golf manufacturers to compare and test clubs and balls for conformity to standards, was named for Nelson, honoring the consistency of his swing.

In Jack Nicklaus's 1978 book ''On and Off the Fairway'', Nicklaus wrote that Nelson was the straightest golfer he ever saw. The two never played competitively (except at the Masters; Nicklaus won in 1965, Nelson finished tied for 15th), but a 14-year-old Nicklaus was in the crowd at the 1954 [[U.S. Junior Amateur]], when Nelson gave an exhibition hitting golf shots.<ref>{{cite book |title=On and Off the Fairway |url=https://archive.org/details/onofffairwaypict00nick |url-access=registration |first1=Jack |last1=Nicklaus |author-link1=Jack Nicklaus |first2=Ken |last2=Bowden |year=1978 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=9780671225681 }}</ref>

==Posthumous honors==
[[State Highway 114 (Texas)|State Highway 114 Business]] through [[Roanoke, Texas]] is named Byron Nelson Boulevard, in honor of Nelson's residence; the street he lived on was recently changed to Eleven Straight Lane in honor of his 1945 record. In Irving, Texas a street immediately adjacent to the Four Seasons Resort and Club, where the HP Byron Nelson Championship is played each year, is named Byron Nelson Lane.  A street in Southlake, Texas, Byron Nelson Parkway, was named in his honor, as was a street in a residential neighborhood in [[McAllen, Texas]].

On September 29, 2006, the [[United States Senate]] approved Senate Resolution 602<ref>[https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-resolution/602?r=33 Senate Resolution 602 (2006)]</ref> awarding Byron Nelson the [[Congressional Gold Medal]], the highest award bestowed by the [[Legislative Branch]] of the [[United States government]]. The resolution cites Mr. Nelson's "significant contributions to the game of golf as a player, a teacher, and a commentator". Representative [[Michael C. Burgess]] (R-TX) sponsored the resolution, originally proposed on March 8, 2006, well before Nelson's death.<ref>{{USPL|109|357}} (Byron Nelson Congressional Gold Medal Act)</ref> On June 27, 2007, Peggy Nelson, Byron Nelson's surviving wife, was presented with the medal.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/27/sports/golf/27anderson.html |title=An Honor for Byron Nelson, Golf's Patron Saint |newspaper=The New York Times |first=Dave |last=Anderson |date=June 27, 2007}}</ref>

On April 23, 2007, the [[Northwest Independent School District]] named their second high school [[Byron Nelson High School]]. This is the first high school named in honor of Byron Nelson and opened in the fall of 2009. The school is located in [[Trophy Club, Texas]], near Nelson's hometown of Roanoke.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nisdtx.org/12071042616198250/blank/browse.asp?a=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&c=64446 |title=A Look at Northwest ISD's Second High School |access-date=May 19, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126230657/http://www.nisdtx.org/12071042616198250/blank/browse.asp?a=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&c=64446 |archive-date=November 26, 2010}}</ref>

Artist Chelle Adams painted two portraits of Byron Nelson in dedication which hang in the school's auditorium. [[Orange County Choppers]] built three [[Chopper (motorcycle)|choppers]] in dedication which were auctioned off.

==Professional wins (64)==
===PGA Tour wins (52)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Legend
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| Major championships (5)
|- 
| Other PGA Tour (47)
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|Aug 10, 1935
|[[New Jersey State Open]]
| +4 (75-71-70-72=288)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jack Forrester]]
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|May 23, 1936
|[[Metropolitan Open]]
| +3 (71-69-72-71=283)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Wood (golfer)|Craig Wood]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|3
|align=right|Apr 4, 1937
|'''[[1937 Masters Tournament|Masters Tournament]]'''
|−5 (66-72-75-70=283)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ralph Guldahl]]
|-
|align=center|4
|align=right|Sep 28, 1937
|[[Belmont International Open]]
|colspan=2 align=center|5 and 4
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Henry Picard]]
|-
|align=center|5
|align=right|Feb 27, 1938
|[[Thomasville Open (PGA Tour)|Thomasville Open]]
|−8 (66-73-71-70=280)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Dick Metz]]
|-
|align=center|6
|align=right|Mar 11, 1938
|[[Hollywood Open]]
|−9 (71-68-69-67=275)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Frank Moore (golfer)|Frank Moore]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Horton Smith]]
|-
|align=center|7
|align=right|Feb 5, 1939
|[[Phoenix Open]]
|−15 (68-65-65=198)
|12 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|-
|align=center|8
|align=right|Mar 23, 1939
|[[North and South Open]]
|−8 (71-68-70-71=280)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Horton Smith]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|9
|align=right|Jun 12, 1939
|'''[[1939 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]'''
| +8 (72-73-71-68=284)	
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Denny Shute]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Wood (golfer)|Craig Wood]]
|-
|align=center|10
|align=right|Jul 23, 1939
|[[Western Open]]
|−2 (68-72-70-71=281)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Lloyd Mangrum]]
|-
|align=center|11
|align=right|Feb 12, 1940
|[[Texas Open]]
|−13 (68-67-69-67=271)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|12
|align=right|Sep 2, 1940
|'''[[1940 PGA Championship|PGA Championship]]'''
|colspan=2 align=center|1 up
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sam Snead]]
|-
|align=center|13
|align=right|Dec 15, 1940
|[[Miami Open (golf)|Miami Open]]
|−9 (69-65-67-70=271)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Clayton Heafner]]
|-
|align=center|14
|align=right|Mar 23, 1941
|[[Greater Greensboro Open]]
|−6 (72-64-70-70=276)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Vic Ghezzi]]
|-
|align=center|15
|align=right|Sep 7, 1941
|[[Tam O'Shanter National Open]]
|−10 (67-69-72-70=278)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Leonard Dodson]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|-
|align=center|16
|align=right|Dec 14, 1941
|[[Miami Open (golf)|Miami Open]] (2)
|−11 (70-67-66-66=269)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|-
|align=center|17
|align=right|Jan 18, 1942
|[[Oakland Open]]
|−6 (67-69-69-69=274)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Johnny Dawson]] (a)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|18
|align=right|Apr 13, 1942
|'''[[1942 Masters Tournament|Masters Tournament]]''' (2)
|−8 (68-67-72-73=280)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|-
|align=center|19
|align=right|Jul 27, 1942
|[[Tam O'Shanter National Open]] (2)
|−8 (67-71-65-77=280)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Clayton Heafner]]
|-
|align=center|20
|align=right|Jan 17, 1944
|[[San Francisco Victory Open]]
|−13 (68-69-68-70=275)
|6 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|21
|align=right|Apr 2, 1944
|[[Knoxville War Bond Tournament]]
|−10 (69-68-66-67=270)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|22
|align=right|Jun 18, 1944
|[[New York Red Cross Tournament]]
|−13 (69-69-66-71=275)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Vic Ghezzi]]
|-
|align=center|23
|align=right|Jul 9, 1944
|[[Golden Valley Four-Ball]]<br>(with {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]])
|align=center|+13 points
|3 points
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bob Hamilton]] and {{flagicon|USA}} [[Bill Kaiser]]
|-
|align=center|24
|align=right|Aug 28, 1944
|[[All American Open]] (3)
|−8 (68-70-73-69=280)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ed Dudley]]
|-
|align=center|25
|align=right|Sep 4, 1944
|[[Nashville Invitational]]
|−15 (64-67-68-70=269)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|26
|align=right|Sep 10, 1944
|[[Texas Victory Open]]
|−8 (69-69-70-68=276)
|10 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|27
|align=right|Dec 4, 1944
|[[San Francisco Open]] (2)
|−7 (72-71-69-69=281)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jim Ferrier]]
|-
|align=center|28
|align=right|Jan 14, 1945
|[[Phoenix Open]] (2)
|−10 (68-65-72-69=274)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Denny Shute]]
|-
|align=center|29
|align=right|Feb 4, 1945
|[[Corpus Christi Open]]
|−16 (66-63-65-70=264)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|30
|align=right|Feb 13, 1945
|[[New Orleans Open (PGA Tour)|New Orleans Open]]
|−4 (70-70-73-71=284)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|31
|align=right|Mar 11, 1945
|[[Miami International Four-Ball]]<br>(with {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]])
|colspan=2 align=center|8 and 6
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sammy Byrd]] and {{flagicon|USA}} [[Denny Shute]]
|-
|align=center|32
|align=right|Mar 21, 1945
|[[Charlotte Open]]
|−16 (70-68-66-68=272)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sam Snead]]
|-
|align=center|33
|align=right|Mar 25, 1945
|[[Greater Greensboro Open]] (2)
|−13 (70-67-68-66=271)
|8 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sammy Byrd]]
|-
|align=center|34
|align=right|Apr 1, 1945
|[[Durham Open]]
|−4 (71-69-71-65=276)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Toney Penna]]
|-
|align=center|35
|align=right|Apr 8, 1945
|[[Atlanta Open (golf)|Atlanta Open]]
|−13 (64-69-65-65=263)
|9 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sammy Byrd]]
|-
|align=center|36
|align=right|Jun 10, 1945
|[[Montreal Open (golf)|Montreal Open]]
|−20 (63-68-69-68=268)
|10 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|37
|align=right|Jun 17, 1945
|[[Philadelphia Inquirer Open]]
|−11 (68-68-70-63=269)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|38
|align=right|Jul 1, 1945
|[[Chicago Victory National Open]]
|−13 (69-68-68-70=275)
|7 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ky Laffoon]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|39
|align=right|Jul 15, 1945
|'''[[1945 PGA Championship|PGA Championship]]''' (2)
|colspan=2 align=center|4 and 3
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sammy Byrd]]
|-
|align=center|40
|align=right|Jul 30, 1945
|[[All American Open]] (4)
|−19 (66-68-68-67=269)
|11 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Gene Sarazen]]
|-
|align=center|41
|align=right|Aug 4, 1945
|[[Canadian Open (golf)|Canadian Open]]
|E (68-72-72-68=280)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Herman Barron]]
|-
|align=center|42
|align=right|Aug 26, 1945
|[[Knoxville Invitational]] (2)
|−12 (67-69-73-67=276)
|10 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sammy Byrd]]
|-
|align=center|43
|align=right|Sep 23, 1945
|[[Esmeralda Open]]
|−22 (66-66-70-64=266)
|7 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|44
|align=right|Oct 14, 1945
|[[Seattle Open]]
|−21 (62-68-63-66=259)
|13 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Harry Givan]] (a), {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|45
|align=right|Dec 16, 1945
|[[Fort Worth Open]]
|−11 (65-72-66-70=273)
|8 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jimmy Demaret]]
|-
|align=center|46
|align=right|Jan 7, 1946
|[[Los Angeles Open]]
|E (71-69-72-72=284)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|-
|align=center|47
|align=right|Jan 13, 1946
|[[San Francisco Open]] (3)
|−1 (73-70-72-68=283)
|9 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Herman Barron]]
|-
|align=center|48
|align=right|Feb 17, 1946
|[[New Orleans Open (PGA Tour)|New Orleans Open]] (2)
|−11 (73-69-69-66=277)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|-
|align=center|49
|align=right|May 12, 1946
|[[Houston Open]]
|−10 (70-69-67-68=274)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|-
|align=center|50
|align=right|Jul 7, 1946
|[[Columbus Invitational]]
|−12 (72-68-69-67=276)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ed Oliver (golfer)|Ed Oliver]]
|-
|align=center|51
|align=right|Jul 21, 1946
|[[Chicago Victory National Open]] (2)
|−5 (73-69-69-68=279)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|-
|align=center|52
|align=right|Jan 14, 1951
|[[Bing Crosby Pro-Am]]
|−7 (71-67-71=209)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Cary Middlecoff]]
|}

'''PGA Tour playoff record (6–4)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|1
|1939
|'''[[1939 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Denny Shute]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Wood (golfer)|Craig Wood]]
|Won second 18-hole playoff;<br>Nelson: +1 (70),<br>Wood: +4 (73)<br>Level after first 18-hole playoff;<br>Nelson: −1 (68),<br>Wood: −1 (68),<br>Shute: +7 (76)
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|2
|1940
|[[Texas Open]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|Won 18-hole playoff;<br>Nelson: −1 (70),<br>Hogan: E (71)
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|3
|1941
|[[Florida West Coast Open]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Horton Smith]]
|Lost 18-hole playoff;<br>Smith: −3 (68),<br>Nelson: −2 (69)
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|4
|1942
|'''[[1942 Masters Tournament|Masters Tournament]]'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|Won 18-hole playoff;<br>Nelson: −3 (69),<br>Hogan: −2 (70)
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|5
|1942
|[[Tam O'Shanter National Open]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Clayton Heafner]]
|Won 18-hole playoff;<br>Nelson: −5 (67),<br>Heafner: −1 (71)
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|6
|1944
|[[Phoenix Open]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|Lost 18-hole playoff;<br>McSpaden: −1 (70),<br>Nelson: +1 (72)
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|7
|1945
|[[New Orleans Open (PGA Tour)|New Orleans Open]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jug McSpaden]]
|Won 18-hole playoff;<br>Nelson: −7 (65),<br>McSpaden: −2 (70)
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|8
|1945
|[[Gulfport Open]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sam Snead]]
|Lost to par on first extra after 18-hole playoff;<br>Snead: E (71),<br>Nelson: E (71)
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|9
|1945
|[[Charlotte Open]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Sam Snead]]
|Won second 18-hole playoff;<br>Nelson: −3 (69),<br>Snead: +1 (73)<br>Level after first 18-hole playoff;<br>Nelson: −3 (69),<br>Snead: −3 (69)
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|10
|1946
|'''[[1946 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Vic Ghezzi]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Lloyd Mangrum]]
|Mangrum won second 18-hole playoff;<br>Mangrum: E (72),<br>Ghezzi: +1 (73),<br>Nelson: +1 (73)<br>Level after first 18-hole playoff;<br>Ghezzi: E (72),<br>Mangrum: E (72),<br>Nelson: E (72)
|}
Source:<ref>{{cite book |last=Barkow |first=Al |author-link=Al Barkow |title=The History of the PGA TOUR |publisher=[[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] |year=1989 |isbn=0-385-26145-4 |page=[https://archive.org/details/historyofpgatour00bark/page/263 263] |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofpgatour00bark/page/263 }}</ref>

===Other wins (12)===
(This list may be incomplete)
*1937 Central Pennsylvania Open
*1939 [[Massachusetts Open]]
*1940 [[Ohio Open]]
*1941 [[Ohio Open]], Seminole Pro-Am
*1942 Toledo Open, [[Ohio Open]]
*1943 [[Kentucky Open]]
*1944 New York Open, Beverly Hills Open
*1948 Texas PGA Championship
*1955 [[Open de France|French Open]]

==Major championships==
===Wins (5)===
{|class="sortable wikitable"
!Year!!Championship!!54 holes!!Winning score!!Margin!!Runner(s)-up
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
| align=center|[[1937 Masters Tournament|1937]] || [[Masters Tournament]] || 4 shot deficit || −5 (66-72-75-70=283) || 2 strokes || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Ralph Guldahl]]
|-style="background:#FBCEB1;"
| align=center|[[1939 U.S. Open (golf)|1939]] || [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] || 5 shot deficit || +8 (72-73-71-68=284) || Playoff <sup>1</sup> || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Denny Shute]], {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Craig Wood (golfer)|Craig Wood]]
|-style="background:#D8BFD8;"
| align=center|[[1940 PGA Championship|1940]] || [[PGA Championship]] || align=center|match play || align=center colspan=2|1 up || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Sam Snead]]
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
| align=center|[[1942 Masters Tournament|1942]] || [[Masters Tournament]] <small>(2)</small>|| 2 shot lead || −8 (68-67-72-73=280) || Playoff <sup>2</sup> || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Ben Hogan]]
|-style="background:#D8BFD8;"
| align=center|[[1945 PGA Championship|1945]] || [[PGA Championship]] <small>(2)</small>|| align=center|match play || align=center colspan=2|4 & 3 || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Sammy Byrd]]
|}
''Note: The PGA Championship was match play until 1958'' <br />
<sup>1</sup> Defeated Craig Wood and Denny Shute in a 36-hole playoff - Nelson (68-70=138), Wood (68-73=141), Shute (76) (eliminated after first 18)<br />
<sup>2</sup> Defeated Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff - Nelson 69 (−3), Hogan 70 (−2)

===Results timeline===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!1934
!1935
!1936
!1937
!1938
!1939
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:yellow;"|T9
|T13
|style="background:lime;"|'''1'''
|style="background:yellow;"|5
|style="background:yellow;"|7
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]
|CUT
|T32
|CUT
|T20
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|style="background:lime;"|'''1'''
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:yellow;"|5
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:yellow;"|QF
|style="background:yellow;"|QF
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!1940
!1941
!1942
!1943
!1944
!1945
!1946
!1947
!1948
!1949
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]
|style="background:yellow;"|3
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|style="background:lime;"|'''1'''
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:yellow;"|T7
|style="background:yellow;"|T2
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|T17
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:yellow;"|T2
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]
|style="background:lime;"|'''1'''
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|style="background:yellow;"|SF
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|style="background:lime;"|'''1'''
|style="background:yellow;"|QF
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!1950
!1951
!1952
!1953
!1954
!1955
!1956
!1957
!1958
!1959
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]
|style="background:yellow;"|T4
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|T24
|T29
|T12
|style="background:yellow;"|T10
|39
|T16
|T20
|WD
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T28
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T32
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!1960
!1961
!1962
!1963
!1964
!1965
!1966
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]
|CUT
|T32
|T33
|CUT
|CUT
|T15
|CUT
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|}
{{legend|lime|Win}}
{{legend|yellow|Top 10}}
{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
NT = no tournament<br />
WD = withdrew<br />
CUT = missed the half-way cut<br />
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play<br />
"T" indicates a tie for a place

===Summary===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Tournament !! Wins !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Top-5 !! Top-10 !! Top-25 !! Events !! Cuts made
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]         || 2 || 2 || 1 ||  7 || 14 || 20 || 29 || 24
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] || 1 || 1 || 0 ||  4 ||  4 ||  6 || 11 ||  8
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]      || 0 || 0 || 0 ||  1 ||  1 ||  1 ||  2 ||  2
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]           || 2 || 3 || 1 ||  9 ||  9 ||  9 ||  9 ||  9
|-
!Totals                                    !! 5 !! 6 !! 2 !! 21 !! 28 !! 36 !! 51 !! 43
|}
*Most consecutive cuts made – 26 (1937 Masters – 1949 Masters)
*Longest streak of top-10s – 12 (1937 Open Championship – 1941 Masters)

==Awards==
*[[Vardon Trophy]]: 1939
*[[PGA Tour#Money winners and most wins leaders|PGA Tour leading money winner]]: 1944, 1945
*[[Associated Press Athlete of the Year|Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year]]: 1944, 1945
*[[Bob Jones Award]]: 1974
*[[World Golf Hall of Fame]]: 1974
*[[Old Tom Morris Award]]: 1994
*[[PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award]]: 1997
*[[Payne Stewart Award]]: 2000
*[[Congressional Gold Medal]]: 2006

==See also==

*[[Vardon Trophy|Byron Nelson Award]]
*[[List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins]]
*[[List of longest PGA Tour win streaks]]
*[[List of men's major championships winning golfers]]
*[[Most PGA Tour wins in a year]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{PGATour player|01863}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070121041221/http://www.hilltopchurchofchrist.net/Byron%20Nelson%201912-2006.htm Memorial Page for Byron Nelson], Hilltop Church of Christ, Roanoke, Texas (includes biographical sketch, quotations, photographs, and links to obituaries)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080704082211/http://www.scdallas.org/byronnelson/edsbnc/byron/goldmedal.aspx Byron Nelson's Congressional Medal]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080704081827/http://www.scdallas.org/byronnelson/edsbnc/byron/ Tribute to Byron Nelson]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081118194048/http://www.hpbnc.org/ HP Byron Nelson Championship Web site] - golf tournament named after Byron Nelson
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130326042139/http://hpbnc.org/byronnelson/media/guide/ HP Byron Nelson Championship Media Guide] - contains biographical information

{{navboxes|title=Byron Nelson in the [[Men's major golf championships|major championships]]
|list1=
{{The Masters champions}}
{{U.S. Open champions}}
{{PGA Champions}}
}}
{{navboxes|title=Byron Nelson in the [[Ryder Cup]]
|list1={{American Ryder Cup Captains}}
{{1937 United States Ryder Cup team}}
{{1947 United States Ryder Cup team}}
{{1965 United States Ryder Cup team}}
}}
{{Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year navbox}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Byron}}
[[Category:American male golfers]]
[[Category:PGA Tour golfers]]
[[Category:Ryder Cup competitors for the United States]]
[[Category:Winners of men's major golf championships]]
[[Category:World Golf Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Congressional Gold Medal recipients]]
[[Category:American golf writers]]
[[Category:Golfers from Texas]]
[[Category:20th-century American memoirists]]
[[Category:Abilene Christian University people]]
[[Category:American members of the Churches of Christ]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Waxahachie, Texas]]
[[Category:People from Roanoke, Texas]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Denton County, Texas]]
[[Category:1912 births]]
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]