J. C. Snead

Jesse Carlyle Snead was an American professional golfer who won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. Snead was the nephew of hall of famer Sam Snead.

Early life

Snead, who preferred being called by his middle name, Carlyle, was born in Hot Springs, Virginia, where his father worked at The Homestead resort. He attended East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee, where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He played pro baseball in the Washington Senators farm system before becoming a professional golfer in 1964. He joined the PGA Tour in 1968.

Professional career

PGA Tour

Snead won eight tournaments on the PGA Tour and one in international competition. He was a member of the 1971, 1973, and 1975 Ryder Cup teams. Snead's biggest career disappointment was that he never won a major championship on the PGA Tour; however, he made his career mark as one of the tour's most consistent players, with more than seven million dollars in career earnings. Snead recorded two runner-up finishes in majors: 2nd at 1973 Masters Tournament and a tie for 2nd with Dave Stockton at the 1978 U.S. Open. He was also twice runner-up in The Players Championship, in 1974 and 1976, behind Jack Nicklaus on both occasions.

Senior career

From 1993 to 2002, Snead won four times on the Senior PGA Tour. He defeated Jack Nicklaus in a playoff for the 1995 Ford Senior Players Championship, a senior major championship.

Personal life and death

In his free time, Snead enjoyed hunting and farming. He had one son, Jason. He resided full time in Hot Springs, Virginia and part-time in Hobe Sound, Florida.
Snead died of cancer on April 25, 2025, at the age of 84.