Mason Rudolph (golfer)
Edgar Mason Rudolph was an American professional golfer who won five times on the PGA Tour.
Early life and amateur career
In 1934, Rudolph was born in Clarksville, Tennessee. He won the U.S. Junior Amateur in 1950. In 1956, he won the Western Amateur and the Tennessee Open. He played on the 1957 Walker Cup team.Professional career
In 1958, Rudolph turned professional. The following year he joined the PGA Tour and was Rookie of the Year. He won five official PGA Tour events during his career. Rudolph also won the Tennessee Open five times as a pro. He played on the 1971 Ryder Cup team.In December 1959, Rudolph took part in a match against Sam Snead on NBC's World Championship Golf. After Snead found a 15th club in his bag on the 12th hole of the match, Snead decided to stage the conclusion of the televised match to show the official result, a Rudolph win, during its final holes after the 11 hole penalty on Snead led to an 11 and 7 win for Rudolph. After the match was over, Snead said he staged the result once the match officially concluded at the point of infraction by missing putts in order to not spoil the show. The controversy erupted as the broadcast aired in April 1960, months after hearings into the quiz show rigging scandals, and the sponsor cancelled its participation once Snead admitted he staged the match to show the legal result after he officially lost the match at the 12th hole with the discovery of the violation. Legally, Snead did not fix the match, since the outcome was officially decided on the 12th hole as a Rudolph win. Modern broadcasts would disclose that portions of the match not affecting the outcome of the game were edited or recreated. The rule was changed in 1964 to a cap of two holes, meaning Rudolph would be leading by two holes once the penalty was given, and the match continued.
Awards and honors
- In 1959, Rudolph earned the PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year award
- In 1990, Rudolph was inducted as a charter member of the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame in 1990.
- A 9-hole, regulation-length golf course in his hometown is named for him. A men's and a women's collegiate golf tournament also bears his name.
Professional wins (13)
PGA Tour wins (5)
PGA Tour playoff record| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 1963 | Portland Open Invitational |  |1957Other wins (8)
Results in major championships
Note: Rudolph never played in The Open Championship. CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" indicates a tie for a place Summary
U.S. national team appearancesAmateurProfessional |