Ben Hogan
A near-fatal car crash in 1949 threatened Hogan’s career. He returned to win the 1950 U.S. Open, then took three majors in 1953 with one of the game’s most admired ball-striking methods.
The 1949 collision with a bus left Hogan with severe injuries and an uncertain future. His return to competitive golf made the 1950 U.S. Open at Merion a test of endurance as much as shotmaking.
He won an 18-hole playoff there, then produced a remarkable 1953 season, taking the Masters, U.S. Open and The Open. Hogan's search for a repeatable swing still shapes how golfers talk about practice and precision.
Hogan did not have the option of playing every modern major in 1953 because the PGA Championship conflicted with The Open. His three-major season therefore needs the context of the schedule he actually faced.