[dropcap]S[/dropcap]am Snead was determined to beat the Texan, who only the week before had embarrassed him at the U.S. Open, in the final round of the Western Open on Jun.14, 1937.
Ralph Guldahl was born in Big D in 1911, a year before two legendary lions of the links -- Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson – also drew their first breath in the Lone Star State. By age 11, the son of Norwegian immigrants was caddying at Lakewood Country Club, and in 1927 he captained the Woodrow Wilson High School golf team to the state title.
As the wheels began coming off the national economy in 1930, Guldahl elected to earn his living by playing the game he loved. The raw rookie showed a flash of his precocious potential becoming the youngest qualifier for the U.S. Open.
