Paul Scott Runyan (July 12, 1908 – March 17, 2002) was an American professional golfer. Among the world's best players in the mid-1930s, he won two PGA Championships and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan was also a golf instructor.

Early life Runyan was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He started out as a caddie and then an apprentice at a golf course in his hometown.

Professional career Runyan turned pro at the age of 17. He was head professional at a Little Rock club by age 18. Runyan served as head pro at Metropolis Country Club in White Plains, New York from 1931 to 1943 during which time he won both of his PGA Championships.

In 1934, Runyan defeated Craig Wood in extra holes in the title match of the PGA Championship, the first of his two PGA Championships. Of Runyan's 29 career PGA Tour wins, 16 of them came in 1933 and 1934, and his nine wins in 1933 make him one of only seven golfers to win nine or more times in one year on the PGA Tour. In the first Masters Tournament in 1934, he was paired for the first 36 holes with tournament host Bobby Jones. Runyan won the tour money title in 1934, and was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1933 and 1935.

Runyan was competitive for many years; he won the PGA Championship again in 1938 and led the U.S. Open after three rounds as late as 1951. In the finals of his 1938 PGA, Runyan defeated Sam Snead 8 and 7, the most lopsided title match ever in the event, conducted as match play through 1957. This was despite Snead's vastly greater length off the tee, as much as per hole.

Fellow golfers nicknamed him "Little Poison" (a take on 1930s baseball player Lloyd Waner, who had the same nickname), primarily because he did not drive the ball very far, but also because he had a terrific short game. Runyan had worked tirelessly on his short game from boyhood, since he realized early on if he were to succeed in golf, he had to compensate for his lack of length. Runyan opined that he is the smallest player in golf history who had significant success, although Fred McLeod had a fine record, too, and stood only and weighed a paltry .

Instructor Runyan's teaching prowess led many top pros to him over his 75 years of teaching, including Gene Littler, Phil Rodgers, Chuck Courtney, Frank Beard, Jim Ferree and Mickey Wright. Golf Magazine wrote: "... since the late 1930s, he has probably been the most influential short game instructor. Untold thousands have been taught his methods for putting and chipping." Runyan wrote an influential book outlining his short-game methods, The Short Way to Lower Scoring.

He appeared as a contestant on the October 25, 1950, edition of You Bet Your Life where he tells an anecdote of hitting a spectator with his ball and in another competition his partner hits the same man.

Runyan was the first head golf professional at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington and served from 1968 to 1971. He also attended the 1998 PGA Championship held at Sahalee.

In 2000, he completed the annual Par 3 competition held one day before the Masters at the age of 91.

Personal life In 2002, Runyan died in Palm Springs, California.

Awards and honors In 1990, Runyan was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan received the Harvey Penick Lifetime Teaching Award In 1998, he received the PGA of America Distinguished Service Award. In addition, he is a member of the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Hall of Fame and The Southern California Golf Association Hall of Fame.

Professional wins

PGA Tour wins (29) 1930 (2) North and South Open, New Jersey Open 1931 (2) Metropolitan PGA, Westchester Open 1932 (1) Gasparilla Open Match Play 1933 (9) Agua Caliente Open, Miami Biltmore Open (March), Virginia Beach Cavalier Open, Eastern Open Championship, National Capital Open, Mid-South Pro-Pro (with Willie Macfarlane), Mid-South Open (tie with Willie Macfarlane and Joe Turnesa), Miami International Four-Ball (with Horton Smith), Pasadena Open 1934 (6) St. Petersburg Open, Florida West Coast Open, Tournament of the Gardens Open, The Cavalier Open, Metropolitan Open, PGA Championship 1935 (4) North and South Open, Grand Slam Open, Westchester Open, Metropolitan PGA 1936 (2) Westchester Open, Metropolitan PGA 1938 (1) PGA Championship 1939 (1) Westchester Open 1941 (1) Goodall Round Robin

Major championships are shown in bold.

Source:

Other wins this list is probably incomplete 1934 Westchester Open 1938 Argentine Open 1942 Westchester Open 1947 Southern California PGA Championship

Senior wins 1961 PGA Seniors' Championship, World Senior Championship 1962 PGA Seniors' Championship, World Senior Championship

Major championships

Wins (2) YearChampionshipWinning scoreRunner-up1934 PGA Championship 38 holes Craig Wood1938 PGA Championship 8 & 7 Sam Snead Note: The PGA Championship was match play through 1957

Results timeline Tournament19281929U.S. Open63The Open ChampionshipPGA Championship Tournament1930193119321933193419351936193719381939Masters TournamentNYFNYFNYFNYFT37T4T194T16U.S. OpenT12DQT28T10T8T14T7T9The Open ChampionshipCUTPGA ChampionshipR16R32QF1QFR64R161QF Tournament1940194119421943194419451946194719481949Masters TournamentT12T353NTNTNTU.S. Open49T5NTNTNTNT21T6T53The Open ChampionshipNTNTNTNTNTNTPGA ChampionshipQFR64DNQNTDNQ Tournament1950195119521953195419551956195719581959Masters TournamentCUTT35U.S. OpenT25T6T22CUTCUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipR64DNQ Tournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969Masters TournamentCUTU.S. OpenCUTThe Open ChampionshipT18CUTPGA ChampionshipWDCUT Tournament19701971197219731974Masters TournamentU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipCUTWD

NYF = tournament not yet founded NT = no tournament WD = withdrew DQ = disqualified DNQ = did not qualify for match play portion CUT = missed the half-way cut R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play "T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 0 2 4 5 8 12 10U.S. Open 0 0 0 1 7 12 21 16The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 1PGA Championship 2 0 0 6 8 9 16 12Totals 2 0 2 11 20 30 52 39 Most consecutive cuts made – 33 (1933 PGA – 1952 U.S. Open) Longest streak of top-10s – 6 (1934 PGA – 1936 U.S. Open)

See also List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins Most PGA Tour wins in a year

References

External links