Samuel McLaughlin Parks Jr. (June 23, 1909 – April 7, 1997) was an American professional golfer, the winner of the U.S. Open in 1935, his only major title.
Career In 1909, Park was born in Bellevue, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. He used his knowledge of the nearby Oakmont Country Club to win the 1935 U.S. Open at age 25.
Although a comparatively recent convert from college and amateur ranks and little-known nationally, Parks, the professional at the nearby South Hills Country Club, was the only player to negotiate Oakmont's furrowed bunkers and shaved greens in less than 300 strokes. After winning the U.S. Open, Parks played for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, matched against Alf Perry (the reigning British Open champion), the first time the U.S. Open champion would play the British Open Champion of the same year in the Ryder Cup Match. During that event, at the 36th hole, Parks made a birdie putt to win the hole and tie the match, so that both he and the British champ remained undefeated in Ryder Cup play.
Personal life Parks, a University of Pittsburgh alumnus who helped found the school's golf team in the 1920s, died in 1997 at age 87 in Clearwater, Florida.
Professional wins (5)
PGA Tour wins (1) YearTournamentWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 1935 U.S. Open +11 (77-73-73-76=299) 2 strokes Jimmy Thomson
Source:
Other wins (4) this list may be incomplete 1937 Tri-State PGA Championship 1940 Pennsylvania Open Championship 1943 Tri-State PGA Championship 1945 Tri-State PGA Championship
Major championships
Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 1935 U.S. Open Tied for lead +11 (77-73-73-76=299) 2 strokes Jimmy Thomson
Results timeline Tournament193119321933193419351936193719381939Masters TournamentNYFNYFNYFT46T15T20T3624U.S. OpenCUTT66T371CUTT16CUTT38PGA ChampionshipR16R32R64R64
Tournament1940194119421943194419451946194719481949Masters TournamentT19NTNTNTU.S. OpenT29T33NTNTNTNTCUTCUTPGA ChampionshipR32NT
Tournament1950195119521953195419551956195719581959Masters Tournament507261T65CUTCUTCUTU.S. OpenCUTPGA Championship
Tournament196019611962Masters TournamentCUTCUTCUTU.S. OpenPGA Championship Note: Parks never played in The Open Championship.
NYF = tournament not yet founded NT = no tournament 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 0 0 0 4 16 10U.S. Open 1 0 0 1 1 2 13 7The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 1 3 5 5Totals 1 0 0 1 2 9 34 22 Most consecutive cuts made – 7 (twice) Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (1935 U.S. Open – 1935 PGA)
References