On this day in History 9.27
On this day in History-Sept. 27
On this day back in 1930, golfing legend Robert Tyre “Bobby” Jones became the first and only player in PGA history to win the Grand Slam of golf by winning the U.S. Amateur Championship. During that era, the Grand Slam consisted of the U.S. Amateur Championship, the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the British Amateur Championship.
Prior to the start of the first Grand Slam tournament, Jones made a bet with British bookmakers that he could win all four of the championships before the year ended. The native of Atlanta, GA faced odds of 50-1, but he was determined to show the golfing world that history could be achieved with hard work and focus.
Jones started off by winning both the British Amateur and the British Open by late June, 1930. Many described his victories as the greatest accomplishments in the history of golf; however, he still had two more tournaments that he needed to win. He won the U.S. Open on July 12 and that victory put him within striking distance of winning the U.S. Amateur Championship.
The U.S. Amateur Championship took place at the Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Up until this point, Bobby Jones was becoming a popular figure because he carried a wave of momentum which caught the eye of the entire nation.
On the final day of the tournament, Jones wasted little time by conquering Eugene Homans, defeating him by eight holes with seven remaining to play. In the end, Bobby Jones finally accomplished what he had set out to do by capturing professional golf’s Holy Grail.
