Larry Nelson

Hall of Fame

⭐ World Golf Hall of Fame

Larry Gene Nelson was born on September 10, 1947, in Fort Payne, Alabama, but his family moved to Acworth, Georgia (Cobb County), where he grew up. One of the most remarkable stories in the history of golf, Nelson did not pick up a golf club until age 21, after returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam (1966–1968). He taught himself to play by reading Ben Hogan's "Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf" and immediately demonstrated a natural gift for the game. He turned professional in 1971 and within a decade had become one of the most accomplished players in the world. Nelson won three major championships: the PGA Championship in 1981 and 1987, and the U.S. Open in 1983. He was an especially dominant Ryder Cup player, going 9–3–1 in match play over his career — including going undefeated (3–0) in the dramatic 1979 Ryder Cup at The Greenbrier and 4–0 in 1981. The speed and precision with which he reached the top of professional golf — starting from zero knowledge of the game — makes his story one of the most astonishing in American sports. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2006. Grew up in Acworth, Georgia.