Ben Crenshaw

Lore & Background

Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Crenshaw played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas, where he won three NCAA Championships from 1971 to 1973. He turned professional in 1973 at age 21. He won the Masters in 1984 and again in 1995, the latter coming a week after the death of his mentor Harvey Penick. He captained the 1999 U.S. Ryder Cup team to a comeback victory. He has the worst playoff record in PGA Tour history at 0–8.

In Their Own Story

The afternoon light at Pinehurst was going gold, the kind that turns the long rough into a field of amber wheat. Crenshaw stood over a chip from the fringe, the ball sitting on a blade of grass that had been trampled flat by a hundred feet before his. The gallery had thinned; most had gone to the back nine where the drama was louder. He didn't look at the flagstick. He looked at the slope, the way the grain pulled the ball a half-inch left, the way the wind had died to a whisper. He set the club behind the ball, felt the sole kiss the turf, and let the wrist do the work. The ball skipped once, twice, and stopped three feet from the cup, the flagstick trembling in the still air. He didn't smile. He just picked up his club, walked to the next tee, and let the silence do the talking.

Reader's Guide

Crenshaw is known for his smooth putting stroke, taught by Harvey Penick. He finished in the top ten of all four major championships in 1987 without winning any. He has been a golf course design partner with Bill Coore since 1986. His final Masters appearance was in 2015.

Did You Know?

• Crenshaw won the Masters in 1984 and 1995.
• He turned professional in 1973 at age 21.
• He played on four Ryder Cup teams (1981, 1983, 1987, 1995) and captained the 1999 team.
• He has a 0–8 record in PGA Tour playoffs, the worst in tour history.
• Crenshaw was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.