The Philadelphia Inquirer paid Byron Nelson for a 1939 US Open interview!

“DID YOU KNOW”

The Philadelphia Inquirer paid Byron Nelson for a 1939 US Open interview!

With the 1939 US Open coming to the Philadelphia Country Club, The Philadelphia Inquirer gave its golf writer Fred Byrod an assignment. He was to enlist Byron Nelson for an interview at the completion of the tournament. Byrod was given a dollar starting point, with orders not to exceed a certain amount. Nelson signed on. That proved to be a stroke of genius.  

Via two 18-hole playoffs, Nelson won the tournament on a Monday. After Nelson completed his interviews with the press Byrod followed him back to Reading, where he was holding forth as the professional at the Reading Country Club. Byrod sat on Nelson’s front porch interviewing him, while Jug McSpaden waited impatiently in his automobile for Nelson to finish. They were headed to Toledo for the Inverness Invitational Four-Ball as partners, where Nelson had already agreed to be the professional for 1940. Due to the two days of playoffs they were leaving later than planned. 

Byrod gleaned enough information for lengthy articles in the Inquirer on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The articles covered Nelson’s time in golf from being an amateur to winning the US Open.

The following are excerpts from Fred Byrod’s interview with Byron Nelson:

As an amateur I was a very poor driver and usually drove with a brassie (2-wood). I’m a three-quarter swinger and that seems to work with my strong wrists. My tee shots still have plenty of distance. After high school I worked as a file clerk at a railroad station for two years. With the Great Depression and having the least tenure I lost my job. I didn’t mind as I didn’t like working the same hours day after day.

I then turned pro and landed a position as the professional in Texarkana as the head pro. After two years there I left be an assistant to PGA President George Jacobus at Ridgewood CC in New Jersey. At Ridgewood I was able to play in some of the big golf tournaments in the northeast like the 1936 Metropolitan Open, which I won. After two years at Ridgewood, Reading CC hired me as their head professional.

I started the US Open playing very poorly, five over par after eight holes. I was closing the clubface on my long-irons at the start which made me hook badly. I felt like six over par 284 would win or tie, so I stuck in there. With about 22 holes to play I began to make some putts.

I’ve worked hard on my golf game, but not so much on putting. I think putting is more a matter of concentration. Now driving is the best part of my game. The weakest part of my game is my short irons. I tend to be a little loose with my wrists at times, and don’t put much backspin on the ball. Some of the older pros like Ed Dudley and Leo Diegel have been very helpful to me. If I don’t rush my backswing, I never miss a shot by very much.

I would never want to play tournaments full time. I will probably only play six more tournaments this summer, along with about 50 exhibitions. I enjoy teaching but couldn’t do it ten or twelve hours a day. After watching so many hooks and slices you are afraid to hit a ball yourself.

Winning the US Open isn’t worth as much as many people think. If anyone wants to guarantee me $10,000 for this year I will take it, except for what I make at Reading Country Club.

When I was a young caddy in Texas, I always dreamed about winning the PGA or the US Open. I am glad I was 27 before I won something big like this US Open. Two or three years ago I don’t think I would have been experienced enough to handle the success. I hope I can conduct myself as should a champion.

A great friend and promoter of the PGA professionals, Fred Byrod is a member of the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame. When Ben Hogan won the 1950 US Open at Merion GC he said he was too tired to speak to the press. Then he relented and said he would only speak to Fred Byrod and the press could then talk to Byrod. Known for the accuracy of his reporting, Byrod was the sports editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer from 1958 to 1976.