Pete Brown (golfer)

Pete Brown (February 2, 1935 – May 1, 2015) was an American professional golfer who was the first African American to win a PGA Tour event with his win at the Waco Turner Open. He was from Mississippi.^[1]

Pete Brown
Personal information
Born	(1935-02-02)February 2, 1935 Port Gibson, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	May 1, 2015(2015-05-01) (aged 80) Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 14 st)
Sporting nationality	United States
Career
Status	Professional
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour Champions Tour
Professional wins	14
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	2
Other	12
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament	DNP
PGA Championship	T33: 1964
U.S. Open	T58: 1969
The Open Championship	DNP

Early life

Brown was born in Port Gibson, Mississippi, and grew up in Jackson, Mississippi.^[2] He started in golf as a caddy at the municipal course in his hometown.^[3] He suffered from non-paralytic polio in the late 1950s but recovered and resumed playing competitive golf.^[4]

Career

He turned professional in 1954, winning the Negro National Open consecutively in 1961 and 1962. Brown received his PGA Tour card in 1963.^[2] He was not the first African American to obtain his PGA players card; that honor belonged to Charlie Sifford. Brown's victory at the 1964 Waco Turner Open did, however, earn him a place in history as the first African American to win a PGA event. He played on the PGA Tour for 17 years and posted a second tour win at the 1970 Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational in a playoff over Tony Jacklin.^[5][6]

Brown played on the Senior PGA Tour (now Champions Tour) beginning in 1985. His best finishes were a pair of T-6s in 1985 at the Senior PGA Tour Roundup and the MONY Syracuse Senior Classic.

Brown was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.^{[7] [8] [9]}

Personal life

Brown and his wife, Margaret, are the parents of six daughters.^[2] He was the head pro at Madden Golf Course in Dayton, Ohio, for more than 20 years.^[10] He lived in Evans, Georgia, from 2012 to 2015.^[4][11]

Brown died in Augusta, Georgia, on May 1, 2015, at the age of 80.^[12]

Professional wins (14)

PGA Tour wins (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	May 3, 1964	Waco Turner Open	−8 (71-71-68-70=280)	1 stroke	Dan Sikes
2	Feb 1, 1970	Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational	−13 (76-67-67-65=275)	Playoff	Tony Jacklin

PGA Tour playoff record (1–1)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent(s)	Result
1	1964	Almaden Open Invitational	Billy Casper, Jerry Steelsmith	Casper won with birdie on third extra hole after 18 hole playoff; Casper: −4 (68), Brown: −4 (68), Steelsmith: +1 (73)
2	1970	Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational	Tony Jacklin	Won with par on first extra hole

Other wins (12)

• Four time USG (Negro) National Open Champion
• Four time Long Star Open Champion
• Three time North & South Champion
• 1962 Michigan Open