Tommy Aaron's Bio

Tommy Aaron was born in Gainesville, Ga., on February 22, 1937. He began his golfing career by advancing into the quarterfinals in the 1954 U.S. National Junior Championship. In 1955, he claimed the state high school golf crown and won his first of three Georgia Opens. Tommy Aaron captured back-to-back SEC individual golf titles for the University of Florida in 1957 and 1958, and was runner-up in the 1958 U.S. Amateur. Other amateur wins include the 1957 and 1960 Georgia State Amateur, the 1958 and 1960 Southeastern Amateur, and the 1960 Western Amateur. Aaron played on the PGA Tour from 1961 to 1979, claiming his first major professional championship in the 1969 Canadian Open. He was a member of the 1959 Walker Cup team, and the 1969 and 1973 Ryder Cup teams. He won the 1970 Atlanta Classic and the 1973 Masters Tournament. In 1972, he won the Lancome Tournament of Champions in Paris. While on the Senior Tour, Mr. Aaron won the 1992 Kaanapali Classic. He is a member of the University of Florida's Athletic Hall of Fame and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.