Craig Wood (1901-1968)

(Class of 2019)

Truly one of the world’s best golfers during his era, Wood – who won both the Masters and U.S. Open in 1941 -- spent many of his most competitive seasons as a head professional in New Jersey. He worked at Forest Hill Field Club in Bloomfield from 1928-31 and Hollywood Golf Club in Deal from 1932-35.

During that time, Wood won a New Jersey section PGA championship (1932), and a NJSGA State Open (1934), and finished second in the Masters (1934) and second in the U.S. Open (1935). He was victimized by Gene Sarazen’s unbelievable double eagle in the 1935 Masters, where he finished second following a 36-hole playoff. He played on three U.S. Ryder Cup teams (1931, ’33,’35).

Many fans of the game, however, remember the "Blond Bomber" as the jinxed golfer who lost the 1933 British Open in a 36-hole playoff, lost the 1934 Masters by a single shot, and lost the 1934 PGA Championship in match play to his one-time assistant pro at Forest Hill and future Hall of Famer, Paul Runyan.

Wood, a native of Lake Placid, N.Y., won a total of 21 PGA Tour championship events.

Accomplishments:

World Golf Hall of Fame: 2008
PGA Hall of Fame: 1956
U.S. Open: 1941
Masters Tournament: 1941
Tournament Victories
1928: New Jersey PGA Championship
1929: Oklahoma Open, Hawaiian Open
1930: New Jersey PGA Championship, Oklahoma City Open
1931: Harlingen Open
1932: New Jersey PGA Match Play Championship, San Francisco Open-Match Play, Pasadena Open
1933: Los Angeles Open, Radium Springs Open
1934: Galveston Open Championship, New Jersey Open
1936: General Brock Open
1938: Augusta Open
1940: Metropolitan Open, Miami Biltmore International Four-Ball
1942: Canadian Open
1944: Durham Open
1925: Kentucky Open
1926: Kentucky PGA Championship
1929: Pasadena Open
1938: New Jersey PGA Championship
1942: Metropolitan PGA Championship
1943: Golden Valley Four-Ball (with Jimmy Demaret)
Ryder Cup Appearances: 3 (1931, 1933, 1935)