Gene Littler

Gene Alec Littler (1930 to 2019) was an American professional golfer from San Diego, California, and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Nicknamed Gene the Machine for his smooth, rhythmical swing, he won the 1953 U.S. Amateur and, in 1954, a PGA Tour event as an amateur, a rare achievement. After turning professional he won 29 PGA Tour events, including one major, the 1961 U.S. Open, where a final round 68 overtook Doug Sanders. He finished second in each of the three American majors at least once, losing playoffs to Billy Casper at the 1970 Masters and to Lanny Wadkins at the 1977 PGA Championship, the first sudden-death playoff in a major. Littler played on seven United States Ryder Cup teams between 1961 and 1975 and, after turning fifty, won eight times on the Senior PGA Tour.