William Ben Hogan (1912–1997) was an American professional golfer and author whose legendary precision and analytical approach to the game permanently transformed golf swing theory. Born in Texas, Hogan began caddying at age eleven and turned professional at seventeen. Despite early struggles that delayed his first professional victory until he was twenty-six, Hogan's relentless work ethic and meticulous practice habits eventually established him as one of the most dominant athletes of the mid-twentieth century.
After serving in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, Hogan captured his first major title at the 1946 PGA Championship. His career was nearly cut short in 1949 by a head-on collision with a bus that left him with life-threatening injuries. In an extraordinary comeback, Hogan returned to professional golf to win the 1950 U.S. Open, an event remembered as the "miracle at Merion." He went on to achieve the "Triple Crown" in 1953, winning the Masters, the U.S. Open, and the Open Championship in a single season, ultimately securing nine major championships and sixty-four PGA Tour victories.
Beyond his competitive achievements, Hogan made a lasting impact on the literary and instructional side of the sport. He authored Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf, which remains one of the most influential and best-selling sports instructional books of all time. Through his writing, Hogan demystified the mechanics of the golf swing, sharing his rigorous, step-by-step methodology with generations of players. He also founded his own golf equipment company and was inducted as an inaugural member of the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
