Background

Craig Wood was born on November 18, 1901, in Lake Placid, New York, United States. Wood's father was a timber company foreman and outdoorsman, who taught his son how to wield an ax.

Education

Wood developed his muscular physique from swinging an axe as a youngster, while working with his father, and his introduction to golf came from caddying at Ruisseaumont Hotel Golf Course and other local courses, beginning at the age of 12. He spent summer weekends, caddying in the area, learning the technical and social aspects of the game. Wood was also heavily influenced by another famous caddie, Francis Ouimet, who won the 1913 United States Open in Brookline. Ouimet's astonishing achievement in Brookline was a formative event in Wood's early career as it motivated a rapid improvement to his own game.

Later in his teenage years, Craig and his brother, Scott, built a golf course on a piece of local farmland, where they spent countless hours. His desire to equal Ouimet's achievement and his tireless work ethic started Wood on a career path, that would eventually land him in New Jersey.

After high school, Craig attended preparatory school in Massachusetts and then enrolled at Clarkson College in New York. Due to the extended winter season in northern New York, Wood realized the need to relocate to a warmer location and then enrolled at Rider College (present-day Rider University) in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

Career

After graduation from Rider College (present-day Rider University), Wood moved to Kentucky, where he took his first professional job at a nine-hole golf course. At the age of 24, he won his first professional event - the 1925 Kentucky Open.

In 1926, Craig returned to New Jersey (where he had previously studied), when he was named the head professional at the exclusive Norwood Country Club in West Long Branch, which later closed during the Great Depression. In 1927, Wood left for Forest Hill Field Club in Bloomfield, where he worked for the next three years as a club professional. Wood continued his New Jersey career as a club professional with stints at Hollywood Golf Club in Deal, from 1932 to 1934, Crestmont Country Club in West Orange in 1936 and Rumson Country Club from 1937 to 1938.

It's worth mentioning, that during Wood's tenure as a club professional in New Jersey, his ascension on the national stage was remarkable. In November 1929, he traveled to Honolulu and won the 1929 Open Championship of Hawaii. Along the way, he also found time to win the Oklahoma City Open. Later, in the winter of 1932-1933, Craig competed in three winter events, and won them all – the San Francisco Open, Pasadena Open and Los Angeles Open.

Despite the fact, that Craig was a professional player, victory regularly eluded him yet. He finished second to Densmore Shute in the British Open in 1933, losing in a thirty-six-hole playoff, and was the runner-up in the United States Professional Golfers Association Championship in 1934. He had previously finished second on two occasions and third on two others in the New Jersey Open before he won it in 1934 on his eighth attempt. In the Masters Championship of 1935, Craig lost in a playoff to Gene Sarazen, whose remarkable double-eagle two on the fifteenth hole of the last round forged a tie after regulation play. Because of these near misses, Craig became known as "number-two Wood".

In 1939, Wood became a club professional at the Winged Foot Club in Mamaroneck, New York. His fortunes turned around in 1940, when he won the Metropolitan Open with a remarkable score of 264, then the world record for the fewest shots in a four-round tournament. The following year, he captured the Masters Championship, won the United States National Open, and, in head-to-head play in what was deemed to be the "unofficial world championship", defeated Vic Ghezzi, who had won the Professional Golfers Association title that year. These victories assured Wood's selection as captain of the United States Ryder Cup team for 1942. It's worth mentioning, that Wood also played on three Ryder Cup teams in 1931, 1933 and 1935.

After World War II, Wood appeared only occasionally, last competing in 1948. From 1945 until 1963, he was successively a sales representative for several companies and a car dealer in New Jersey and Westchester County, New York. In 1963, Wood moved to Grand Bahama Island, where he established the Lucayan Country Club and became its first resident professional. He died five years later, while visiting Palm Beach, Florida.

Achievements

• Craig Wood was one of the greatest golfers ever to play the game and was known as an extremely long hitter. Highlighted by his spectacular 1941 season, when he won The Masters and the United States Open, Wood was a 21-time PGA Tour champion, locally winning the 1934 New Jersey State Golf Association Open and the 1928, 1930, 1932 and 1938 New Jersey PGA Championships. It's worth noting, that Wood also played on three Ryder Cup teams, won the Metropolitan Open Championship in 1940 and Metropolitan PGA Championship in 1942.
  
  Known as the "Blond Bomber" for his prodigious length off the tee, Wood was well-known long before his 1941 campaign as a sympathetic figure, who had endured more heartbreak, than any golfer should ever know. It was Wood, who was victimized by the "shot, heard round the world" – Gene Sarazen's incredible double eagle in the 1935 Masters – that snatched victory from Wood's clutches. In addition, Wood lost in a 36-hole playoff in the only British Open he ever entered, lost a PGA Championship in extra holes and lost the United States Open in a double playoff, becoming the first man to lose all four majors in playoffs.
  
  Craig Wood was more than just a fine tour professional. He was widely recognized as a salt-of-the-earth man, who regularly helped younger players with their game and remained true to his everyman roots in upstate New York.
  
  It's also worth mentioning, that, in 1954, the Lake Placid Golf & Country Club was renamed the Craig Wood Golf Club in his honor. Two years later, in 1956, Wood was inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame. At the time, he was only the 16th golfer to be so honored.
  
  In 2008, Wood was posthumously inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Personality

Wood was a popular player, drawing large galleries wherever he appeared. A congenial man, who was knowledgeable about contemporary issues, he loved to chat with the crowd about any topic, except golf. He was known as the "Blond Bomber" because of his rugged good look and his ability to drive the golf ball prodigious distances.

Connections

Wood married Jacqueline (Valentine) Wood on April 7, 1934. She passed away in 1967.

late wife:

Jacqueline (Valentine) Wood

Brother:

Scott Wood