| Pete Brown | |
| Birth Date: | February 2, 1935 |
| Birth Place: | Port Gibson, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Augusta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Weight: | 190lb |
| Status: | Professional |
| Extour: | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Prowins: | 14 |
| Pgawins: | 2 |
| Otherwins: | 12 |
| Masters: | DNP |
| Usopen: | T58: 1969 |
| Open: | DNP |
| Pga: | T33: 1964 |
Pete Brown (February 2, 1935 – May 1, 2015) was an American professional golfer who is best known as the first African American to win a PGA Tour event with his win at the Waco Turner Open.
Brown was born in Port Gibson, Mississippi, and grew up in Jackson, Mississippi.[1] He started in golf as a caddy at the municipal course in his hometown.[2] He suffered from non-paralytic polio in the late 1950s but recovered and resumed playing competitive golf.[3]
He turned professional in 1954, winning the Negro National Open consecutively in 1961 and 1962. Brown received his PGA Tour card in 1963.[1] He was not the first African American to obtain his PGA players card; that honor belonged to Charlie Sifford. Brown's victory at the 1964 Waco Turner Open did, however, earn him a place in history as the first African American to win a PGA event. He played on the PGA Tour for 17 years and posted a second tour win at the 1970 Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational in a playoff over Tony Jacklin.[4] [5]
Brown played on the Senior PGA Tour (now Champions Tour) beginning in 1985. His best finishes were a pair of T-6s in 1985 at the Senior PGA Tour Roundup and the MONY Syracuse Senior Classic.
Brown was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.[6] [7] [8]
Brown and his wife, Margaret, are the parents of six daughters.[1] He was the head pro at Madden Golf Course in Dayton, Ohio, for more than 20 years.[9] He lived in Evans, Georgia, from 2012 to 2015.[3] [10]
Brown died in Augusta, Georgia, on May 1, 2015, at the age of 80.[11]
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | −8 (71-71-68-70=280) | 1 stroke |  Dan Sikes | |||
| 2 | −13 (76-67-67-65=275) | Playoff | Tony Jacklin |
PGA Tour playoff record (1–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1964 | Almaden Open Invitational | Billy Casper, Jerry Steelsmith | Casper won with birdie on third extra hole after 18 hole playoff; Casper: −4 (68), Brown: −4 (68), Steelsmith: +1 (73) | |
| 2 | 1970 | Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational | Tony Jacklin | Won with par on first extra hole |