Ben Hogan saw his father shoot himself in the head as a child. He survived his car being hit head-on by a bus in 1949 and had to learn how to walk again, before winning a US Open months later. He had served in the Air Corps in the second World War, and rejoined the golf tour in 1945, going on to win 35 tournaments before the end of the decade, including three majors. Hogan finished in the top 10 of the US open every year for 20 years, won the British Open the only time he entered it, and was never lower than seventh in the US Masters for 15 years. This cold genius paved the way for everyone from Palmer to Woods.