page_title: Lew Worsham
section_title: Major championships
hierarchical_section_title: Lew Worsham / Major championships
caption_attribution_description: 1953 Professional Golfer Lew Worsham &amp; Wife at Winning Tournament Press Photo
context_page_description: Lewis Elmer Worsham, Jr. was an American professional golfer, the U.S. Open champion in 1947.
  Born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, Worsham won the U.S. Open in 1947 by defeating Sam Snead by a stroke in an 18-hole playoff at the St. Louis Country Club in Clayton, Missouri. This was the first U.S. Open to be televised locally and the winner's share was $2,000. In July 1947, Worsham appeared on the cover of Golfing magazine. In 1953, he led the PGA Tour money list with $34,002 in earnings. That same year he won the first golf tournament to be broadcast nationally in the United States and golf's first $100,000 tournament, the Tam O'Shanter World Championship of Golf, in spectacular fashion. He holed out a wedge from 104 yards for an eagle-2 to win over Chandler Harper by one shot.
  Worsham made his only Ryder Cup appearance in 1947 and won both of his matches. Like most tour players of his generation, he earned his living primarily as a club professional, and was the longtime pro at Oakmont Country Club, northeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He died at age 73 in Poquoson, Virginia.
  Worsham was honored as the "Sportsperson of the Year" for 1953 by Pittsburgh's Dapper Dan Charities.
caption: Worsham with wife after winning the 1953 Greater Jacksonville Open
exif: {}