George Sargent

George Jonathan Sargent was an influential English golf professional and architect born in 1882 in Brockham, Surrey, England. He began his career as a youth at Epsom Downs Golf Club, later working with Harry Vardon and earning fourth place in the 1900 British Open. After serving as a professional in Canada—where he won the 1912 Canadian Open—he moved to the United States and won the U.S. Open in 1909 with a record 72-hole score. Sargent became one of the first members and a president of the PGA of America, contributing to the professionalization and development of golf in the U.S. Not only did he hold head professional posts at premier clubs such as Scioto, Interlachen, Chevy Chase, and East Lake, but he was also a golf course designer for clubs like Athens Country Club, Ohio. Notably, he pioneered the use of motion pictures for golf swing analysis, vastly improving golf instruction practices.