Gay Brewer
A Masters champion known for his unique, self-taught swing and a career defined by resilience after a heartbreaking near-miss.
1932–2007 (age 75)·American professional golfer·Birthday: March 19·The Silent Generation
Biography
Gay Brewer’s path to a green jacket was anything but conventional. With a swing that golf purists considered unorthodox—a pronounced loop and a strong grip he developed without formal training—Brewer carved out a successful career on the PGA Tour. His moment of greatest triumph was preceded by one of the sport's most painful collapses. In the 1966 Masters, he held a lead with three holes to play but bogeyed them all, losing in a playoff. The very next year, he returned to Augusta National with a steely determination, navigating a three-way playoff against Bobby Nichols and the great Jack Nicklaus to claim the 1967 Masters title. This victory was a testament to his mental fortitude. Brewer remained a competitive force on the regular and senior tours for years, his distinctive swing a reminder that effectiveness, not aesthetics, is what counts on the scorecard. He was a player who earned respect through grit and a spectacular capacity for comeback.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Gay was born in 1932, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gay Was Born
The biggest hits of 1932
#1 Movie
Grand Hotel
Best Picture
Grand Hotel
Gay's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1932Born
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1937Started school
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1945Became a teenager
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Could drive
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1950Could vote
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Turned 21
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1962Turned 30
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 40
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 50
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 60
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 70
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2007Died at 75
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Won the 1967 Masters Tournament in a three-way playoff against Bobby Nichols and Jack Nicklaus.
- Captured a total of 11 official PGA Tour victories during his career.
- Won the 1972 Canadian Open, one of the Tour's oldest and most prestigious national championships.
- Found continued success on the Senior PGA Tour (now PGA Tour Champions), winning multiple events.
- Represented the United States in the 1967 Ryder Cup, contributing to a team victory.
Did You Know?
He was nicknamed "Gay Brewer" but was not related to fellow golfer Charles Brewer.
Brewer served in the United States Air Force before turning professional.
His unique golf swing featured a noticeable loop at the top of the backswing.
He lost the 1966 Masters after bogeying the final three holes of regulation.
Brewer was a skilled amateur boxer in his youth.
“You play the ball where it lies, and you play it the best you can.”
