Tony Lema-how many majors might he have won?

Documenting the swing of a potential superstar in the making, before his tragic death.

Tony Lema through contact. Left arm and wrist firm and unrelenting.

The ball is driven away low and hard.

The film:

Taken by Irv Schloss in the early sixties. Irv used a grid pattern in front of the subject rather than his normal canvas screen behind.

The Tony Lema movement is one of the best swings in golfing history.

We will never know what might have been. Yet, I think it is safe to say that Tony Lema was one of the dominating players in the world at this time and was capable of winning many more tournaments and majors. Golf lost an important talent far too early in 1966.

Tony Lema- "Applied force." -Acrylic paint on 400g paper. 100 x 70cm.

From 1962 until his untimely death in 1966, Lema won an incredible 12 PGA Tour events, finished second 11 times, and third four times.

During that same span, he finished in the top-10 in a major eight times including his Open Championship win in 1964.

Lema played on two Ryder Cup teams for the USA and produced a record of 9-1-1. This is the best record of any player who played in more than one Ryder Cup.