Ben Hogan (1912-97) had a code: Work, study, endure - that he never betrayed.  The way he unwaveringly applied his code to achieving total control of the golf ball engendered a respect that surpasses that of any other player.  "I always outworked everybody," he said. "Work never bothered me like it bothers some people."

Hogan's record just happened to be something of a byproduct of this higher calling.  He won 63 tournaments, his first in 1938 at the Hershey Four Ball (with Vic Ghezzi) and the last the 1959 Colonial. He won nine majors, and is one of only five men to win the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA at least once (the others are Sarazen, Player, Nicklaus, and Woods). In 1953, he won all three majors he played in, missing the PGA because the dates conflicted with his only journey to the British Open.

Hogan had an iron will to succeed, and after almost dying in a car crash in 1949, came back to win the U.S. Open the next year.   His injuries prevented him from playing in more than 3-6 tournaments a year after that.  With healthy legs and a better putting stroke, his victory total might have rivaled that of Sam Snead.  One great quote from Hogan that I love concerns the perfectly hit golf shot: "It goes from the ball, up the club’s shaft, right to your heart."  (From Don Wade's Talking on Tour).

Hogan was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.