By Ward Clayton
Chronicle Sports Editor
The Nelson Bridge, which crosses Rae's Creek in front of and to the left of the 13th tee, commemorates Byron Nelson's accomplishment of picking up six strokes on Ralph Guldahl on two holes - Nos. 12 and 13 - in the 1937 Masters as he scored a birdie-2 and eagle-3.
Nelson began the 1937 event, the fourth Masters, with a 6-under-par 66, his lowest round in 29 career Masters starts and the lowest round to that date in Masters play. He squandered the lead with rounds of 72 and 75 in the middle rounds before rallying with a final-round 70 to overtake third-round leader Guldahl (75) midway through the back nine.
"We've tried to dedicate these bridges to two men who have meant as much to this tournament as any two men ever have," Masters Tournament and Augusta National Golf Club co-founder Bobby Jones said on April 2, 1958 when Nelson Bridge and the nearby Ben Hogan Bridge were dedicated. Both players hail from Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up together as caddies and playing rivals at Glen Garden County Club.
Nelson won a second Masters title in 1942, edging Hogan 69-70 in an 18-hole playoff. Nelson's winning 3-under-par round came after early morning sickness from a nervous stomach caused Hogan to ask whether Nelson would like to postpone that day's play. Nelson shook off the queasiness and a double bogey on the first hole to play what he called "some of the finest golf I've ever played."
Nelson would go on to greater heights, especially in 1945 when he won a record 11 tournaments in a row and 19 on the season.
Nelson, who turned 86 on Feb. 4, is retired on his ranch in Roanoke, Texas, but returns to Augusta annually to join Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead as honorary starters off the first tee before the first round.
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