In the words of Ken Venturi, Byron Nelson is the finest gentleman the game has ever known. His autobiography details his hardscrabble youth in rural Texas, his lean years as a young pro during the Depression, and his rise to greatness in the 1940s. After retiring from competitive golf in 1946, he remained active in the game as television commentator and mentor to young golfers. His namesake PGA tournament, the Byron Nelson Championship, is played each year in Dallas, Texas.