Professional Golfer. Henry "Harry" Vardon was born in Grouville on 9 May 1870. Inspired by his older brother, Tom, he took up golf in his teens and by age 20 he was so good that he turned professional. He was the first professional golfer to play in Knickerbockers - the "proper" Englishman dressed in an uncomfortable shirt and tie with a buttoned jacket. Within a few years he became golf's first superstar since the days of Young Tom Morris. In 1896 Vardon won the first of his record six Open Championships. In 1900 he became golf's first international celebrity when he toured the United States, playing in more than 80 matches and capping it off with a victory in the US Open. He was the joint runner-up of the 1913 US Open, an event portrayed in the film The Greatest Game Ever Played. At the age of 50 Vardon was the runner-up at the 1920 US Open. During his career, Vardon won 49 golf tournaments, including one run of 8 in a row, still a record to this day. He popularized the grip that bears his name, one still used by over 90 percent of golfers. In his later years he became a golf course architect, designing several courses in Britain. He struggled with health problems for years, but turned to coaching and writing golf instruction and inspirational books. During his peak years, Vardon was known for his exceptional accuracy and control with all clubs, the greatest ever seen to that stage. However, after his comeback to the game following a prelonged absence during which he suffered from tuberculosis, he suffered serious problems with his short-range putting, and several commentators claim that he could have added to his list of majors had this disability not afflicted him. Vardon died in 1937 in Totteridge, Hertfordshire. After his death, the PGA of America created the Vardon Trophy. It is awarded annually to the player on the PGA Tour with the lowest adjusted scoring average. Inducted in 1974, Harry Vardon is a honored member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.