Bobby Jones was born in Atlanta, Georgia on March 17, 1902. He started playing golf at East Lake Country Club and learned by mimicking the club's professional, Stewart Maiden. Greatly improving his skill every summer, he entered his first national competition, the U.S. Amateur in 1916. He had his faults like not being able to win anything higher than regionals, and being unsportsmanlike in competition. He eventually overcame this to win the U.S. Open and pull a "Grand Slam" in 1930. He got married to Mary Malone in 1924. He had 3 children named Clara Malone, Robert Tyre III, and Mary Ellen. He retired from his golf career in 1930 for his family and his new position in law. Bobby made the Masters Tournament, which was first played in 1934, which is now one of the four major golf tournaments. In 1948, he was afflicted with the spinal disease, Syringomyelia and was forced to give up golf and was forced into a wheelchair. Succumbing to his illness, Jones died on Dec. 18, 1971 at age 69. Even to this day, Bobby Jones is recognized as the greatest amateur golfer to ever live.