M Club Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1977
Mason Rudolph arrived on the campus at Memphis State College in the fall of 1953 and joined with such noted players as Hillman Robbins and Ronnie Wenzler to give former head coach Larry Smith one of the greatest golf teams in school history. Rudolph had won the United States Junior Amateur in 1950 and was also the state prep champion. During his first season at Memphis, Rudolph helped lead the team to a 9-3 record. In the spring of 1954, the Tigers went undefeated and handed Ole Miss its first home loss in golf in ten years. In 1956, the native of Clarksville, Tennessee, won the Western Amateur championship and was selected as a member of the Walker Cup Team in 1957. Rudolph turned professional in 1958 and during his professional career, won 12 PGA and Champions TOUR events. He had seven top twenty finishes in the Masters including a fourth place finish in 1955 and two top twenty finishes in the U.S. Open including a tie for eighth in 1956. Rudolph was fourth in the 1954 PGA Championship. The six time Tennessee Open champion was named to the Ryder Cup Team in 1971.
