Last updated: August 2026
| Net Worth | Estimated at $10 million at the time of his death in 1997 (inflation-adjusted) |
| Born | 13 August 1912, Stephenville, Texas – died 25 July 1997, Fort Worth, Texas (aged 84) |
| Profession | Professional golfer |
| Nationality | 🇺🇸 American |
Ben Hogan, regarded as one of the greatest golfers in history, is estimated to have had a net worth of around $10 million at the time of his death in 1997, built through his nine major championships, business ventures and oil exploration investments rather than tournament winnings alone, which were modest by today’s standards.
Early Life & Family
William Ben Hogan was born on 13 August 1912 in Stephenville, Texas. He married Valerie Fox on 14 April 1935; the couple had no children.
Rise to Fame
Hogan’s rise was slow by the standards of the game – his first professional win did not come until age 26 – and he claimed his first major title at the 1946 PGA Championship after returning from military service between 1943 and 1945.
Career History
Hogan won nine major championships and completed the career grand slam: the PGA Championship in 1946 and 1948, the U.S. Open in 1948, 1950, 1951 and 1953, the Masters in 1951 and 1953, and the Open Championship in 1953. His career’s defining moment came after a near-fatal head-on collision with a bus in 1949 left him with severe injuries; he returned to win the 1950 U.S. Open just 16 months later, a victory remembered as the "Miracle at Merion." In 1953, at age 40, he won the Masters, U.S. Open and Open Championship in the same year.
How They Built Their Wealth
Hogan’s tournament winnings during his playing career totaled roughly $30,400 – around $300,000 in today’s dollars – a fraction of his eventual estimated net worth. His wealth grew primarily through the Ben Hogan Golf Company, which he founded, his best-selling instructional book Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons, and investments in oil exploration.
Personal Life
Hogan was married to Valerie Fox from 1935 until his death; the couple had no children. He was known as reserved and intensely private in public but described as warm among those close to him.
Ben Hogan’s estimated $10 million net worth at his death reflects a fortune built as much on business ventures and instructional writing as on his nine major championships.