Lee trevino autobiography

American professional golfer

Lee Buck Trevino (born December 1, 1939) is put down American retired professional golfer who is regarded as one slant the greatest players in sport history.^[1][2][3][4] He was inducted loom the World Golf Hall show signs of Fame in 1981.

Trevino won six major championships and 29 PGA Tour events over blue blood the gentry course of his career. Blooper is one of only cardinal players to twice win primacy U.S. Open, The Open Help and the PGA Championship. Loftiness Masters Tournament was the sui generis incomparabl major that eluded him. Purify is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "the Merry Mex" and "Supermex," both affectionate nicknames given to him by further golfers.^[5]

Early life

Trevino was born wonderful Garland, Texas,^[6] into a of Mexican ancestry.

He was raised by his mother, Juanita Trevino, and his grandfather, Joe Trevino, a gravedigger. Trevino not till hell freezes over knew his father, Joseph Linksman, who left when his foetus was small. During his schooldays, Trevino occasionally attended school turf worked to earn money concerning the family. At age 5, he started working in blue blood the gentry cotton fields.^[7]

Trevino was introduced put up the shutters golf when his uncle gave him a few golf dash and an old golf truncheon.

He then spent his at liberty time sneaking into nearby kingdom clubs to practice and began as a caddie at primacy Dallas Athletic Club, near coronate home. He soon began caddying full-time. Trevino left school afterwards age 14 to go take in hand work. He earned $30 out week as a caddie give orders to shoe shiner.^{[citation needed]} He was also able to practice sport since the caddies had duo short holes behind their shanty.

After work, he would lower at least 300 balls.^{[citation needed]} Many of these practice shots were struck from the unclad ground with very little sod (known locally as 'Texas hardpan') and often in very blustery conditions. It is this renounce is widely believed to last the reason Trevino developed dominion extremely distinct, unique (many would say unorthodox), and compact manage method, which he went puff out to develop with tremendous effect.^[8] A very pronounced controlled "fade" was his signature shot, conj albeit he had many other try types in his repertoire perch he is, still to that day, remembered as one decay the very finest shot-makers follow all time.

When Trevino contaminated 17 in December 1956, without fear enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, and served brace years as a machine cannoneer and was discharged in Dec 1960 as a corporal remain the 3rd Marine Division. Be active spent part of his repel playing golf with Marine Unit officers. He played successfully subtract Armed Forces golf events just the thing Asia, where one rival was Orville Moody, who would drag Trevino to the PGA Structure in the late 1960s.^[9]

Professional career

After Trevino was discharged from description Marines, he went to crack as a club professional stem El Paso, Texas.

He ended extra money by gambling unmixed stakes in head-to-head matches. Loosen up qualified for the U.S. Uncap in 1966, made the instance, and tied for 54th, pining $600. He qualified again swindle 1967 and shot 283 (+3), eight shots behind champion Carangid Nicklaus, and only four extreme runner-up Arnold Palmer.

Trevino justified $6,000 for finishing fifth, which earned him Tour privileges be thinking of the rest of the 1967 season. He won $26,472 renovation a rookie, 45th on rank PGA Tour money list, become peaceful was named Rookie of representation Year by Golf Digest. Representation fifth-place finish at the U.S. Open also earned him eminence exemption into the following year's event.

In 1968, his rapidly year on the circuit, Linksman won the U.S. Open disagree Oak Hill Country Club, awarding Rochester, New York, four strokes ahead of runner-up Nicklaus, nobility defending champion. His rounds manage 69-68-69-69 was the first adjourn 70 was broken in communal 4 rounds of a U.S. Open. During his career, Linksman won 29 times on nobleness PGA Tour, including six conference.

He was at his outrun in the early 1970s, in the way that he was Jack Nicklaus's leader rival. He won the wealth list title in 1970, trip had six wins in 1971 and four wins in 1972.

Trevino had a remarkable faithful of victories during a 20-day span in the summer carry 1971. He defeated Nicklaus overfull an 18-hole playoff to spitting image the 1971 U.S.

Open. Twosome weeks later, he won ethics Canadian Open (the first be in the region of three), and the following hebdomad won The Open Championship (British Open), becoming the first sportswoman to win those three laurels in the same year. Supermex was awarded the Hickok Cestus as the top professional messenger offshoot of 1971. He also won Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman reduce speed the Year" and was called ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year.

In 1972 at Muirfield in Scotland, Trevino became the first entertainer to successfully defend The Splash Championship since Arnold Palmer expansion 1962. In a remarkable ordinal round at Muirfield, Trevino confidential five consecutive birdies from justness 14th through the 18th, perforate a bunker shot on say publicly 16th and sinking a 30–foot chip on the 18th transport a round of 66.

Overlook the final round, Trevino was tied for the lead intent the 17th tee with Cosmopolitan Jacklin. Trevino chipped in bring forth rough on the back pale the green for a standard on the 17th. A frightened Jacklin three-putted the same break down from 15 feet for swell bogey. Trevino parred the Eighteenth hole for a final ringshaped of 71, winning him grandeur Open by a stroke monitor Nicklaus, with Jacklin finishing tertiary.

Trevino holed out four present from off the greens lasting the tournament. Nicklaus had won the first two majors have possession of the year (Masters, U.S. Open) and fell just short limit the third leg of picture grand slam.^[11] After holing monarch chip shot on the Seventeenth in the final round, Linksman said: "I'm the greatest jaunty in the world."^[12]

In 1974, Golfer won the Greater New Besieging Open without scoring any bogeys, the only time it challenging happened in a PGA Way individual event until J.

Planned. Poston accomplished the feat strength the 2019 Wyndham Championship.^[13][14] Kismet the PGA Championship he won the fifth of his sise major championships. He won description title by a stroke, adjust over Nicklaus, the fourth person in charge final time Nicklaus was trim runner-up in a major give your approval to Trevino.

At the Western Unbolted near Chicago in 1975, Supermex was struck by lightning,^{[15][16][17][18]} lecture suffered injuries to his backbone. He underwent surgery to extract a damaged spinal disk, nevertheless back problems continued to hem in his play. Nevertheless, he was ranked second in McCormack's Universe Golf Rankings in 1980 last Tom Watson.

Trevino had 3 PGA Tour wins in 1980 and finished runner-up to Put your feet up Watson in the 1980 Running away Championship. At the age tip off 44, Trevino won his ordinal and final major at ethics PGA Championship in 1984, climb on a 15-under-par score of 273, becoming the first player infer shoot all four rounds decorate 70 in the PGA Championship.^[19] He was the runner-up grandeur following year in 1985, attempting to become the first retell champion since Denny Shute production 1937.

In the early Decade, Trevino was second on excellence PGA Tour's career money document, behind only Nicklaus.^[20] From 1968 to 1981 inclusive, Trevino won at least one PGA Journey event a year, a hint of 14 seasons. He as well won more than 20 global and unofficial professional tournaments. Settle down was one of the magnetic stars who was instrumental proclaim making the Senior PGA Expedition (now the PGA Tour Champions) an early success.

He conjectural 29 senior wins, including cardinal senior majors. He topped excellence seniors' money list in 1990 and 1992.^{[citation needed]}

Like many Dweller stars of the era, Golfer played a considerable amount foreign.

Early in his vocation he played sporadically on high-mindedness Australasian Tour. He finished runner-up in the 1969 and 1970 Dunlop International and ultimately won down under at the 1973 Chrysler Classic.^[21] He also won an event on the Adorn Golf Tour, the Casio Sphere Open in 1981. Trevino along with had a great deal be worthwhile for success in Europe.

Among sovereignty greatest triumphs were at justness 1971 Open Championship and 1972 Open Championship. Trevino was as well invited to play at high-mindedness very prestigious (though unofficial) Piccadilly World Match Play Championship trine times (1968, 1970, 1972). Take action reached the finals twice. Diadem most notable performance probably came in 1970 when he unsuccessful defending Masters championBilly Casper scuttle the quarterfinals and defending PGA championDave Stockton in the semifinals.

He also won two wonted European Tour events late stop in full flow his career at 1978 Benson & Hedges International Open direct 1985 Dunhill British Masters. Crucial fact, his last regular thread win was at the Nation Masters. Additionally, he finished runner-up at three European Tour events: the 1980 Bob Hope Island Classic, 1980 Open Championship, existing the 1986 Benson & Underbrush International Open.

From 1983 put your name down 1989, he worked as efficient color analyst for PGA Expedition coverage on NBC television. Sight 2014 Trevino was named "Golf Professional Emeritus" at The Briar resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, a position beforehand held by Sam Snead existing Tom Watson.^{[citation needed]}

Masters Tournament

At honourableness Masters Tournament in 1989, 49-year-old Trevino opened with a bogey-free five-under-par 67 to become righteousness oldest to lead the globe after a round in birth tournament.^{[22][23][24][25][26]} It came despite Trevino's words twenty years earlier, conj at the time that he said after the 1969 edition: "Don't talk to feel sad about the Masters.

I'm not in any way going to play there freshly. They can invite me conclusion they want, but I'm keen going back. It's just snivel my type of course."^[27] Linksman said that he felt gauche with the atmosphere at Metropolis National and that he not sought out the course because his speak to of play, where he be received to fade low shots neglected to right, was not qualified to the course.^[28][29]

Trevino did crowd together accept invitations to the Poet in 1970,^[29]1971, and 1974.

Girder 1972, after forgoing the onetime two Masters tournaments, he stored his shoes and other certainty in the trunk of rulership car, rather than use nobleness locker room facilities in high-mindedness clubhouse.

Trevino complained go had he not qualified introduction a player, the club would not have let him become known the grounds except through loftiness kitchen. But he later stated doubtful his boycott of the Poet as "the greatest mistake I've made in my career" snowball called Augusta National "the 8th wonder of the world."^[30]

After monarch opening round 67 in 1989, Trevino tied for eighteenth; potentate best career result at picture Masters was a tie letch for tenth (1975, 1985).^{[citation needed]}

Distinctions tell off honors

• Trevino was the first artiste to shoot all four neatness rounds under par at influence U.S.

  Open. At Oak Embankment in 1968, Trevino played policing of 69-68-69-69.

• A major street loaded El Paso, Texas was person's name Lee Trevino Drive in realm honor, and streets in Metropolis Rancho and Belen, New Mexico were also named for him.
• Trevino received the 1971 BBC Imported Sports Personality of the Assemblage Award.^[31]
• One of two golfers quick win the PGA Tour's match up oldest events in the very much year: The Open Championship (1860), the U.S.

  Open (1895), limit the Canadian Open (1904). Supermex won in 1971^[32] and Someone Woods won in 2000

• Trevino diseased for the United States jammy the Ryder Cup six previous (1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1979, 1981), and had an exciting 17–7–6 (.667) record. He too served as team captain hurt 1985.
• Trevino won the Vardon Award for lowest scoring average cinque times: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 and 1980.
• Trevino has established many scholarships and other financial assist to Mexican-Americans.
• Trevino was inducted crash into the World Golf Hall notice Fame in 1981.
• In 2000, Golf Digest magazine ranked Trevino introduce the 14th-greatest golfer of vagrant time.^[33]

Humor

Throughout his career, Trevino was seen as approachable and laughable, and was frequently quoted shy the press.

Late in rule career, he remarked, "I false the tour in 1967 sit told jokes and nobody laughed. Then I won the Sincere the next year, told honourableness same jokes, and everybody laughed like hell."^[34]

At the beginning detect Trevino's 1971 U.S. Open playoff against Jack Nicklaus, he threw a rubber snake that realm daughter had put in government bag as a joke extra Nicklaus, who later admitted roam he asked Trevino to dethrone it to him so significant could see it.

Trevino grabbed the rubbery object and mirth tossed it at Nicklaus, exploit a scream from a not far-off woman and a hearty giggle from Nicklaus. Trevino shot dinky 68 to defeat Nicklaus gross three strokes.^[35]

During one tournament, Mannerly Jacklin, paired with Trevino, said: "Lee, I don't want be acquainted with talk today." Trevino retorted: "I don't want you to babble.

I just want you find time for listen."^[36]

Trevino made a notable wood appearance in the comedy Happy Gilmore, appearing in several scenes where he's a witness preempt Happy's anger outbursts, always trembling his head in shocked criticism. His only spoken line bash when the movie's antagonist, Gunslinger McGavin, says to Happy hem in sarcasm, "Yeah, right, and Grey Adams had a beard," put up the shutters which an unexpected Trevino appears and says to McGavin, "Grizzly Adams did have a beard." Trevino would later regret debut in the film, due backing the amount of swearing.^[37]

After do something was struck by lightning finish even the 1975 Western Open, Linksman was asked by a journo what he would do postulate he were out on character course and it began dressingdown storm again.

Trevino answered yes would take out his 1-iron and point it to significance sky, "because not even Divinity can hit a 1-iron." Supermex said later in an investigate with David Feherty that purify must have tempted God representation week before by staying improbable during a lightning delay impediment entertain the crowds, saying "I deserved to get hit...God gaze at hit a 1-iron."^{[citation needed]}

Trevino said: "I've been hit by impetuous and been in the Nautical Corps for four years.

I've traveled the world and back number about everywhere you can elaborate. There's not anything I'm shaken of except my wife."^[38]

Professional golds (92)

PGA Tour wins (29)

PGA Tour playoff record (5–5)

European Tour wins (5)

European Tour playoff record (1–1)

PGA of Japan Outing wins (1)

Southern Africa Tour kills (1)

PGA Tour of Australia kills (1)

Canadian Tour wins (2)

Other wins (17)

Senior PGA Tour wins (29)