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Lee Trevino

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Lee Trevino is a retired American professional golfer. He is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. During his career, he won six major championships and 29 PGA Tour events. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981. Trevino is also famous for his personality. Other golfers gave him affectionate nicknames like "the Merry Mex" and "Supermex." These names reflected his charisma and his Mexican American heritage. He remains a major icon for Mexican Americans today.

Trevino's unique golfing style was shaped by a difficult childhood in Garland, Texas. He was raised by his mother and his grandfather, who worked as a gravedigger. As a young child, Trevino worked in cotton fields to support his family. He eventually became a caddie and a shoe shiner at the Dallas Athletic Club. He practiced his golf swing on "Texas hardpan," which is very hard ground with little grass. He often practiced in windy conditions and hit at least 300 balls after work. This difficult environment helped him develop an unorthodox and compact swing method. He became known as one of the finest shot-makers in history, specifically for his controlled "fade," a shot that curves slightly from left to right.

Before his professional golf career began, Trevino served in the United States Marine Corps. He enlisted in December 1956 when he was 17 years old. He served for four years as a machine gunner. He was discharged as a corporal in December 1960 with the 3rd Marine Division. While in the military, he played golf with Marine Corps officers. He also competed in Armed Forces golf events in Asia. These competitions included matches against rivals like Orville Moody, who later played on the PGA Tour.

Trevino's professional rise was marked by several historic achievements. He qualified for the U.S. Open in 1966, but his big breakout came in 1967. He finished fifth at the U.S. Open, which earned him $6,000 and Tour privileges. In 1968, he won the U.S. Open at Oak Hill Country Club. During that tournament, he was the first player to shoot rounds under 70 in all four rounds of a U.S. Open. His scores were 69, 68, 69, and 69. This victory placed him four strokes ahead of the runner-up, Jack Nicklaus.

The early 1970s were the most dominant years of Trevino's career. He was the chief rival to Jack Nicklaus during this period. In 1971, Trevino achieved a remarkable string of victories in just 20 days. He won the U.S. Open in an 18-hole playoff against Nicklaus. Two weeks later, he won the Canadian Open. The following week, he won The Open Championship in Scotland. This made him the first player to win those three specific titles in a single year. For his success, he was named the top professional athlete of 1971 by the Hickok Belt.

Trevino also showed great skill in defending his titles. In 1972, he won The Open Championship at Muirfield. This made him the first player to successfully defend that title since Arnold Palmer in 1962. During the third round at Muirfield, he recorded five consecutive birdies. He also won his sixth and final major championship at the PGA Championship in 1984. At age 44, he shot a 15-under-par score of 273. This made him the first person to shoot all four rounds under 70 at that specific event.

Despite his success, Trevino faced significant challenges. In 1975, he was struck by lightning during the Western Open. The strike caused injuries to his spine. He had to undergo surgery to remove a damaged spinal disk. Although these back problems continued to affect his play, he remained highly ranked. In 1980, he was ranked second in the McCormack's World Golf Rankings. He also had a complicated relationship with the Masters Tournament. He initially disliked the course and the atmosphere at Augusta National. He even boycotted the event for several years. However, he later called his boycott "the greatest mistake" of his career.

Trevino's legacy extends beyond his trophies and statistics. He was a charismatic star who helped make the Senior PGA Tour a success. He won 29 senior victories, including four senior majors. He also worked as a color analyst for PGA Tour television coverage on NBC. Beyond sports, he used his success to establish scholarships and financial aid for Mexican Americans. He is remembered not just for his skill, but for his sense of humor. He once famously tossed a rubber snake at Jack Nicklaus during a high-stakes playoff, a moment that highlighted his approachable nature.

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