Lee Trevino

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Trevino's legacy is built on a remarkable string of victories and a unique swing forged on Texas hardpan. Introduced to golf by an uncle who gave him a few balls and an old club, he sneaked into country clubs and began as a caddie at the Dallas Athletic Club. He left school at 14, earning $30 a week as a caddie and shoe shiner, hitting at least 300 practice shots daily from bare ground in windy conditions. That discipline produced his distinct, compact swing and a controlled fade that became his signature. In 1971, he defeated Jack Nicklaus in an 18-hole playoff to win the U.S. Open, then won the Canadian Open two weeks later, and the following week took The Open Championship—the first player to win those three titles in the same year. At the 1972 Open at Muirfield, he chipped in from rough on the 17th hole in the final round, saying afterward, "I'm the greatest chipper in the world." He won that Open by a stroke over Nicklaus. In 1974, he won the Greater New Orleans Open without scoring any bogeys, the only time that had happened in a PGA Tour individual event until 2019. At age 44, he won his sixth and final major at the 1984 PGA Championship, shooting all four rounds under 70, a first in that tournament.

In Their Own Story

The summer of 1971 was Trevino's. He had already won the U.S. Open by beating Jack Nicklaus in an 18-hole playoff. Two weeks later, he won the Canadian Open. Then, the following week, he crossed the Atlantic to win The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. In 20 days, he had captured three national opens—a feat no one had accomplished before. At Muirfield in 1972, defending his Open title, Trevino produced a third round of 66 with five consecutive birdies from the 14th through the 18th, holing a bunker shot on the 16th and sinking a 30-foot chip on the 18th. In the final round, tied with Tony Jacklin on the 17th tee, Trevino chipped in from rough on the back of the green for a par. A shaken Jacklin three-putted from 15 feet for a bogey. Trevino parred the 18th to win by a stroke over Nicklaus. He had holed out four times from off the greens during the tournament. After that chip on 17, he declared, "I'm the greatest chipper in the world."

Reader's Guide

Lee Trevino remains a titan of the game, celebrated for his six major championships and 29 PGA Tour wins. Known as "the Merry Mex" and "Supermex," he brought a warm, direct personality to the course. His swing, developed by hitting hundreds of balls from Texas hardpan in windy conditions, was compact and unorthodox, producing a controlled fade. He was at his best in the early 1970s as Jack Nicklaus's chief rival, winning the money list title in 1970, six wins in 1971, and four in 1972. In 1975, he was struck by lightning at the Western Open, suffering spinal injuries that required surgery and hampered his play. Still, he won three PGA Tour events in 1980 and finished runner-up to Tom Watson in The Open Championship. At age 44, he won his final major at the 1984 PGA Championship. He also claimed 29 senior wins, including four senior majors, topping the seniors' money list in 1990 and 1992. From 1983 to 1989, he worked as a color analyst for PGA Tour coverage on NBC. In 2014, he was named "Golf Professional Emeritus" at The Greenbrier resort.

Did You Know?

• Trevino is one of only four players to twice win the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and the PGA Championship.
• In 1971, he became the first player to win the U.S. Open, Canadian Open, and The Open Championship in the same year.
• He won the 1974 Greater New Orleans Open without scoring any bogeys, a PGA Tour first.
• At the 1984 PGA Championship, he became the first player to shoot all four rounds under 70.
• He was struck by lightning at the 1975 Western Open and underwent surgery to remove a damaged spinal disk.