Jerry McGee (July 21, 1943 – March 29, 2021) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.
Jerry McGee | |
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![]() McGee in 1980 | |
Personal information | |
Born | New Lexington, Ohio | July 21, 1943
Died | March 31, 2021 | (aged 77)
Height | 5 ft 9.5 in (1.77 m) |
Weight | 160 lb (73 kg; 11 st) |
Sporting nationality | ![]() |
Career | |
College | Ohio State University |
Turned professional | 1966 |
Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
Professional wins | 5 |
Number of wins by tour | |
PGA Tour | 4 |
Other | 1 |
Best results in major championships | |
Masters Tournament | T5: 1972 |
PGA Championship | T6: 1977 |
U.S. Open | T13: 1971 |
The Open Championship | DNP |
McGee was born in New Lexington, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University and was a member of the golf team. He turned pro in 1966 and joined the PGA Tour in 1967.
McGee won four PGA Tour events in the latter half of the 1970s. In 1979, he won twice: a one shot win over Jerry Pate at the Kemper Open, and a couple of months later a one stroke win over Jack Renner at the Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open. His best finish in a major championship was T-5 at the 1972 Masters Tournament.[1] He was a member of the 1977 Ryder Cup team.
McGee was known for his superb play around the greens. At 5 feet 9½ inches tall and a slim 160 pounds, distance in the ball striking phase of the game was a constant problem for him. He was also plagued by injuries and illnesses during his career. McGee retired from the PGA Tour in 1981 largely due to health problems. He took a club pro job at Oak Tree Country Club in Pennsylvania just across the border from his East Palestine, Ohio home.
McGee returned to competitive golf on the Senior PGA Tour in 1993 upon reaching the age of 50. His best finish in this venue is a T-2 at the 1997 BankBoston Classic. In 1999, he underwent treatment for oropharyngeal, squamous cell carcinoma.
McGee's son, Mike McGee, a golf agent/businessman, and one-time record-setting pitcher at Mt. Union College, is married to LPGA Tour golfer Annika Sörenstam.[2][3]
McGee died March 29, 2021, in Florida at the age of 77.[4]
Professional wins (5)
editPGA Tour wins (4)
editNo. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Apr 20, 1975 | Pensacola Open | −13 (69-66-66-70=271) | 2 strokes | Wally Armstrong |
2 | Jul 31, 1977 | IVB-Philadelphia Golf Classic | −12 (70-68-65-69=272) | 4 strokes | John Lister, Bob Shearer |
3 | Jun 3, 1979 | Kemper Open | −16 (61-74-69-68=272) | 1 stroke | Jerry Pate |
4 | Aug 12, 1979 | Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open | −17 (68-67-67-65=267) | 1 stroke | Jack Renner |
PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1976 | World Open Golf Championship | Raymond Floyd | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
Other wins (1)
edit- 1982 Tri-State Open
Results in major championships
editTournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T5 | CUT | T15 | T28 | T11 | CUT | CUT | ||||
U.S. Open | T69 | T13 | T40 | CUT | T30 | CUT | T19 | T27 | T31 | ||
PGA Championship | T22 | T29 | T66 | T55 | T40 | T8 | T6 | DQ | T12 | CUT |
Note: McGee never played in The Open Championship
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
DQ = disqualified
U.S. national team appearances
editProfessional
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Jerry McGee". Golf Major Championships.
- ^ "Sorenstam engagement 'a lovely surprise'". PGA Tour. August 25, 2007. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
- ^ Sirak, Ron (November 23, 2007). "Newsmakers 2007: Annika Sorenstam". Golf World. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
- ^ Ross, Helen (April 1, 2021). "PGA Tour winner and Ryder Cup player Jerry McGee passes away at 77". PGA Tour. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
External links
edit- Jerry McGee at the PGA Tour official site