Jerry McGee (July 21, 1943 – March 31, 2021) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.
Early life and amateur career
McGee was born in New Lexington, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University and was a member of the golf team.
Professional career
In 1966, McGee turned pro 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.
Personal life
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)
PGA Tour wins (4)
| No. | 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)
- 1982 Tri-State Open
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 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
Professional
See also
References
- ^ "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
- Jerry McGee at the PGA Tour official site
 | ||
Won: 12.5 – 7.5 | ||