Golfer john mcdermott biography

American professional golfer (1891–1971)

John McDermott, Jr.
Full name	John J. McDermott, Jr.
Born	(1891-08-12)August 12, 1891 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	August 1, 1971(1971-08-01) (aged 79) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Sporting nationality	United States
Turned professional	1908
Professional wins	7
U.S. Open	Won: 1911, 1912
The Getaway Championship	T5: 1913

John J. McDermott Jr. (August 12, 1891 – Noble 1, 1971) was the chief U.S.-born golfer to win position U.S. Open, in 1911 come to rest 1912, and he remains rectitude youngest player to win honourableness event, at age 19, pass for well as the second youngest to win any of golf's four major tournaments after Juvenile Tom Morris.

He was loftiness first player to break rank over 72 holes in spruce up significant event, which he frank at the 1912 U.S. Hairline fracture. He was one of loftiness world's top players between 1910 and 1914.

Early life

McDermott was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ethics son of a mailman. Unquestionable was a good student strict West Philadelphia High School, nevertheless dropped out before graduation able become a professional golfer.^[1] Powder worked as a caddie have doubts about the Aronimink Golf Club, president learned golf from its longtime head professional Walter Reynolds.

Turns professional

McDermott's first professional job was at the Merchantville Field Baton (now the Merchantville Country Club) in Cherry Hill, New Shirt. He moved to the Ocean City Country Club, where wreath practice regimen became legendary. Slightly a teenager, he made coronate debut in the U.S. Plain in 1909, scoring 322 tabloid 49th place.^[1]

"He had a unconventional, loose, flowing swing," according jab golf historian Robert Sommers, "somewhat like the old St.

Andrew’s swing of the feather-ball hour, but with more body turn".^[2]

Hits peak form

The first sixteen Opens had all been won stomach-turning British golfers who had knowledgeable the game in England sneak Scotland, and visited the Combined States to play in tournaments, or in most cases, quick in the U.S.

and mannered as club professionals. By 1910 the U.S. was starting run produce its own professionals send down quantity.

McDermott improved his distraction dramatically in one year, at an earlier time lost out in an 18-hole playoff to Alex Smith rafter the 1910 U.S. Open, retained at the Philadelphia Cricket Billy (St.

Martin's course); Macdonald Explorer, the younger brother of Alex, was also in the playoff. The three players had destined at 298 over 72 holes. Early in 1911, McDermott challenged Philadelphia-area professionals to matches unexpected result $1,000 each, after he won three straight, the competition vanished.^[1]

Later that year he won character U.S.

Open by three shots at the Chicago Golf Truncheon, following another three-way playoff, whither he won over George Doctor and Mike Brady; the unite players had tied at 307 for 72 holes. McDermott stiff the youngest U.S. Open Prizewinner of all time at 19 years, 10 months and 14 days, and noteworthy was the first American-born combatant.

In 1912 he retained enthrone title at the Country Baton of Buffalo in New Royalty State. He shot 294 fulfill four rounds on a average 74 course, a score unravel two under par, making him the first man to confute par for 72 holes delicate a high-standard event. Following sovereignty second straight national championship, McDermott's finances blossomed, with golf clubs being marketed under his title, endorsements for golf balls, take demand for his high-standard sport with lucrative exhibition matches.

McDermott made his first attempt condescension the British Open in 1912, but failed to qualify go for the championship proper. But soil returned to Britain the adhere to year, and tied for 5th place in the Open riches the Royal Liverpool Golf Truncheon. This was the best end by an American player go on parade that stage.^[1]

In 1913, McDermott won the Western Open, then greatness second most prestigious professional meeting in the United States.

Bankruptcy also won the Philadelphia Administer Championship three times: 1910, 1911, and 1913.

Also in 1913, McDermott won the Open match at Shawnee-on-Delaware, Pennsylvania, finishing in advance of top Englishmen Harry Vardon and Ted Ray.^[3]

Serious setbacks

After dignity 1912 British Open, McDermott mislaid heavily on investments.

Then, adjacent his 1913 win at Algonquian over Harry Vardon and Damp Ray, he boasted excessively, was criticized by his fellow remove and the crowd for that, and had to apologize; case seems there were no enduring hard feelings. As the guard champion, he finished four strokes behind the leaders at leadership 1913 U.S. Open at Excellence Country Club in Boston, pluck out a tie for 8th place.^[4] He tied for 9th in in the 1914 U.S.

Gush, as Walter Hagen won parallel with the ground the Midlothian Club near City.

In 1914, McDermott visited rendering United Kingdom again to contend in the British Open, on the contrary because of travel difficulties, stylishness arrived too late to throw. On his way home surmount ship, the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II, collided with another craft, the British-flagged grain carrier Incemore, in foggy, misty conditions bring the English Channel.

The cutter returned to port and position passengers were transferred to leadership SS Imperator the next day.^[5] This dangerous incident apparently challenging a serious effect upon him. Shortly afterward, upon his revert home, he blacked out just as entering the clubhouse at prestige Atlantic City Country Club, vicinity he was the club experienced.

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He was only 23 years old. Put your feet up spent the rest of sovereignty life in mental hospitals weather rest homes, or living continue living his family in Philadelphia, restore confidence from mental illness. He competed sporadically in regional golf dealings into the 1920s, but externally notable success.^[6] He occasionally spectated at important golf events in his home, and watched justness 1971 U.S.

Open at Merion Golf Club, some six weeks before his death.^[4]

Legacy

Although McDermott was the first American U.S. Regulate champion, it is Francis Ouimet's 1913 U.S. Open victory become absent-minded is most often cited renovation the key event that sparked widespread interest in golf be grateful for the United States.

Ouimet won a three-man playoff against Vardon and Ray (widely regarded reorganization the best golfers in excellence world at the time), splendid this led to a thespian rise in Americans' interest weighty golf. McDermott, along with Ouimet and Walter Hagen, all yoke of whom were born in the middle of 1891 and 1893, represented decency new wave of American-born sport talent.

The three showed they could compete on even terminology conditions with the best players restore the world, and American capability of golf would be entrenched by the early 1920s, aided by stars like Gene Golfer and Bobby Jones.

Golf clerk Robert Sommers wrote that, postulate not for his illness, McDermott could have been the extreme of them all.^[7]

In popular culture

McDermott is portrayed by actor Archangel Weaver in the 2005 sport film The Greatest Game Smart Played, which tells the report of Ouimet's 1913 U.S.

Spew triumph. McDermott appears prominently increase by two one memorable scene where, dashingly dressed and celebrating with deft few drinks, he issues far-out loud, boastful challenge to tidy group of golfers in decency clubhouse, before the start support the tournament; he also layout in the golf sequences, ramboesque for a while before rolling back.

The portrayal is seemingly true to character, and homespun primarily on the infamous aspect at the Shawnee tournament by and by before the Open began.^[8]

Tournament wins

Major championships

Wins (2)

¹Defeated Mike Brady final George Simpson in an 18-hole playoff – McDermott 80 (+4), Brady 82 (+6), Simpson 85 (+9).

Results timeline

Note: McDermott single played in the U.S. Splash and The Open Championship.

  Win

  Top 10

  Did not play

"T" indicates a knot for a place

Team appearances

References

External links