Cary Middlecoff
| Cary Middlecoff | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlecoff, circa 1950 | |||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Full name | Emmett Cary Middlecoff | ||||
| Nickname | Doc | ||||
| Born | (1921年01月06日)January 6, 1921 Halls, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||
| Died | September 1, 1998(1998年09月01日) (aged 77) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||
| Sporting nationality | United States | ||||
| Spouse |
Edith Buck (m. 1947) | ||||
| Career | |||||
| College | University of Mississippi University of Tennessee College of Dentistry | ||||
| Turned professional | 1947 | ||||
| Former tour | PGA Tour | ||||
| Professional wins | 40 | ||||
| Number of wins by tour | |||||
| PGA Tour | 39 (Tied 10th all time) | ||||
| Other | 1 | ||||
| Best results in major championships (wins: 3) | |||||
| Masters Tournament | Won: 1955 | ||||
| PGA Championship | 2nd: 1955 | ||||
| U.S. Open | Won: 1949, 1956 | ||||
| The Open Championship | 14th: 1957 | ||||
| Achievements and awards | |||||
| |||||
Emmett Cary Middlecoff (January 6, 1921 – September 1, 1998) was an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour from 1947 to 1961. His 39 Tour wins place him tied for tenth all-time, and he won three major championships. Middlecoff graduated as a dentist, but gave up his practice at age 26 to become a full-time Tour golfer.
Early life and amateur career
[edit ]Middlecoff was born January 6, 1921,[1] in Halls, Tennessee. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School. He played collegiate golf at the University of Mississippi, becoming that school's first golf All-American in 1939. First as an undergraduate and active member of Kappa Alpha Order, then as a dental student at the University of Tennessee, Middlecoff won the Tennessee State Amateur Championship for four straight years (1940–1943). After obtaining his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree in 1944, he entered the United States Army Dental Corps during World War II. He won a PGA Tour tournament as an amateur in 1945
Professional career
[edit ]In 1947, Middlecoff turned professional. He was selected for the 1947 Walker Cup team but immediately withdrew as he intended turning professional.[2] [3]
During his playing career, Middlecoff won 39 PGA Tour tournaments,[4] including the 1955 Masters and U.S. Open titles in 1949 and 1956. He won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average in 1956.
Middlecoff played on three Ryder Cup teams: 1953, 1955, and 1959 – the U.S. teams won all three times. He was ineligible for the 1957 Ryder Cup because he failed to play in the PGA Championship that year.[5] Middlecoff was disappointed to lose a playoff in the 1957 U.S. Open to Dick Mayer, and played very few events following that event. The U.S. lost the Cup in 1957, for the first time since 1933.
Middlecoff's three best seasons were 1949, 1951 and 1956, as he won six tour titles in each of those years. He won at least one tour tournament in 13 of his 15 seasons, missing only in 1957 and 1960.
During the decade of the 1950s, Middlecoff won 28 tour titles, more than any other player during that span. A tall player with plenty of power and very good accuracy, Middlecoff during his best years was also a superb putter. He was known for often taking excessive time to play his shots.
Back problems and struggles with his nerves during competition ended his career in the early 1960s, when he was in his early 40s, although he continued to play occasionally, competing in the Masters until 1971, as a past champion.
Middlecoff became a top player despite having one leg slightly shorter than the other.[6]
He appeared in two motion pictures as himself (Follow the Sun (1951, about the life and career of Ben Hogan) and The Bellboy (1960)). He wrote a newspaper column, "The Golf Doctor." He also appeared in a short biographical sports documentary Golf Doctor (1947).
Middlecoff later developed a reputation as one of the best of the early golf television commentators. After retiring from the tour, he spent 18 years as a golf analyst for television.[7]
Death
[edit ]Middlecoff died of heart disease in 1998 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was survived by his wife of 51 years, Edith.[7]
Awards and honors
[edit ]- In 1956, Middlecoff earned the Vardon Trophy, the honor bestowed to the player with the lowest average score over the course of the season.
- In 1986, Middlecoff was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Professional wins (41)
[edit ]PGA Tour wins (39)
[edit ]| Legend |
|---|
| Major championships (3) |
| Other PGA Tour (36) |
*Mangrum and Middlecoff agreed to share the 1949 Motor City Open after failing light caused play to halt after eleven holes of a playoff.
PGA Tour playoff record (7–6–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1947 | Charlotte Open | United States George Schoux | Won 18-hole playoff; Middlecoff: −8 (64), Schoux: +1 (73) |
| 2 | 1948 | Tacoma Open Invitational | United States Chuck Congdon, United States Vic Ghezzi, United States Fred Haas, United States Ed Oliver |
Oliver won with eagle on first extra hole after 18-hole playoff; Oliver: −2 (69), Middlecoff: −2 (69), Haas: +1 (72), Congdon: +2 (73), Ghezzi: +4 (75) |
| 3 | 1949 | Motor City Open | United States Lloyd Mangrum | Playoff abandoned after eleven holes due to darkness; tournament shared |
| 4 | 1950 | St. Louis Open | United States Ed Oliver | Won with birdie on second extra hole after 18-hole playoff; Middlecoff: −3 (67), Oliver: −3 (67) |
| 5 | 1951 | Kansas City Open | United States Dave Douglas, United States Doug Ford | Won 18-hole playoff; Middlecoff: −4 (68), Douglas: E (72), Ford: E (72) |
| 6 | 1952 | Motor City Open | United States Ted Kroll | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 7 | 1952 | World Championship of Golf | United States Julius Boros | Lost 18-hole playoff; Boros: −4 (68), Middlecoff: −2 (70) |
| 8 | 1952 | Kansas City Open | United States Jack Burke Jr. | Won 18-hole playoff; Middlecoff: −6 (66), Burke: E (72) |
| 9 | 1953 | Houston Open | Australia Jim Ferrier, United States Shelley Mayfield, United States Bill Nary, United States Earl Stewart |
Won 18-hole playoff; Middlecoff: −3 (69), Ferrier: −1 (71), Mayfield: −1 (71), Stewart: E (72), Nary: +3 (75) |
| 10 | 1953 | Carling Open | United States Ted Kroll | Won with par on second extra hole |
| 11 | 1953 | Fort Wayne Open | United States Art Wall Jr. | Lost 18-hole playoff; Wall: −2 (70), Middlecoff: E (72) |
| 12 | 1954 | Phoenix Open | United States Ed Furgol | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 13 | 1956 | Texas International Open | United States Gene Littler, Australia Peter Thomson | Thomson won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 14 | 1957 | U.S. Open | United States Dick Mayer | Lost 18-hole playoff; Mayer: +2 (72), Middlecoff: +9 (79) |
Other wins (1)
[edit ]this list may be incomplete
- 1949 Greenbrier Pro-Am
Major championships
[edit ]Wins (3)
[edit ]| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | U.S. Open | 1 shot lead | +2 (75-67-69-75=286) | 1 stroke | United States Clayton Heafner, United States Sam Snead |
| 1955 | Masters Tournament | 4 shot lead | −9 (72-65-72-70=279) | 7 strokes | United States Ben Hogan |
| 1956 | U.S. Open (2) | 1 shot lead | +1 (71-70-70-70=281) | 1 stroke | United States Julius Boros, United States Ben Hogan |
Results timeline
[edit ]| Tournament | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T12 LA | T29 | 2 | T23 |
| U.S. Open | CUT | T21 | 1 | |
| The Open Championship | ||||
| PGA Championship |
| Tournament | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T7 | T12 | 11 | T27 | T9 | 1 | 3 | CUT | T6 | 2 |
| U.S. Open | T10 | T24 | T24 | WD | T11 | T21 | 1 | 2 | T27 | T19 |
| The Open Championship | 14 | |||||||||
| PGA Championship | QF | R32 | SF | 2 | T20 | T8 |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | CUT | T29 | CUT | CUT | CUT | WD | CUT | CUT | WD |
| U.S. Open | T43 | CUT | CUT | CUT | WD | |||||
| The Open Championship | ||||||||||
| PGA Championship | T29 | T11 | T15 |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 |
|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | WD |
| U.S. Open | ||
| The Open Championship | ||
| PGA Championship |
LA = low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" = tied
Summary
[edit ]| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 26 | 14 |
| U.S. Open | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 18 | 12 |
| The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Totals | 3 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 30 | 54 | 36 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 12 (1948 Masters – 1953 Masters)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 3 (twice)
U.S. national team appearances
[edit ]Professional
- Ryder Cup: 1953 (winners), 1955 (winners), 1959 (winners)
- Canada Cup: 1959
- Hopkins Trophy: 1952 (winners), 1955 (winners), 1956 (winners)
See also
[edit ]References
[edit ]- ^ "UPI Almanac for Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019". United Press International . January 6, 2019. Archived from the original on September 11, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
golf Hall of Fame member Cary Middlecoff in 1921
- ^ "Twelve Names in U.S. Walker Cup Selection". Glasgow Herald . January 13, 1947. p. 2.
- ^ "U.S. Walker Cup Team Change". Glasgow Herald . January 20, 1947. p. 2.
- ^ a b "All-Time Records - Top 50 All-Time PGA Tour Winners". PGA TOUR 2007 Guide. PGA Tour. 2006. pp. 6–12.
- ^ "U.S. Ryder Cup side named". The Bulletin. July 30, 1957. p. 10. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
- ^ Sommers, Robert (1996). The U.S. Open: Golf's Ultimate Challenge (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195100495.
- ^ a b Litsky, Frank (September 3, 1998). "Cary Middlecoff, 77, Dentist Who Became Top Pro Golfer". The New York Times.
- ^ Barkow, Al (November 1989). The History of the PGA TOUR . Copyright PGA Tour. Doubleday. p. 265. ISBN 0-385-26145-4.
- ^ "Cary Middlecoff". PGA Tour. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
External links
[edit ]- American male golfers
- Ole Miss Rebels men's golfers
- PGA Tour golfers
- Winners of men's major golf championships
- Ryder Cup competitors for the United States
- World Golf Hall of Fame inductees
- American golf writers
- American golf commentators
- Golfers from Memphis, Tennessee
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- University of Tennessee alumni
- People from Halls, Tennessee
- 1921 births
- 1998 deaths
- 20th-century American sportsmen