Cary Middlecoff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cary Middlecoff
Middlecoff, circa 1950
Personal information
Full name	Emmett Cary Middlecoff
Nickname	Doc
Born	(1921-01-06)January 6, 1921 Halls, Tennessee
Died	September 1, 1998(1998-09-01) (aged 77) Memphis, Tennessee
Nationality	United States
Spouse	Edith Buck ​ (m. 1947)​
Career
College	University of Mississippi University of Tennessee College of Dentistry
Turned professional	1947
Former tour(s)	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)
The Masters Tournament	Won: 1955
U.S. Open	Won: 1949, 1956
The Open Championship	14th: 1957
PGA Championship	2nd: 1955
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame	1986
Vardon Trophy	1956

Emmett Cary Middlecoff (born January 6, 1921 – died September 1, 1998) was an American professional golfer. He played on the PGA Tour from 1947 to 1961. He won 39 tournaments on the PGA Tour, which puts him among the top golfers of all time. He also won three major championships. Before becoming a golfer, Middlecoff was a dentist. He decided to become a full-time golfer when he was 26 years old.

Early Life and Golf Beginnings

Cary Middlecoff was born in Halls, Tennessee, on January 6, 1921. He went to Christian Brothers High School. He played golf in college at the University of Mississippi. He was the first golf All-American from that school in 1939.

While studying at the University of Tennessee to become a dentist, Middlecoff won the Tennessee State Amateur Championship four years in a row (1940–1943). After becoming a dentist in 1944, he joined the United States Army Dental Corps during World War II. In 1945, while still an amateur, he won a PGA Tour tournament. He became a professional golfer in 1947.

PGA Tour Career Highlights

During his time as a pro golfer, Middlecoff won 39 PGA Tour tournaments. This includes big wins like the Masters in 1955 and the U.S. Open in 1949 and 1956. In 1956, he won the Vardon Trophy. This award is given to the golfer with the lowest average score.

Middlecoff was part of the U.S. Ryder Cup team three times: in 1953, 1955, and 1959. The U.S. team won all three of those competitions. He couldn't play in the 1957 Ryder Cup because he didn't play in the PGA Championship that year.

His best years were 1949, 1951, and 1956, when he won six tournaments in each of those years. He won at least one tournament in 13 of his 15 seasons as a pro. In the 1950s, Middlecoff won 28 tournaments, more than any other golfer during that time.

Middlecoff was a tall golfer with a lot of power and very good aim. In his best years, he was also excellent at putting the ball into the hole. He was known for taking a long time to hit his shots.

He had to stop playing professionally in the early 1960s, when he was in his early 40s. This was due to back problems and feeling very nervous during games. Even with one leg being a little shorter than the other, he became a top golfer. He still played in the Masters tournament until 1971 because he was a past champion.

Life After Golf

After retiring from playing, Cary Middlecoff became a well-known golf commentator on television. He spent 18 years sharing his golf knowledge on TV. He also appeared as himself in two movies: Follow the Sun (1951) and The Bellboy (1960). He even wrote a newspaper column called "The Golf Doctor."

Later Life and Legacy

In 1986, Cary Middlecoff was honored by being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He passed away from heart disease in 1998 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 77 years old and was survived by his wife, Edith, whom he had been married to for 51 years.

Major Championship Wins

Cary Middlecoff won three major golf championships:

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	Clayton Heafner, Sam Snead
1955	Masters Tournament	4 shot lead	−9 (72-65-72-70=279)	7 strokes	Ben Hogan
1956	U.S. Open (2)	1 shot lead	+1 (71-70-70-70=281)	1 stroke	Julius Boros, Ben Hogan

Summary of Major Championship Results

U.S. National Team Appearances

Cary Middlecoff represented the United States in several golf competitions:

• Ryder Cup: 1953 (winners), 1955 (winners), 1959 (winners)
• Canada Cup: 1959
• Hopkins Trophy: 1952 (winners), 1955 (winners), 1956 (winners)

See also

• List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins