John Schlee facts for kids

John H. Schlee (born June 2, 1939 – died June 2, 2000) was an American professional golfer. He played on the PGA Tour during the 1960s and 1970s.

Early Life and Golf Beginnings

John Schlee was born in Kremmling, Colorado. He grew up in Seaside, Oregon, where people knew him as Jack Schlee. In 1957, he joined the U.S. Army and served for two years. After his time in the Army, Schlee went to Memphis State University. He was an important member of the university's golf team.

After college, Schlee worked as a club professional. This means he taught golf at a club. In 1965, he was the top player at the very first PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. This tournament helps new golfers join the PGA Tour. In 1966, he was named the PGA Tour Rookie-of-the-Year. He made the cut in 13 events and earned a good spot on the money list that year.

PGA Tour Career Highlights

Schlee played full-time on the PGA Tour from 1966 to 1977. He had more than 30 finishes in the top 10 at PGA Tour events. His best year was 1973. That year, he won the Hawaiian Open. He also finished second at the U.S. Open, just one shot behind the winner, Johnny Miller.

Schlee also did well in major golf championships. These are the biggest tournaments in golf. He finished second at the 1973 U.S. Open. He also placed in the top 10 at the 1975 PGA Championship (tied for 10th) and the 1976 PGA Championship (tied for 4th). In 1977, he tied for 8th place at the 1977 Masters Tournament.

Later Career and Life

In the mid-1970s, John Schlee had some health problems. He had back surgery in 1975 and knee surgery in 1976. In 1977, he hurt his left thumb. Because of these injuries, he could only play part-time on the PGA Tour. He then took a job as a club professional in Rancho Viejo, Texas. His last time playing in a PGA Tour event was in 1978.

In 1980, Schlee started a new career. He became a teaching professional at Industry Hills Golf Resort near Los Angeles, California. He also created tools to help people learn golf. In 1986, Schlee wrote a book called Maximum Golf. This book shared his ideas about teaching golf. It also honored his golf teacher, Ben Hogan.

After he turned 50 in 1989, Schlee played in some events on the Senior PGA Tour. However, he did not win any of these tournaments. His best finish was tied for 42nd place. Schlee lived in Texas for most of his main career. Later, he lived in California during his senior golf years.

John Schlee passed away in 2000 in a hospital in Costa Mesa, California. He died from problems related to Alzheimer's disease.

Professional Wins

John Schlee won one PGA Tour event in his career.

PGA Tour Wins (1)

Date	Tournament	Winning Score	Margin of Victory	Runner-up
Feb 4, 1973	Hawaiian Open	−15 (273 total strokes)	2 strokes	Orville Moody

Major Championship Summary

John Schlee played in 21 major golf championships. He made the cut in 16 of them. He had one second-place finish and four top-10 finishes in total.

• He made the cut in 7 tournaments in a row (from the 1969 U.S. Open to the 1973 U.S. Open).
• He had two top-10 finishes in a row (1976 PGA Championship and 1977 Masters).

See also

• 1965 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates