Johnny Miller

Personal

Vocation

Lifestyle

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Traits

Family

American golfer, the world's hottest in the mid-'70s. Starting with a sawed off golf club when he was only five, Miller captured the U.S. Junior Amateur when he was 17 in 1964, and went on his way to become a golf legend. He dominated the PGA Tour between 1972 and 1976. In 1974, he won eight PGA Tour events, a single-season achievement exceeded only by Arnold Palmer, and was number one on the money winner's list with winnings of $350,000. He is best known for his final-round 63 during the 1973 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. This feat set a major championship record. He captured his second major title at the British Open in 1976. At this point, he began disregarding practice. He had no wins from 1976-1980 and had his worst golf year ever in 1978, though he continued to make millions of dollars through endorsements. He unofficially left competitive golf in the fall of 1989. Nevertheless, he got back into the winner's circle at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 1994. Miller turned to sports analyst for the 1990 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, his first assignment. Later, he signed a contract with NBC as a sports announcer, which still allowed him to join the Senior PGA Tour when he became eligible on 4/29/1997. He is considered a savvy golf analyst, known for his candor. He made his debut at the Franklin Quest championship in Utah for the Senior PGA Tour in 1997. He is co-founder of the Utah Junior Golf Association and still its honorary chairman. In 1996, he became the first player elected to the PGA Hall of Fame ballot. Miller and his wife, Linda, married on 9/17/1969; their sixth child was born in January 1980. A practicing Mormon with an uncompromising moral code, he also was known for his clean life style. He received the Jack Nicklaus Family of the Year award in 1997, given to the family that exemplifies the ideals of golf and family values. Link to Wikipedia biography