In June 1968 a small Mexican-American posed for international sports photographers at Oak Hill Golf Club, Rochester, New York. He had just won one of golf's biggest events - the U.S. Open. The legend that is Lee Trevino was born. In order to understand the magnitude of Lee Trevino's achievement, it is necessary to look at the life-story behind the man.

Raised in a run-down shack on the outskirts of Dallas, Trevino spent his early childhood occasionally attending school and more frequently helping his family earn a meager living growing onions and cotton in the dusty fields surrounding their home.

Trevino's awkward style convinced some critics his stay on the Tour would be a short one - he would simply fade away quietly like hundreds of hopefuls before him. Completely self-taught, Trevino's style was anything but smooth. During his swing he appeared to be frantically striving to retain his balance - however, at the critical moment when the face of the club strikes the ball, his body was perfectly coordinated. He did not take long to silence his critics, winning the U.S. Open the following year at Oak Hill. Indeed during a heady four-week period in 1971 Trevino won three of golf's biggest competitions in succession - the U.S. Open, the Canadian Open and the British Open.

On June 27 1975 playing in the Western Open at Butler National Golf Club in Chicago, Trevino was struck by lightning - a freak accident which permanently damaged the flexibility and sensitivity of his lower back's vertebrae. For a man who had relied substantially on physical strength as part of his style it seemed to most observers that his career had come to an abrupt halt. But a series of painful operations enabled Trevino to renew his relationship with the game, albeit in a more diluted form. Displaying his customary tenacity and practicality, he adjusted his playing habits to accommodate his unfortunate disability. Appearances on the Tour began to be carefully timed and practice shots were reduced from over 1,000 balls to a mere 50.

Within two years Trevino scored an impressive victory in the Canadian Open (a feat he would repeat in 1979) and later stunned the golfing world when he lifted the U.S. P.G.A. trophy at the age of 44 in 1984.

A man celebrated for his humor and showmanship on the fairway, off-course Trevino is a surprisingly humble and private individual. The roots of his impoverished childhood run deep, a fact witnessed by his quiet generosity to numerous charities where Trevino demands complete confidentiality about his philanthropy. A complex individual, his humour serves both to ease the pressures of the game and to deflect prying eyes from his private life. Never a player to throw in the towel, 'Supermex' is one of golf's true heroes.

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Endorsements

Keynote Speech