| Johnny Miller | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Miller in 1975 | |||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Full name | John Laurence Miller | ||||||||
| Born | (1947-04-29)April 29, 1947 (age 78) | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st) | ||||||||
| Sporting nationality |  United States | ||||||||
| Residence | Monterey Peninsula, California, U.S. | ||||||||
| Spouse | Linda Miller | ||||||||
| Children | 6 | ||||||||
| Career | |||||||||
| College | Brigham Young University | ||||||||
| Turned professional | 1969 | ||||||||
| Former tour | PGA Tour | ||||||||
| Professional wins | 36 | ||||||||
| Number of wins by tour | |||||||||
| PGA Tour | 25 | ||||||||
| European Tour | 2 | ||||||||
| Japan Golf Tour | 1 | ||||||||
| Other | 10 | ||||||||
| Best results in major championships (wins: 2) | |||||||||
| Masters Tournament | T2:1971,1975,1981 | ||||||||
| PGA Championship | T11: 1977 | ||||||||
| U.S. Open | Won:1973 | ||||||||
| The Open Championship | Won:1976 | ||||||||
| Achievements and awards | |||||||||
| |||||||||
John Laurence Miller (born April 29, 1947) is an American formerprofessional golfer. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s. He was the first to shoot 63 in amajor championship to win the1973 U.S. Open, and he ranked second in the world onMark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behindJack Nicklaus. Miller won 25PGA Tour events, including twomajors. He was inducted into theWorld Golf Hall of Fame in 1998.[1] He was the lead golf analyst forNBC Sports, a position he held from January 1990 to February 2019. He is also an activegolf course architect.
Born and raised inSan Francisco, California, Miller was invited to join theOlympic Club in 1963 as a Junior Golf Section member, and became the top player on its junior team. He won the San Francisco city junior title in 1963 at age 16, and the following year won the 1964U.S. Junior Amateur. After graduation fromAbraham Lincoln High School in 1965,[2] he enrolled atBrigham Young University inProvo, Utah.
In the spring of his freshman year of college, Miller qualified for the1966 U.S. Open at theOlympic Club. His intimate knowledge of his home course helped him to finish in a tie for eighth place, the lowamateur by three strokes, and earned him an invitation to the 1967Masters.[3] He won theCalifornia State Amateur Championship in 1968.
Miller was anAll-American at BYU and graduated in 1969 with adegree inphysical education.[4]
Miller joined thePGA Tour in 1969 at age 22, and won his first tour event in1971. During his professional career, Miller won two major titles: the1973 U.S. Open and the1976 Open Championship.[5]
Coming into the1973 U.S. Open at the challenging par-71Oakmont, Miller was a 26-year-old with just two tour victories in four years, but had done well in several majors. He tied for second at the1971 Masters, and had top-10 finishes at the U.S. Open in 1971 and 1972. Miller had yet to win in 1973, but by mid-June, he had recorded eight top-10 finishes, which included a tie for 6th at the1973 Masters.
Miller played the first two rounds atOakmont Country Club withArnold Palmer and his "Army" gallery, at its largest in Palmer's native westernPennsylvania. Miller was two under par (140) after the second round but shot a five-over 76 on Saturday to settle at three-over (216) for the championship. Miller played the front nine without his yardage book on Saturday until his wife Linda retrieved it.[6]
Miller began the fourth and final round in 12th place, six shots behind the four co-leaders, including Palmer. Teeing off at 1:36 pm, about an hour ahead of the final group, Miller shot a scorching eight-under 63, considered one of the most remarkable rounds in major championship history. He passed the leading players of the day, includingJack Nicklaus,Gary Player,Lee Trevino, and Palmer, who was in the final pairing withJohn Schlee.[7] Miller's 63 was thelowest round in the history of a major championship. It was tied several times but remained a record untilBranden Grace shot a 62 at the2017 Open Championship.
Miller birdied the first four holes and hit all 18 greens in regulation. He got five more birdies with only one bogey (a 3-putt on the 244 yard par-3 #8), and needed only 29 putts during the round.[8][9][10][11] Ten of his approach shots finished within 10 feet of the cup. In 2007, Miller said: "It was the greatest ball-striking round I've ever seen and I've been around a little bit."[12] Miller wound up at 5-under (279) for the championship, beating the runner-up Schlee by a single stroke, who shot a 1-under 70. Only six players, Miller included, shot under par in the final round. Miller earned $35,000 for the victory.[13]
Miller followed that triumph at Oakmont by finishing in a tie for second at the next major,The Open Championship atRoyal Troon a month later, three strokes behind winnerTom Weiskopf.[14][15] This was the first of five consecutive top-10 finishes for Miller at The Open. In 1974, Miller was the leading money winner on thePGA Tour with eight victories, which considerably outpaced the rest of the field. He amassed a then-record $353,201 (not exceeded until 1978), and unseated Nicklaus as the Tour's leading money winner for a season.
Miller began 1975 with three more victories, winning two of them in remarkable fashion. He won thePhoenix Open by 14 strokes, which included a second-round 61 for a 24-under par cumulative score of 260, the lowest on the tour in 20 years. He also won theTucson Open by nine strokes, with a final round 61.[16] Miller later said of his peak period in the mid-1970s: "When I won at Tucson by nine shots in 1975, I would say the average iron shot I hit that week was no more than two feet off line. It was unbelievable. When I was at my peak, I would go into streaks where I felt that I could knock down the pin from anywhere with my irons. I played some golf that I think is unequaled."[17]
Miller finished second to Jack Nicklaus at the1975 Masters and third at1975 Open Championship later in the year atCarnoustie.[18] He won his second major at the1976 Open Championship, a six stroke victory over Nicklaus and a 19-year-oldSeve Ballesteros atRoyal Birkdale. The course had played hard and fast after scorching hot conditions in England that summer, during the1976 United Kingdom heat wave, which saw record hot temperatures and several minor fires breaking out in the tournament.[19] Miller's final round of 66 at Royal Birkdale tied the course record.[20]
Following his 1976 Open Championship win, Miller, never known as an outstanding putter, lost the form that made him a frequent winner in his early career and failed to win for the next three years, due to a putting affliction widely known as the "yips".[21]
Miller later said that he considered quitting professional golf during his slump in form between 1977 and 1979, but a passage in the Scriptures, "It's not what you accomplish in life, but what you overcome", helped inspire him to continue playing golf. Miller also said that Jack Nicklaus, whom he viewed as a father figure, was "amazingly supportive" of him during his bleak period in the late 1970s.[17]
In 1980, Miller notched his first win in almost four years, theJackie Gleason-Inverrary Classic.[22] In 1981, Miller enjoyed one final spectacular season. His victory at theMillion Dollar Challenge in Sun City, South Africa following a 9-hole sudden-death playoff withSeve Ballesteros made him that year's leading worldwide money winner after two earlier wins in the United States. Miller's return to impressive form in 1981 resulted in him competing in his second Ryder Cup. Until2021, the1981 Ryder Cup atWalton Heath Golf Club in England was the heaviest defeat that a European team had suffered at the hands of the United States, and it is considered by many to be the finest American team ever assembled.[23]
Miller's final PGA Tour victory came in semiretirement at the 1994AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, at age 46.[21] He finished his career with 25PGA Tour wins and 105 top-10 finishes. Miller finished runner-up three times at The Masters in 1971, 1975 and 1981. He played on twoRyder Cup teams, 1975 and 1981. He was inducted into theWorld Golf Hall of Fame in 1998.[24]
Fred Couples referred to Miller as "probably the best ball-striker ever".[25]Jack Nicklaus described Miller as "the best short iron player ever."[26]
In 1990, Miller began work as a broadcaster forNBC Sports. Although Miller became eligible for theSenior PGA Tour in 1997, he decided to forgo regular play on the senior tour in part due to the strain the sport puts on the knees of a player.[27] He remained as lead analyst forNBC Sports' limited golf schedule and has pursued other business ventures. Miller typically was paired with broadcasterDan Hicks and called numerous events including theU.S. Open,U.S. Amateur andRyder Cup.
As a commentator, Miller became known for his straightforward and sometimes blunt remarks, which sometimes earned him the enmity of players. One example came on June 16, 2008, when he referred toRocco Mediate during the broadcast of theU.S. Open's 18-hole playoff as "looking like the guy who cleansTiger Woods' pool." Miller said that "guys with the name of Rocco don't get on the trophy, do they?" Mediate, who has battled many physical problems throughout his career, nevertheless played superbly, and took the heavily favored Woods to an 18-hole playoff (and one extra sudden-death hole) before losing. Mediate later laughed off the remarks and Miller later apologized for his comments, saying: "I chose my words poorly and in the future will be more careful." He added that his intention was to "convey my affection and admiration for Rocco's everyman qualities and had absolutely nothing to do with his heritage."[28]
In 2012, Miller revealed that Tiger Woods once asked him to be his coach. Miller said that he declined the offer from Woods because of his commitment to NBC Sports and a desire to spend time with his children and grandchildren.[26]
Miller has written a column forGolf Digest magazine for several years, offering insight into various aspects of golf, often featuring the professional game. He also wrote the bookI Call The Shots, a look at the PGA Tour's personalities during his peak years, the Tour's current stars, as well as broadcasting insights. Known for his very weak grip, with both "Vs" formed by the forefinger and thumb of each hand pointing to his chin, he sought to eliminate the left side of the golf course as an area for missed shots.[citation needed]
An offshoot to his broadcasting career has been a string of film and TV appearances as himself in the role of "beloved golf great". In one film,The Associate, withWhoopi Goldberg, an aging billionaire is willing to transfer management of all his assets in exchange for the opportunity to play a round of golf with Johnny Miller.[citation needed]
Miller is a partner in a limited partnership which purchasedSilverado Country Club inNapa, California on July 1, 2010.[29] He also owns a golf design company and a golf academy and designed theThanksgiving Point Golf Course inLehi, Utah, host of the Champion's Challenge. Although Miller has helped design 34 golf courses, Silverado was the first course he redesigned himself.[30] In July 2013 it was announced that Silverado would again play host for a PGA tournament starting in October 2014, when it hosted theFrys.com Open.[31][32] The renovation added over 300 yards, removed trees and repositioned bunkers.[33] Miller served as the unofficial face of the resort during the event, as he was a part of the telecast, which frequently referenced his role in the club. When he had to fulfill official club duties during the week, Miller's friend and NBC colleagueRoger Maltbie filled in for him.
Miller retired from broadcasting following the third round of the 2019Phoenix Open.[34]
Miller is a member ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and his wife Linda have six children and live on theMonterey Peninsula in California andMount Olympus, Utah.[35] During the2018 Ryder Cup broadcast, he announced that his 25th grandchild was born. His sonAndy won aBuy.com Tour event and played on thePGA Tour.
| Legend |
|---|
| Major championships (2) |
| Other PGA Tour (23) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 12,1971 | Southern Open Invitational | −13 (65-67-68-67=267) | 5 strokes |  Deane Beman |
| 2 | Nov 27,1972 | Sea Pines Heritage Classic | −3 (71-65-75-70=281) | 1 stroke | Tom Weiskopf |
| 3 | Jun 17,1973 | U.S. Open | −5 (71-69-76-63=279) | 1 stroke | John Schlee |
| 4 | Jan 6,1974 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | −8 (68-70-70=208)[a] | 4 strokes | Grier Jones |
| 5 | Jan 13, 1974 | Phoenix Open | −13 (69-69-66-67=271) | 1 stroke | Lanny Wadkins |
| 6 | Jan 20, 1974 | Dean Martin Tucson Open | −16 (62-71-71-68=272) | 3 strokes | Ben Crenshaw |
| 7 | Mar 31, 1974 | Sea Pines Heritage Classic (2) | −8 (67-67-72-70=276) | 3 strokes | Gibby Gilbert |
| 8 | Apr 28, 1974 | Tournament of Champions | −8 (75-69-67-69=280) | 1 stroke | Buddy Allin,John Mahaffey |
| 9 | Aug 25, 1974 | Westchester Classic | −19 (69-68-65-67=269) | 2 strokes | Don Bies |
| 10 | Sep 15, 1974 | World Open Golf Championship | −3 (73-63-73-72=281) | Playoff | Frank Beard,Bob Murphy,Jack Nicklaus |
| 11 | Sep 29, 1974 | Kaiser International Open Invitational | −17 (69-69-67-66=271) | 8 strokes | Billy Casper,Lee Trevino |
| 12 | Jan 12,1975 | Phoenix Open (2) | −24 (67-61-68-64=260) | 14 strokes | Jerry Heard |
| 13 | Jan 19, 1975 | Dean Martin Tucson Open (2) | −25 (66-69-67-61=263) | 9 strokes | John Mahaffey |
| 14 | Feb 9, 1975 | Bob Hope Desert Classic | −21 (64-69-72-66-68=339) | 3 strokes | Bob Murphy |
| 15 | Oct 5, 1975 | Kaiser International Open Invitational (2) | −16 (68-67-68-69=272) | 3 strokes | Rod Curl |
| 16 | Jan 11,1976 | NBC Tucson Open (3) | −14 (70-69-67-68=274) | 3 strokes | Howard Twitty |
| 17 | Feb 8, 1976 | Bob Hope Desert Classic (2) | −16 (71-69-73-68-63=344) | 3 strokes | Rik Massengale |
| 18 | Jul 10, 1976 | The Open Championship | −9 (72-68-73-66=279) | 6 strokes |  Seve Ballesteros,Jack Nicklaus |
| 19 | Mar 9,1980 | Jackie Gleason-Inverrary Classic | −14 (70-68-66-70=274) | 2 strokes | Charles Coody,Bruce Lietzke |
| 20 | Jan 11,1981 | Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open (4) | −15 (66-64-70-65=265) | 2 strokes | Lon Hinkle |
| 21 | Feb 22, 1981 | Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open | −14 (66-69-67-68=270) | 2 strokes | Tom Weiskopf |
| 22 | Jan 31,1982 | Wickes-Andy Williams San Diego Open | −18 (65-67-68-70=270) | 1 stroke | Jack Nicklaus |
| 23 | Mar 6,1983 | Honda Inverrary Classic | −10 (68-73-68-69=278) | 2 strokes | Jack Nicklaus |
| 24 | Feb 1,1987 | AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (2) | −10 (72-72-68-66=278) | 1 stroke | Payne Stewart |
| 25 | Feb 6,1994 | AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (3) | −7 (68-72-67-74=281) | 1 stroke | Jeff Maggert,Corey Pavin,Tom Watson,Kirk Triplett |
PGA Tour playoff record (1–5)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1972 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | Jack Nicklaus | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 2 | 1974 | World Open Golf Championship | Frank Beard,Bob Murphy,Jack Nicklaus | Won with birdie on second extra hole Murphy eliminated by par on first hole |
| 3 | 1979 | Colgate Hall of Fame Classic | Tom Watson | Lost to par on second extra hole |
| 4 | 1982 | Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open | Tom Watson | Lost to birdie on third extra hole |
| 5 | 1983 | Phoenix Open | Rex Caldwell,Bob Gilder,Mark O'Meara | Gilder won with birdie on eighth extra hole Miller and O'Meara eliminated by birdie on second hole |
| 6 | 1983 | Canadian Open | John Cook | Lost to birdie on sixth extra hole |
Source:[37]
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 8,1974 | Dunlop Phoenix Tournament | −14 (69-69-69-67=274) | 7 strokes |  Lu Liang-Huan |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 19,1972 | Otago Charity Classic | −7 (70-68-72-71=281) | Playoff | Lu Liang-Huan |
New Zealand Golf Circuit playoff record (1–0)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1972 | Otago Charity Classic | Lu Liang-Huan | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 7, 1973 | Trophée Lancôme | −11 (68-69-71-69=277) | 3 strokes | Valentín Barrios |
| 2 | Nov 25, 1973 | World Cup (with Jack Nicklaus) | −18 (142-133-145-138=558) | 6 strokes |  South Africa −Hugh Baiocchi andGary Player |
| 3 | Nov 25, 1973 | World Cup Individual Trophy | −11 (73-65-72-67=277) | 3 strokes | Gary Player |
| 4 | Dec 7, 1975 | World Cup (2) (with Lou Graham) | −22 (134-142-140-138=554) | 10 strokes | Taiwan −Hsieh Min-Nan andKuo Chie-Hsiung |
| 5 | Dec 7, 1975 | World Cup Individual Trophy (2) | −13 (66-71-70-68=275) | 2 strokes |  Ben Arda,Hsieh Min-Nan, Bob Shearer |
| 6 | Oct 28, 1979 | Trophée Lancôme (2) | −7 (70-71-69-71=281) | 3 strokes |  Sandy Lyle,Lee Trevino |
| 7 | Jan 3, 1982 | Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge | −11 (72-68-66-71=277) | Playoff |  Seve Ballesteros |
| 8 | Dec 18, 1983 | Chrysler Team Championship (with Jack Nicklaus) | −11 (61-65-65=191)[a] | 1 stroke | Al Geiberger and Peter Oosterhuis |
| 9 | Dec 31, 1983 | Spalding Invitational | −17 (64-68-69-69=270) | 5 strokes | Bob Gilder |
Other playoff record (1–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1982 | Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge | Seve Ballesteros | Won with par on ninth extra hole |
| 2 | 2000 | Office Depot Father/Son Challenge (with son Scott Miller) | Raymond Floyd and son Robert Floyd | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | U.S. Open | 6 shot deficit | −5 (71-69-76-63=279) | 1 stroke | John Schlee |
| 1976 | The Open Championship | 2 shot deficit | −9 (72-68-73-66=279) | 6 strokes | Seve Ballesteros,Jack Nicklaus |
| Tournament | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T53 | |||
| U.S. Open | T8LA | CUT | T42 | |
| The Open Championship | ||||
| PGA Championship |
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T2 | CUT | T6 | T15 | T2 | T23 | T35 | T32 | CUT | |
| U.S. Open | T18 | T5 | 7 | 1 | T35 | T38 | 10 | T27 | T6 | CUT |
| The Open Championship | T47 | T15 | T2 | 10 | T3 | 1 | T9 | CUT | T57 | |
| PGA Championship | T12 | T20 | T20 | T18 | T39 | CUT | T11 | T38 |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T38 | T2 | CUT | T12 | CUT | T25 | T28 | T42 | ||
| U.S. Open | CUT | T23 | T45 | CUT | T4 | 8 | T45 | CUT | ||
| The Open Championship | CUT | T39 | T22 | T31 | CUT | T52 | T49 | |||
| PGA Championship | T68 | CUT | T32 | T30 | WD | CUT | WD | WD |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | ||||
| U.S. Open | CUT | ||||
| The Open Championship | CUT | ||||
| PGA Championship |
LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1980 Open Championship)
DQ = disqualified
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 14 |
| U.S. Open | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 22 | 16 |
| The Open Championship | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 13 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 10 |
| Totals | 2 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 30 | 74 | 53 |
Professional
Johnny Miller in theRyder Cup | |||||||||
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| Other | |
