John Mahaffey
John Drayton Mahaffey Jr. (born May 9, 1948 in Kerrville, Texas) is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including 10 PGA Tour victories.
Mahaffey attended the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. He turned pro in 1971 after graduating in 1970 with a degree in psychology.
Mahaffey's best year in professional golf was 1978. He won twice on the tour that year including one major, the PGA Championship. He also won the World Cup (Individual) that year. He came close to winning another major. In 1975, Mahaffey lost the U.S. Open to Lou Graham in a playoff at the Medinah Golf Club in Medinah, Illinois.
The 1978 PGA championship was held at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Mahaffey became the best comeback winner in PGA history after trailing Tom Watson by seven strokes with 14 holes to play. Ultimately, the tournament came down to a 3 player playoff – Mahaffey, Watson and Jerry Pate. The drama ended on the second playoff hole when Pate missed the green, Watson missed a 30-foot birdie attempt and Mahaffey made his 12-foot birdie put for the Championship. [1]
Mahaffey currently lives near Houston at The Woodlands in his home state of Texas. His family includes wife Denise, son John D. III (born 1988) and daughter Megan (born 1992). In his spare time, he enjoys fishing. Early in his career, Mahaffey was often sought out by other players to do comedic imitations for which he has a special talent.
PGA Tour Wins
- 1973 Sahara Invitational
- 1978 PGA Championship, American Optical Classic
- 1979 Bob Hope Desert Classic
- 1980 Kemper Open
- 1981 Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic
- 1984 Bob Hope Classic
- 1985 Texas Open
- 1986 Tournament Players Championship
- 1989 Fed Ex St. Jude Classic
Major Championships shown in bold
Champions Tour wins
- 1999 Southwestern Bell Dominion
Other tournament wins
- 1970 NCAA Championship
- 1978 World Cup (Individual)
References
External links
- Profile on the PGA Tour's official site [2]