Professional golfer Lee Buck Trevino (1939–) was born on this day and grew up in a poor Mexican American family in Dallas, Texas. The golf course became his classroom. As a youngster, he caddied, gathered stray golf balls, and watched players closely, learning how to shape a shot long before he held the title of professional.

“By the time I was five,” Trevino recalled, “I was out in the fields working. I thought hard work was just how life was. I was twenty-one years old before I knew Manual Labor wasn’t a Mexican.” His humor softened the truth of those early days and the responsibilities he shouldered long before childhood had ended.

Self-taught and determined, Trevino rose from those fields to fairways around the world. Named the PGA’s Rookie of the Year in 1967, he won the U.S. Open in 1968. He became the top money winner in 1970 and was honored as PGA Player of the Year in 1971. A boy who once hunted for lost golf balls took his place among champions.

“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere,” he said. On the course, he communicated with ease. His quick wit made galleries laugh, yet his game spoke with its own clarity, reminding fans that talent and personality can walk the same fairway.

Nicknamed “Supermex,” Trevino became known for his showmanship and persistence. When he was struck by lightning while playing in Chicago in 1975, his back injury threatened to end his career. He met the challenge with determination, joking, “How can they beat me? I’ve been struck by lightning, had two back operations, and been divorced twice.” His resilience carried a light all its own.

In later years on the Seniors Tour, he continued to shine, including a memorable win at the Champions Skins Game in Wailea, Hawaii. “I don’t play much anymore, but I practice a lot,” he told a reporter, still smiling, still finding joy in the rhythm of a clean strike.

When it comes to the game of life, Lee Trevino truly did play the whole course. From dusty fields to championship greens, from hardship to humor, he showed that heart, grit, and a good laugh can carry a person farther than talent alone.

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