John McDermott (golfer)
Encyclopedia
John J. McDermott Jr. (August 12, 1891 – August 1, 1971) was the first U.S.-born golf
er to win the U.S. Open
, in 1911 and 1912, and he remains the youngest-ever champion of that event, at age 19. He was the first player to break par over 72 holes in a significant event, which he did at the 1912 U.S. Open. He was one of the world's top players between 1910 and 1914.
, the son of a mailman. He was a good student at West Philadelphia High School
, but dropped out before graduation to become a professional golfer. He worked as a caddy
at the Aronimink Golf Club
, and learned golf from its longtime head professional Walter Reynolds.
) in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
. He moved to the Atlantic City Country Club
, where his practice regimen became legendary. As a teenager, he made his debut in the U.S. Open
in 1909, scoring 322 for 49th place.
or Scotland
, and visited the United States to play in tournaments, or in most cases, lived in the U.S. and worked as club professionals. By 1910 the U.S. was starting to produce its own professionals in quantity.
McDermott improved his game dramatically in one year, and lost out in an 18-hole playoff to Alex Smith
in the 1910 U.S. Open, held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club
(St. Martin's course); Macdonald Smith
, the younger brother of Alex, was also in the playoff. The three players had tied at 298 over 72 holes. Early in 1911, McDermott challenged Philadelphia-area professionals to matches at $1,000 each, after he won three straight, the competition vanished.
The following year he won the U.S. Open by three shots at the Chicago Golf Club
, following another three-way playoff, where he won over George Simpson and Mike Brady
; the three players had tied at 307 for 72 holes. McDermott remains the youngest U.S. Open Champion of all time at 19 years, 10 months and 12 days, and he was the first American-born champion. In 1912 he retained his title at the Country Club of Buffalo in New York State. He shot 294 for four rounds on a par 74 course, a score of two under par, making him the first man to break par for 72 holes in a high-standard event. Following his second straight national championship, McDermott's finances blossomed, with golf clubs being marketed under his name, endorsements for golf balls, and demand for his high-standard golf with lucrative exhibition matches. McDermott made his first attempt at the British Open
in 1912, but failed to qualify for the championship proper. But he returned to Britain the next year, and tied for fifth place in the Open at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. This was the best finish by an American player to that stage.
In 1913, McDermott won the Western Open
, then the second most prestigious professional tournament in the United States. He also won the Philadelphia Open Championship
three times: 1910, 1911, and 1913.
Also in 1913, McDermott won the Open tournament at Shawnee-on-Delaware, Pennsylvania, finishing ahead of top Englishmen Harry Vardon
and Ted Ray
.
in Boston
, in a tie for 8th place. He tied for 9th place in the 1914 U.S. Open, as Walter Hagen
won over the Midlothian Club near Chicago
.
In 1914, McDermott visited the United Kingdom
again to compete in the British Open
, but because of travel difficulties, he arrived too late to play. On his way home his ship, the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II
, collided with another vessel, the grain carrier Incemore, in misty conditions in the English Channel
. The ship returned to port and the passengers were transferred to the SS Imperator
the next day. This dangerous incident apparently had a serious effect upon him. Shortly afterward, upon his return home, he blacked out when entering the clubhouse at the Atlantic City Country Club
, where he was the club professional. He was only 23 years old. He spent the rest of his life in mental hospitals and rest homes, or living with his family in Philadelphia, suffering from mental illness
. He competed sporadically in regional golf events into the 1920s, but without notable success. He occasionally spectated at important golf events near his home, and watched the 1971 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club
, some six weeks before his death.
's 1913 U.S. Open victory that is most often cited as the key event that sparked widespread interest in golf in the United States. Ouimet won a three-man playoff against Vardon and Ray (widely regarded as the best golfers in the world at the time), and this led to a dramatic rise in Americans' interest in golf. McDermott, along with Ouimet and Walter Hagen, all three of whom were born between 1891 and 1893, represented the new wave of American-born golf talent. The three showed they could compete on even terms with the best players in the world, and American dominance of golf would be established by the early 1920s, assisted by stars like Gene Sarazen
and Bobby Jones
.
Golf historian Robert Sommers wrote that, if not for his illness, McDermott could have been the greatest of them all.
, which tells the story of Ouimet's 1913 U.S. Open triumph. McDermott appears prominently in one memorable scene where, dashingly dressed and celebrating with a few drinks, he issues a loud, boastful challenge to a group of golfers in the clubhouse, before the start of the tournament; he also features in the golf sequences, contending for a while before falling back. The portrayal is apparently true to character, and based primarily on the infamous scene at the Shawnee tournament shortly before the Open began.
1Defeated Mike Brady and George Simpson in a 18 hole playoff - McDermott 80 (+4), Brady 82 (+6) & Simpson 85 (+9).
and the British Open
.
DNP = Did not play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er to win the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
, in 1911 and 1912, and he remains the youngest-ever champion of that event, at age 19. He was the first player to break par over 72 holes in a significant event, which he did at the 1912 U.S. Open. He was one of the world's top players between 1910 and 1914.
Early life
McDermott was born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, the son of a mailman. He was a good student at West Philadelphia High School
West Philadelphia High School
West Philadelphia High School is a secondary school located in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The school was completed on November 1, 1912. and occupies an entire city block between 47th and 48th streets, between Walnut Street and Locust Street...
, but dropped out before graduation to become a professional golfer. He worked as a caddy
Caddy
In golf, a caddy is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin...
at the Aronimink Golf Club
Aronimink Golf Club
Aronimink Golf Club is a private country club located in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Its championship golf course is consistently rated among the top 100 golf courses in the United States. In 2010, Aronimink was ranked #4 among the toughest courses on the PGA Tour by Links Magazine. The club has...
, and learned golf from its longtime head professional Walter Reynolds.
Turns professional
McDermott's first professional job was at the Merchantville Field Club (now the Merchantville Country ClubMerchantville Country Club
Merchantville Country Club is the 10th oldest golf course in the United States. It is a 9-hole course located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The club was founded on October 13, 1892 under the name Merchantville Field Club...
) in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
. He moved to the Atlantic City Country Club
Atlantic City Country Club
The Atlantic City Country Club is a golf club located in Northfield, New Jersey, west of Atlantic City. In addition to a golf course, the club offers banquet and dining facilities. The course resides on in a coastal setting with skyline views of Atlantic City.-History:The club was established in...
, where his practice regimen became legendary. As a teenager, he made his debut in the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
in 1909, scoring 322 for 49th place.
Hits peak form
The first sixteen Opens had all been won by British golfers who had learned the game in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
or Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and visited the United States to play in tournaments, or in most cases, lived in the U.S. and worked as club professionals. By 1910 the U.S. was starting to produce its own professionals in quantity.
McDermott improved his game dramatically in one year, and lost out in an 18-hole playoff to Alex Smith
Alex Smith (golfer)
Alex Smith was a member of a famous Scottish golfing family. His brother Willie won the U.S. Open in 1899, and Alex won it in both 1906 and 1910. Like many British professionals of his era he spent much of his adult life working as a club professional in the United States.In 1901 Smith lost to...
in the 1910 U.S. Open, held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club
Philadelphia Cricket Club
The Philadelphia Cricket Club, founded in 1854, is the oldest country club in the United States. It has two locations: Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, and Flourtown, Pennsylvania.-History:...
(St. Martin's course); Macdonald Smith
Macdonald Smith
Macdonald "Mac" Smith was one of the top golfers in the world from about 1910 to the mid 1930s. He was a member of a famous Scottish golfing family....
, the younger brother of Alex, was also in the playoff. The three players had tied at 298 over 72 holes. Early in 1911, McDermott challenged Philadelphia-area professionals to matches at $1,000 each, after he won three straight, the competition vanished.
The following year he won the U.S. Open by three shots at the Chicago Golf Club
Chicago Golf Club
Chicago Golf Club is a private golf club in Wheaton, Illinois in the United States. It is the oldest 18-hole course in North America and was one of the five clubs which founded the United States Golf Association in 1894. Its founder, Charles B. Macdonald, won the first official U.S...
, following another three-way playoff, where he won over George Simpson and Mike Brady
Mike Brady (golfer)
Michael Joseph Brady was an American professional golfer. He was born in Brighton, Massachusetts. He lost in a three-way playoff to John McDermott in the 1911 U.S. Open. He lost to Walter Hagen in a celebrated playoff in the 1919 U.S. Open at the Brae Burn Country Club...
; the three players had tied at 307 for 72 holes. McDermott remains the youngest U.S. Open Champion of all time at 19 years, 10 months and 12 days, and he was the first American-born champion. In 1912 he retained his title at the Country Club of Buffalo in New York State. He shot 294 for four rounds on a par 74 course, a score of two under par, making him the first man to break par for 72 holes in a high-standard event. Following his second straight national championship, McDermott's finances blossomed, with golf clubs being marketed under his name, endorsements for golf balls, and demand for his high-standard golf with lucrative exhibition matches. McDermott made his first attempt at the British Open
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
in 1912, but failed to qualify for the championship proper. But he returned to Britain the next year, and tied for fifth place in the Open at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. This was the best finish by an American player to that stage.
In 1913, McDermott won the Western Open
Western Open
The Western Open, a professional golf tournament, was first played in 1899. At the time of its 2006 playing, the Western Open was the 3rd oldest active PGA Tour tournament, after the British Open and U.S. Open...
, then the second most prestigious professional tournament in the United States. He also won the Philadelphia Open Championship
Philadelphia Open Championship
The Philadelphia Open Championship is an annual golf tournament played in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. It is organized by the Golf Association of Philadelphia. It has been played annually since 1903 at member clubs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. It was considered a PGA Tour...
three times: 1910, 1911, and 1913.
Also in 1913, McDermott won the Open tournament at Shawnee-on-Delaware, Pennsylvania, finishing ahead of top Englishmen Harry Vardon
Harry Vardon
Harry Vardon was a Jersey professional golfer and member of the fabled Great Triumvirate of the sport in his day, along with John Henry Taylor and James Braid. He won The Open Championship a record six times and also won the U.S. Open.-Biography:Vardon was born in Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands...
and Ted Ray
Ted Ray (golfer)
Edward R. G. "Ted" Ray was a British professional golfer born on the Isle of Jersey. He won two major championships and contended in many others during the early years of the 20th century.-Biography:...
.
Serious setbacks
After the 1912 British Open, McDermott lost heavily on investments. Then, following his 1913 win at Shawnee over Vardon and Ray, he boasted excessively, was criticized by his fellow players and the crowd for this, and had to apologize; it seems there were no lasting hard feelings. As the defending champion, he finished four strokes behind the leaders at the 1913 U.S. Open at The Country ClubThe Country Club
The Country Club, located in Brookline, Massachusetts, is one of the oldest country club in the United States. It holds an important place in golf history, as it is one of the five charter clubs that founded the United States Golf Association, and has hosted numerous USGA tournaments including the...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, in a tie for 8th place. He tied for 9th place in the 1914 U.S. Open, as Walter Hagen
Walter Hagen
Walter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on...
won over the Midlothian Club near Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
In 1914, McDermott visited the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
again to compete in the British Open
1914 Open Championship
The 1914 Open Championship was a golf competition held at the Prestwick Golf Club. Harry Vardon won the competition....
, but because of travel difficulties, he arrived too late to play. On his way home his ship, the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II
SS Kaiser Wilhelm II
The second SS Kaiser Wilhelm II, was a 19,361 gross ton passenger steamer built at Stettin, Germany, completed in the spring of 1903. A famous photograph taken by Alfred Stieglitz called The Steerage as well as descriptions of the conditions of travel in the lowest class have conflicted with her...
, collided with another vessel, the grain carrier Incemore, in misty conditions in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. The ship returned to port and the passengers were transferred to the SS Imperator
SS Imperator
SS Imperator was an ocean liner built for the Hamburg Amerikanische Packetfahrt Actien Gesellschaft launched in 1912. She was the first of a trio of successively larger Hamburg America ships that included and built by the line for transatlantic passenger service...
the next day. This dangerous incident apparently had a serious effect upon him. Shortly afterward, upon his return home, he blacked out when entering the clubhouse at the Atlantic City Country Club
Atlantic City Country Club
The Atlantic City Country Club is a golf club located in Northfield, New Jersey, west of Atlantic City. In addition to a golf course, the club offers banquet and dining facilities. The course resides on in a coastal setting with skyline views of Atlantic City.-History:The club was established in...
, where he was the club professional. He was only 23 years old. He spent the rest of his life in mental hospitals and rest homes, or living with his family in Philadelphia, suffering from mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
. He competed sporadically in regional golf events into the 1920s, but without notable success. He occasionally spectated at important golf events near his home, and watched the 1971 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club
Merion Golf Club
Merion Golf Club is a private golf club located near Ardmore, Pennsylvania that is consistently rated by Golf Digest, among America's greatest golf courses, and will host the U.S. Open in 2013...
, some six weeks before his death.
Legacy
Although McDermott was the first American U.S. Open champion, it is Francis OuimetFrancis Ouimet
Francis DeSales Ouimet was an American golfer, who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the 1913 U.S. Open, and was the first American elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews...
's 1913 U.S. Open victory that is most often cited as the key event that sparked widespread interest in golf in the United States. Ouimet won a three-man playoff against Vardon and Ray (widely regarded as the best golfers in the world at the time), and this led to a dramatic rise in Americans' interest in golf. McDermott, along with Ouimet and Walter Hagen, all three of whom were born between 1891 and 1893, represented the new wave of American-born golf talent. The three showed they could compete on even terms with the best players in the world, and American dominance of golf would be established by the early 1920s, assisted by stars like Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S...
and Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones (golfer)
Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
.
Golf historian Robert Sommers wrote that, if not for his illness, McDermott could have been the greatest of them all.
In popular culture
McDermott is portrayed by actor Michael Weaver in the 2005 golf film The Greatest Game Ever PlayedThe Greatest Game Ever Played
The Greatest Game Ever Played is a 2005 biographical sports film based on the early life of golf champion Francis Ouimet. The film was directed by Bill Paxton; Shia LaBeouf plays the role of Ouimet. It is distributed by Walt Disney Pictures...
, which tells the story of Ouimet's 1913 U.S. Open triumph. McDermott appears prominently in one memorable scene where, dashingly dressed and celebrating with a few drinks, he issues a loud, boastful challenge to a group of golfers in the clubhouse, before the start of the tournament; he also features in the golf sequences, contending for a while before falling back. The portrayal is apparently true to character, and based primarily on the infamous scene at the Shawnee tournament shortly before the Open began.
Tournament wins
- 1910 Philadelphia Open ChampionshipPhiladelphia Open ChampionshipThe Philadelphia Open Championship is an annual golf tournament played in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. It is organized by the Golf Association of Philadelphia. It has been played annually since 1903 at member clubs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. It was considered a PGA Tour...
- 1911 U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
, Philadelphia Open ChampionshipPhiladelphia Open ChampionshipThe Philadelphia Open Championship is an annual golf tournament played in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. It is organized by the Golf Association of Philadelphia. It has been played annually since 1903 at member clubs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. It was considered a PGA Tour... - 1912 U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
- 1913 Philadelphia Open ChampionshipPhiladelphia Open ChampionshipThe Philadelphia Open Championship is an annual golf tournament played in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. It is organized by the Golf Association of Philadelphia. It has been played annually since 1903 at member clubs in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. It was considered a PGA Tour...
, Western OpenWestern OpenThe Western Open, a professional golf tournament, was first played in 1899. At the time of its 2006 playing, the Western Open was the 3rd oldest active PGA Tour tournament, after the British Open and U.S. Open...
, Shawnee Open
Wins (2)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
3 shot deficit | Playoff1 |  Mike BradyMike Brady (golfer) Michael Joseph Brady was an American professional golfer. He was born in Brighton, Massachusetts. He lost in a three-way playoff to John McDermott in the 1911 U.S. Open. He lost to Walter Hagen in a celebrated playoff in the 1919 U.S. Open at the Brae Burn Country Club... , George Simpson |
| 1912 | U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... (2) |
3 shot deficit | ||
| 2 strokes | Tom McNamara Tom McNamara (golfer) Tom McNamara was an American professional golfer. McNamara was born in Brookline, Massachusetts to an immigrant Irish family.... |
1Defeated Mike Brady and George Simpson in a 18 hole playoff - McDermott 80 (+4), Brady 82 (+6) & Simpson 85 (+9).
Results timetable
McDermott played in only U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
and the British Open
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
.
| Tournament | 1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
T49 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | T9 |
| British Open The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T5 | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10