Cary Middlecoff

Cary Middlecoff

Emmett Cary Middlecoff (January 6, 1921 – September 1, 1998) was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s.

Middlecoff was born in Halls, Tennessee. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School. He played collegiate golf at the University of Mississippi (UM) where he was the school's first golf All-American in 1939. As a UM undergraduate and a dental student at the University of Tennessee, Middlecoff won the Tennessee State Amateur Championship for four straight years (1940–1943). After obtaining his DDS degree in 1944, he entered the United States Army Dental Corps during World War II. He won a PGA Tour tournament as an amateur in 1945, and then turned professional in 1947.

During his playing career, Middlecoff won 40 PGA Tour tournaments, including the 1955 Masters and U.S. Open titles in 1949 and 1956. He won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average in 1956. He played on three Ryder Cup teams: 1953, 1955, and 1959.

During the decade of the 1950s, Middlecoff won 28 Tour titles, more than any other player during that span. A tall player with plenty of power and good accuracy, Middlecoff during his best years was also a superb putter. He was known for often taking excessive time to play his shots. Back problems and struggles with his nerves during competition ended his career in the early 1960s, when he was only in his early 40s.

Middlecoff later developed a reputation as one of the best of the early golf television commentators. He also appeared in two motion pictures as himself (Follow the Sun (1950) and The Bellboy (1960)) and wrote a newspaper column, "The Golf Doctor." He also appeared in a short biographical sports documentary Golf Doctor (1947).

In 1986, Middlecoff was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He died of heart disease in Memphis, Tennessee.