Emmett Cary Middlecoff (January 6, 1921 – September 1, 1998) was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on what is now the PGA Tour in the 1940s. At the time, a career as a dentist would quite likely have been more lucrative.

Middlecoff was born in Halls, Tennessee. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School. He played collegiate golf at the University of Mississippi where he was the school's first golf All-American in 1939. He turned professional in 1947.

During his playing career, Middlecoff won 40 professional 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.

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 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Professional wins

PGA Tour wins (40)

• 1945 (1) North and South Open (as an amateur)
• 1947 (1) Charlotte Open
• 1948 (2) Hawaiian Open, Miami International Four-Ball (with Jim Ferrier)
• 1949 (6) Rio Grande Valley Open, Jacksonville Open, U.S. Open, Motor City Open (co-winner with Lloyd Mangrum), Reading Open, Miami International Four-Ball (with Jim Ferrier)
• 1950 (3) Houston Open, Jacksonville Open, St. Louis Open
• 1951 (6) Lakewood Park Open, Colonial National Invitation, All American Open, Eastern Open, St. Louis Open, Kansas City Open
• 1952 (4) El Paso Open, Motor City Open, St. Paul Open, Kansas City Open
• 1953 (3) Houston Open, Palm Beach Round Robin, Carling Open
• 1954 (1) Motor City Open
• 1955 (6) Bing Crosby Pro-Am Invitational, St. Petersburg Open, The Masters, Western Open, Miller High Life Open, Cavalcade Of Golf
• 1956 (3) Bing Crosby National Pro-Am Golf Championship, Phoenix Open, U.S. Open
• 1958 (1) Miller Open Invitational
• 1959 (1) St. Petersburg Open Invitational
• 1961 (1) Memphis Open Invitational

(missing one win)

Major championships are shown in bold.

Source:

Other wins

this list is probably incomplete

• 1949 Greenbrier Pro-Am

Major Championships

Wins (3)

Year	Championship	54 Holes	Winning Score	Margin	Runner(s) up
1949 ||U.S. Open ||1 shot lead ||+2 (75-67-69-75=286) ||1 stroke || Clayton Heafner, Sam Snead
1955	The Masters	4 shot lead	-9 (72-65-72-70=279)	7 strokes	Ben Hogan
1956	U.S. Open	1 shot lead	+1 (71-70-70-70=281)	1 stroke	Julius Boros, Ben Hogan

Results timeline

Tournament	1946	1947	1948	1949
The Masters	T12 LA	T29	2	T23
U.S. Open	DNP	CUT	T21	1
The Open Championship	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
PGA Championship	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP

Tournament	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959
The Masters	T7	T12	11	T27	T9	1	3	CUT	T6	2
U.S. Open	T10	T24	T24	WD	T11	T21	1	2	T27	T19
The Open Championship	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	14	DNP	DNP
PGA Championship	DNP	DNP	T5	T17	T3	2	DNP	DNP	T20	T8

Tournament	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969
The Masters	CUT	CUT	T29	CUT	CUT	CUT	WD	CUT	CUT	WD
U.S. Open	T43	CUT	CUT	CUT	DNP	DNP	WD	DNP	DNP	DNP
The Open Championship	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
PGA Championship	T29	T11	T15	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP

Tournament	1970	1971
The Masters	CUT	WD
U.S. Open	DNP	DNP
The Open Championship	DNP	DNP
PGA Championship	DNP	DNP

LA = Low Amateur

DNP = Did not play

WD = Withdrew

CUT = missed the half-way cut

"T" indicates a tie for a place

Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10

See also

• Golfers with most PGA Tour wins

References

External links

• World Golf Hall of Fame profile