In the golden era of television golf, the whole world was hooked on watching Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player dominate the biggest stages in the world. They built a legacy that took golf to the next level and brought in a new age of viewers and aspiring players. Only a superhuman could outshine the Golden Bear, the King, and the Black Knight at their best. And the man who did do so while cracking jokes all around was Supermex, Lee Trevino. The Mexican American legend is famously known for his jolly attitude on the course, which got him the name Merry Mex in the late 60s. But don’t let his smiling face deceive you, as he was just as threatening on the course. How many golfers do you know who were able to win more trophies than Jack Nicklaus during his prime? Lee did so in 1971 when he won 6 titles, including the U.S. Open and the Open Championship, to Jack’s 5.
But he still knew the vast difference in the level of ability between himself and the Golden Bear. In fact, there is a hilarious interview where Trevino expressed how he bribed Mrs. Nicklaus to win more.
In a PGA Tour Champions press conference, Merry Mex confessed, “When I realised I was turning 50 in that December and I was going to go on the Champions Tour, and Nicklaus was turning 50 on January 21st, and he was coming out to play with me. I actually talked to Nicklaus’ manager and his wife. You can ask Barbara… I told Barbara, I said, ‘Listen, for every tournament that I enter, if you keep Jack at home, I will send you a dozen roses.’ And that year, I played 38 tournaments, and I sent Barbara Nicklaus 30 dozen roses. Because she kept him home for 30 of the tournaments. And I was the leading money winner that year.”
As hilarious as the story is, it is backed by facts. Both Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino made their Champions Tour debut in 1990. Trevino played 28 events, made 28 cuts, won 7 of them, finished runner-up 8 times, and was in the top 10 26 times. As outstanding as that record sounds, Nicklaus’ was even better. Playing just 5 events, the 82-time PGA Tour winner has 2 wins, and all 5 of his finishes were in the top 3. This continued throughout their Senior Tour career, and Trevino was able to win 29 titles while Nicklaus only managed 10.
The 85-year-old may have needed to wait till turning 50 to beat his friend. But he had learned to shape his own destiny long before he turned pro. Maybe that’s where he learned how to smile even during the biggest adversities.
Golf is often known as a gentleman’s sport. On paper, it may seem like it’s a prestigious sport played by gentlemen. However, the reality is, it’s expensive to play golf. And Lee Trevino didn’t come from a background that favored it. In fact, the Dallas legend was raised by his mother and grandfather, who was a gravedigger. Throughout his youth, the 29-time PGA Tour champion’s family faced financial difficulties. Buying clubs and golf balls was the last thing that crossed their minds.
Trevino himself worked his way into the sport by working as a caddie. He also worked in cotton fields and shinnied shoes during his youth. During his time carrying bags, he also hustled with the players and won matches against them for monetary gains. That’s how he learned to play the sport himself and improve his skills. Trevino had a short stint in the Marine Corps before he returned to the sport and became a professional golfer. Who knows how much success he would have gained had he received proper training? Yet, his life taught him to remain humble and enjoy the good times as much as he can.
Lee Trevino’s journey from a poor boy from Dallas to one of the most enigmatic golfers in modern golf has inspired thousands, if not millions, of golfers. He is a prime example of one doesn’t need to be rich to be a successful golfer.
Current Team U.S. captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup, Keegan Bradley, also shares a similar story. He grew up in a trailer park in Massachusetts, where he slept on a foldable kitchen counter. Jason Day’s family also struggled when he was young after his father had passed away. Yet, they found the courage to pursue the sport and become major winners themselves. It won’t come as a surprise if parts of Lee Trevino’s journey might have inspired their own rise to the top. What’s even more amazing is that Supermex is still an inspiration to the younger generation with his attitude away from the golf course.
Laughing his way to 29 career titles
Fans always witnessed Lee Trevino laughing on the course and having a ball after he turned pro. But he did hold an incredible record in the PGA Tour. 409 cuts made from 481, Trevino played all 4 rounds of the PGA Tour events 85.03% of the time in his career. Even Jack Nicklaus had a lower cut average of 84.76%. Merry Mex won 29 events, 6 of which were majors. He had 33 runner-ups, 21 third-place finishes, a total of 117 top 5 finishes, and 166 top 10s throughout his career. Trevino’s incredible consistency helped him earn $3,478,328 on the PGA Tour.
Some of his biggest wins in his career were definitely during his peak years in 1971 and 72. During his 6-win run in ’71, the Texan legend had beaten the Golden Bear in the playoffs of the 1971 U.S. Open Championship. The two replayed the 18 holes on the Monday of the major on June 21, 1971. Lee managed 2-under 68 while Jack’s triple bogey on the par-3 third hole was his downfall as he ended with 1-over 71. The legends locked horns once again in the 1972 Open Championship, where Trevino beat Nicklaus by 1 stroke in regulation holes. While he had received the Supermex nickname much earlier in the 1967 U.S. Open, these wins made the nickname famous as they defined his ability to perform exceptionally under pressure.
Leading the way with his genuine nature
Lee Trevino’s interview about Jack and Barbara Nicklaus is a perfect example of his honesty. Even today, after achieving all that he has and building a legendary career, he isn’t afraid of putting his ego aside and admitting that his peer was better than him. His lack of ego, honesty, and genuine nature is what wins over fans every day. All Trevino needs is a mic, and he will do his best to entertain everyone like he always has.
Even during his rare appearances on the course, Supermex doesn’t fail to make everyone laugh. In a video shared by the PGA Tour Champions Instagram account on his birthday back in December 2024, Trevino was seen joking around with legends like Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Annika Sorenstam, and Tom Watson as they were discussing the drivers they all had.
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