John McDermott (golfer)
| John McDermott, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| — Golfer — | |
 |
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | John J. McDermott, Jr. |
| Born |
August 12, 1891 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | August 1, 1971 (aged 79) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Nationality |
 United States
|
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1908 |
| Retired | 1914 |
| Professional wins | 7 |
| Best results in major championships (wins: 2) |
|
| U.S. Open | Won: 1911, 1912 |
| The Open Championship | T5: 1913 |
John J. McDermott Jr. (August 12, 1891 – August 1, 1971) was the first U.S.-born golfer to win the U.S. Open, in 1911 and 1912, and he remains the youngest player to win the event, at age 19, as well as the second youngest to win any of golf's four major tournaments after Young Tom Morris. 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.
McDermott was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 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.
McDermott's first professional job was at the Merchantville Field Club (now the Merchantville Country Club) 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.
"He had a long, loose, flowing swing," according to golf historian Robert Sommers, "somewhat like the old St. Andrew’s swing of the feather-ball period, but with more body turn".
The first sixteen Opens had all been won by British golfers who had learned the game in England 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.
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