There may have been greater golfers – not very many of them mind you – but have there been any as entertaining as Lee Trevino?
Golf Monthly’s September 1990 encounter with the man was understandably entitled ‘The Man Behind The Smile’, and Al Barkow’s portrait of the man is superb, going from his youth, living in a four room shack with no electricity or plumbing, to winning golf majors.
“As a kid, I wanted to be the centre of attention. I was the only Mexican around all the Anglos. I wanted all the attention of the Anglos, because I knew at a very young age I knew they were better than I was – economically better off – and I wanted to be the playground and class clown. So I developed this fast-talking wit.
“See these teeth? All mine and never been touched, because we didn’t eat any candy, ice cream or soft drinks, which cost too much…But it wasn’t bad. It made you hustle.”
You can read about one of the game’s great hustlers here.
