Chi-Chi Rodríguez
Juan Antonio "Chi-Chi" Rodríguez was a Puerto Rican professional golfer. The winner of eight PGA Tour events, he was the first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Early life
Rodríguez was born into a poor family in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. He was one of six siblings. His father used to earn $18 a week as a laborer and cattle handler. When Rodríguez was seven years old, he helped the family by earning money as a water carrier on a sugar plantation. One day Juan wandered off into a golf course. When he saw that the caddies were earning more money than he was, he decided to become a caddie himself.Rodríguez would take a branch from a guava tree and turn it into a golf club. Using a metal can as a "golf ball," he would practice what he had seen the "real" golfers do, teaching himself how to play golf. By the time he was nine years old, he was proficient at golf, and in 1947, at the age of 12, he scored a 67.
In 1954, when Rodríguez was 19, he joined the U.S. Army during the Korean War. During his breaks, he would visit whichever golf course was nearby, where he continued to perfect his game.
Rodríguez, with characteristic charisma, would often make jokes about his past hardships on the golf course, such as, "How long does John Daly drive a golf ball? When I was a kid, I didn't go that far on vacation." And, "Playing golf is not hot work. Cutting sugar cane for a dollar a day — that's hot work. Hotter than my first wristwatch."
Professional career
In 1960, Rodríguez turned professional. Three years later, at age 28, Rodríguez won the 1963 Denver Open, which he considered his favorite win. He won eight titles on the PGA Tour between 1963 and 1979.At first Rodríguez used to put his hat over the hole whenever he made a birdie or eagle. After he heard that other golfers were complaining about his little act, he decided to try something new. Juan developed his signature "toreador dance," where he would make believe that the ball was a "bull" and that his putter was a "sword," and he would terminate the "bull." Even though he was not a large man, he had a special stance and swing with the driver that enabled him to hit the ball as far as the longest drivers on the tour. Rodríguez represented Puerto Rico on 12 World Cup teams.
Senior career
Rodríguez became eligible to play on the Senior PGA Tour in 1985 and did so for many years with great success, earning 22 tournament victories between 1986 and 1993. He was the first player on the Senior PGA Tour to win the same event in three consecutive years. He set a tour record with eight consecutive birdies en route to a win at the 1987 Silver Pages Classic. In 1991, he lost an 18-hole playoff to Jack Nicklaus in the U.S. Senior Open. Over his three decades competing on the pro circuit, he became one of the most popular players.Personal life
Rodríguez was married and had a daughter.On one occasion, Rodríguez had a brief encounter with Mother Teresa, a moment he considered to be the greatest of his life and which inspired him to help others. Together with former professional golfer Bill Hayes and Bob James, Rodríguez established the Chi-Chi Rodríguez Youth Foundation, an afterschool program at the Glen Oaks Golf Course in Clearwater, Florida. The principal idea behind the foundation was to instill self-esteem in young people who are victims of abuse, have experienced minor brushes with the law, or have suffered any other hardships. Rodríguez also bought his mother a house and provided financial aid to his brothers and sisters.
In October 1998, Rodríguez suffered a heart attack. He underwent an angioplasty to clear a blocked artery and made a full recovery.
Rodríguez made a cameo in the movie Welcome to Mooseport, in which he is seen golfing with the United States President, as portrayed by Gene Hackman.
In May 2010, Rodríguez was robbed at his house in Guayama, Puerto Rico, by three men who stole $500,000 worth of money and jewelry. Rodríguez and his wife were awakened at 1:45 in the morning by the masked men, who tied them up and proceeded to rob them.
On March 11, 2012, at the age of 76, Rodríguez participated, as an honorary player, in the Puerto Rico Open. He played 18 holes as his final official round as a professional in the PGA. There were several events honoring Rodríguez associated with the tournament, and the tribute received extensive media coverage.
Rodríguez died on August 8, 2024, at the age of 88. He was buried at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe, Hawaii.
Awards and honors
- In 1986, Rodríguez won the Hispanic Recognition Award.
- In 1988, he was named Replica's Hispanic Man of the Year.
- In 1989, Rodríguez was voted the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.
- He received the 1989 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA's highest honor.
- In 1992, Rodríguez was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, the first Puerto Rican so honored.
- In 1993, Rodríguez received the Hispanic Heritage Foundation Sports Award.
- Rodriguez was the 1995 Rose Parade Grand Marshal.
In popular culture
In 1993, Rodriguez lent his name to the video game Chi Chi's Pro Challenge Golf, published by Virgin Games for the Sega Genesis console.
The 1995 film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar features a drag queen character named Chi-Chi Rodriguez, played by John Leguizamo. The golfer sued the producers and distributors over the use of his name, later settling out of court for undisclosed amounts
Professional wins (37)
Source:PGA Tour wins (8)
PGA Tour playoff record| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 1964 | Lucky International Open |  Other wins (4)
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