Many of today's young golf fans know Johnny Miller for his insightful comments in his role as lead analyst on NBC's golf telecasts. But he was a player long before he was a television analyst. Miller gave a glimpse of things to come when he won the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship in 1964. He went on to play full-time on the PGA Tour from 1969-1994, winning 24 titles. His crowing moment came in 1973 when he won the U.S. Open at Oakmont with a 63 in the final round—still the lowest score ever by a winner at the Open. In 1974, Miller won eight tournaments, was the leading money winner on the PGA Tour and was named PGA Player of the Year. He also represented his country as a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1975 and 1981. He ended his PGA Tour career with a victory at Pebble Beach in the 1994 AT&T National ProAm. In addition to his TV duties, for which he has been nominated for two Emmys, Miller also plays in occasional Champions Tour events. Johnny Miller Design was founded in 1984 and is responsible for the creation of JMD golf courses all over the world.
Johnny tees it up with Mr. Callaway:
In 1991, Johnny Miller made what he calls “the best golfing decision I ever made off the golf course.” Miller was running a golf experience at Pebble Beach and one of the participants was Cindy Callaway, wife of Ely Callaway. Miller still doesn’t know what she said to her husband, but Mr. Callaway announced to Miller that the two would play golf the next day. “Sure, why not?” Miller said. They met the next morning, and Mr. Callaway told Miller he wanted him to sign as a Callaway Golf Staff Professional in the next two weeks. “He didn’t say he would like for me to do this, he told me!” Miller said. “I’d never met anybody like him. He was such a great leader and had so much confidence in what he was doing and in what he wanted to accomplish.”