Lee Trevino had an idea. But first, he had to get a hold of Barbara Nicklaus.
Trevino, already a golf legend, had just turned 50 and was ready for the next stage of his career. He had won 29 times on the PGA Tour, including six major titles, but now had his gaze set on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.
But that meant he had to start playing against his friend Jack Nicklaus again. The two greats were separated by just a year, and 1990 was their first year on the Champ tour. Trevino wasn’t sick of winning just yet, so he created a plan.
Trevino, now 84, was the guest on this week’s episode of the Subpar Podcast, and he went deep on some of his favorite memories, his relationship with Augusta National, battling Nicklaus and more. He also told the story of his first year on the Champions Tour, in which he won an astounding seven times, including a U.S. Senior Open.
As for the key to his success…
“I won four out of the first five tournaments on the senior tour when I turned 50,” Trevino told Subpar co-hosts Drew Stoltz and Colt Knost. “I specifically called Barbara Nicklaus and said, ‘Listen, you keep Jack at home. For every tournament that I play in that he stays home, I’m going to send you a dozen roses.’ And I played 38 tournaments in 1990 and I sent her 30 dozen roses. He only played in eight.” [Laughs]
Nicklaus actually won the Regions Tradition that year to join the list of golfers who won in their Champions Tour debut, but Trevino got the last laugh (literally and figuratively, if you listen to the podcast) with his stellar season. (And thanks to a bunch of roses he sent to Jack’s wife.)
You can listen to Trevino’s full Subpar appearance below.
