Jimmy Demaret bounced from club pro jobs in Houston to Noroton, Connecticut, to Detroit and back to Houston in the space of under three years in the early 1940s.
But after honing his swing near the windy Gulf of Mexico, the best was yet to come for the vivacious and colorful Texas native. He rolled off a total of three victories at Augusta National (and a runner-up finish) to go with three appearances in the Ryder Cup, where he compiled a perfect 6-0-0 record. He was named to a fourth American squad, but in 1941 the competition was canceled due to World War II.
Known for his loud apparel, “The Wardrobe,” as he was often called, won a total of 31 times on the PGA Tour and reached the semifinals of the PGA Championship on four different occasions, although he never advanced past that point.
Demaret befriended movie stars, royalty, heads of state and astronauts, and was known as perhaps the closest friend on the PGA Tour to Ben Hogan. He also co-founded Champions Golf Club in Houston with buddy Jack Burke Jr. It was at Champions where Demaret suffered a heart attack on Dec. 28, 1983, and was later pronounced dead. He was 73.
Here are some of our favorite pictures of the World Golf Hall of Famer through the years.
Augusta National Archive
Bobby Jones speaks at the Presentation Ceremony with Masters Winner Jimmy Demaret and Runner-up Byron Nelson…
Bobby Jones speaks at the Presentation Ceremony with Masters Winner Jimmy Demaret and Runner-up Byron Nelson in the background during the 1947 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6, 1947 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Augusta National/Getty Images)
Augusta National Archive
(L-R) Claude Harmon, Gene Sarazen, Clifford Roberts, Cary Middlecoff, Sam Snead, Doug Ford, Byron Nelson, Jimmy…
(L-R) Claude Harmon, Gene Sarazen, Clifford Roberts, Cary Middlecoff, Sam Snead, Doug Ford, Byron Nelson, Jimmy Demaret, Bobby Jones, Jack Burke, Jr., Craig Wood, Ben Hogan, Horton Smith, Herman Keiser and Henry Picard attend the Masters Dinner during the 1958 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club held Apri 3-6, 1958 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Augusta National/Getty Images)
Pebble Beach
Bing Crosby, Ed Crowley, Phil Harris and Jimmy Demaret at the Crosby National Pro-Am Tournament at…
Bing Crosby, Ed Crowley, Phil Harris and Jimmy Demaret at the Crosby National Pro-Am Tournament at Pebble Beach Photo ran 01/23/1964 (Photo by Bob Campbell/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Augusta National Archive
Jimmy Demaret is interviewed by a reporter after winning the 1950 Masters Tournament at Augusta National…
Jimmy Demaret is interviewed by a reporter after winning the 1950 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 9, 1950 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Augusta National/Getty Images)
Augusta National Archive
Bobby Jones and Jimmy Demaret putt on the ninth green during a 1930s Masters Tournament at…
Bobby Jones and Jimmy Demaret putt on the ninth green during a 1930s Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in April in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Augusta National/Getty Images)
Sam Snead and Jimmy Demaret Talking in Locker Room
Sam Snead (left), of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, sports a knock-out ensemble as he talks…
Sam Snead (left), of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, sports a knock-out ensemble as he talks with Jimmy Demaret, of Ojai, California, after a round of the National PGA Tournament in Richmond. Both Snead and Demaret have come through undefeated to the quarter finals.
Bobby Jones Presenting a Check to Jimmy Demaret
Demaret Sweeps Augusta Masters. Augusta, Georgia: Ole “grand-slam” himself, Bobby Jones, left, presents the first place…
Demaret Sweeps Augusta Masters. Augusta, Georgia: Ole “grand-slam” himself, Bobby Jones, left, presents the first place check to Jimmy Demaret as Frank Stranahan and Byron Nelson, right, watch. Demaret fired a 71 in fourth round play today to hold his lead and become the third man in history of the Masters golf tourney to win it twice. Stranahan and Nelson, himself a two time winner, finished in a tie for second place.
Jimmy Demaret with Ben Hogan Smiling
Jimmy Demaret (left) and Ben Hogan, winners of the International Four Ball matches at Miami, wear…
Jimmy Demaret (left) and Ben Hogan, winners of the International Four Ball matches at Miami, wear their victory smiles in the dressing room at the Miami Springs Country Club after the 1946 matches.
Augusta National Archive
Byron Nelson, Jimmy Demaret, Henry Picard, Horton Smith, Ben Hogan, Craig Wood, Claude Harmon, Gene Sarazen,…
Byron Nelson, Jimmy Demaret, Henry Picard, Horton Smith, Ben Hogan, Craig Wood, Claude Harmon, Gene Sarazen, and Sam Snead pose at the Champions Clinic during the 1953 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in April 1953 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Augusta National/Getty Images)
Augusta National Archive
Jack Burke, Jr., Jimmy Demaret, William Lane and Ben Hogan sit on a pine bench for…
Jack Burke, Jr., Jimmy Demaret, William Lane and Ben Hogan sit on a pine bench for a portrait during the 1978 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in April 1978 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Augusta National/Getty Images)
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