Photo: Keith Allison / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Zach Johnson grew up in Cedar Rapids and played golf at Drake University in Des Moines. He wasn’t a big-name prospect, and spent years on mini tours before reaching the PGA Tour in 2004.
In 2007 he won the Masters, laying up on every par 5 and grinding out a two-stroke win. In 2015 he won the Open Championship at St. Andrews in a playoff.
He served as U.S. Ryder Cup captain in 2023 in Rome. His foundation supports kids and families in Cedar Rapids. He’s a regular reminder to Iowa high school golfers, including at C-G-D, that a short hitter can win.
Kim Sanders writes for Clarion News Online.