Background
McCord was born in San Gabriel, California and raised in southern California, graduating from Ramona High School in Riverside.
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Gary McCord
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Career
He was a two-time Division II All-American for the University of California Riverside Highlanders of the University of California, Riverside. His best two finishes on the Professional Golf Association Tour were at the Greater Milwaukee Open, placing second in both 1975 and 1977. During his years on tour, he had nearly two dozen top-10 finishes.
McCord was involved in an embarrassing episode during the 1984 Federal Express Saint Jude Classic in Memphis.
When lining up a putt on the 15th green, McCord"s pants split open, exposing his backside as he was not wearing any underwear. McCord wrapped a towel around his midriff, and went off to find a replacement pair of pants.
Eventually Peter Jacobsen offered McCord his rain pants for a "fee" of $20. McCord credits golf pro Brad Britton for teaching him the ins and outs of the golf swing and especially the mental game.
At age 37 in 1986, McCord joined Columbia Broadcasting System Sports as a golf analyst, a capacity in which he still serves.
He is noted for his outspokenness, a trait that has seen him barred from the Columbia Broadcasting System commentary team for The Masters. During the network"s Masters coverage 22 years ago in 1994, McCord remarked that the 17th green was so fast that it seemed to be "bikini-waxed", and that "body bags" were located behind that green for players who missed their approach shots. Several months later, Augusta National Golf Club used its influence with Columbia Broadcasting System to have him removed from the Masters commentary team
While McCord has continued to cover virtually all other golf events aired by Columbia Broadcasting System, he has yet to return to Augusta with the network.
He was not the first Columbia Broadcasting System commentator to be banned: Jack Whitaker referred to the gallery at the end of the 18-hole playoff in 1966 as a "mob" rather than "patrons" and was banned for the next five Masters. He was allowed to return in 1972.
Aside from his Columbia Broadcasting System commentary duties, McCord also plays a limited schedule on the Champions Tour. McCord has also written two books, Just a Range Ball in a Box of Titleists and Golf for Dummies.
In 1996, he appeared as himself in the Kevin Costner movie Tin Cup, a movie which he states is based on his life.
McCord formerly served as a co-announcer on the EA Sports" Tiger Woods Professional Golf Association Tour series along with David Feherty. 1970 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Championship Nationwide Tour wins Champions Tour wins.
