Chi Chi Rodriguez Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: Chi Chi Rodriguez
OCCUPATION: Golfer
BIRTH DATE: October 23, 1935 (Age: 77)
PLACE OF BIRTH: Río Piedras
Originally: Juan A. Rodriguez
Full Name: Juan Antonio Rodriguez
ZODIAC SIGN: Scorpio

Best Known For

Puerto Rican professional golfer Chi Chi Rodriguez has found success as part of the Senior PGA Tour. Since 1985, he has had 22 wins on the tour.

Quiz

Think you know about Biography?

Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.

Play Now

Print Cite This

Chi Chi Rodriguez

APA Style

Chi Chi Rodriguez. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 11:50, Jun 19, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/chi-chi-rodriguez-189145.

Harvard Style

Chi Chi Rodriguez. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/chi-chi-rodriguez-189145 [Accessed 19 Jun 2013].

MLA Style

"Chi Chi Rodriguez." 2013. The Biography Channel website. Jun 19 2013, 11:50 http://www.biography.com/people/chi-chi-rodriguez-189145.

MHRA Style

"Chi Chi Rodriguez," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/chi-chi-rodriguez-189145 [accessed Jun 19, 2013].

Chicago Style

"Chi Chi Rodriguez," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/chi-chi-rodriguez-189145 (accessed Jun 19, 2013).

CBE/CSE Style

Chi Chi Rodriguez [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 Jun 19] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/chi-chi-rodriguez-189145.

Bluebook Style

Chi Chi Rodriguez, http://www.biography.com/people/chi-chi-rodriguez-189145 (last visited Jun 19, 2013).

AMA Style

Chi Chi Rodriguez. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/chi-chi-rodriguez-189145. Accessed Jun 19, 2013.

Synopsis

Professional golfer Chi Chi Rodriquez was born October 23, 1935, in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. After a stint in the army, he became head caddy at a resort, where he was encouraged to pursue a career as a golfer. Under the guidance of pro golfer Pete Cooper, he played his first Professional Golf Association (PGA) event in 1960. Rodriguez has found greater success as part of the Senior PGA Tour.

Profile

Athlete, professional golfer. Born Juan A. Rodriguez on October 23, 1935, in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. Often without enough to eat, the Rodriguez family struggled to survive. As a child, Rodriguez went to work in the sugarcane fields to help out. Then he discovered working at a golf course could bring in more money. Working at a nearby club, Rodriguez eventually became a caddy and started to play golf.

After a stint in the army, Rodriguez returned to Puerto Rico and later became the head caddy at the Dorado Beach resort, where he was encouraged to pursue a career as a golfer. Under the guidance of pro golfer Pete Cooper, he played his first Professional Golf Association (PGA) event in 1960. He didn't win the Buick Open, but he did earn some money for his efforts. While he only won eight tournaments in the twenty-five years on the tour, Rodriguez was very popular with golf fans. Audiences liked his victory dances, his funny remarks, and his trademark straw hat.

Rodriguez has found greater success as part of the Senior PGA Tour. Since 1985, he has 22 wins on the tour. Despite having a heart attack in 1998, he continues to play golf. He also spends much of his time doing charity work, especially for the Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation, an organization that helps children improve their lives through the game of golf.