Lee Janzen
A golfer who twice conquered the brutal test of the U.S. Open, proving his nerve on the game's biggest stages.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American professional golfer·Birthday: August 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Lee Janzen carved out a reputation as one of the steadiest and most resilient competitors of his golfing generation. Born in Austin, Minnesota, and raised in Florida, he honed his game on public courses before a standout collegiate career at Florida Southern. His professional breakthrough was seismic: a 1993 U.S. Open victory at Baltusrol, where he outdueled Payne Stewart. Five years later, he authored an even more dramatic comeback at The Olympic Club, erasing a five-stroke deficit on the final day to again deny Stewart and claim his second Open. While not the most frequent winner, Janzen's career was defined by a remarkable ability to peak for the most demanding tournaments, a testament to his meticulous preparation and quiet mental fortitude. He later transitioned successfully to the PGA Tour Champions, extending a career built on precision over power.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Lee was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lee Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Lee's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the U.S. Open in 1993 at Baltusrol Golf Club, defeating Payne Stewart.
- Captured a second U.S. Open title in 1998 at The Olympic Club, staging a famous final-round comeback.
- Secured eight total victories on the PGA Tour across a 15-year span.
- Represented the United States in the 1993 Ryder Cup and the 1997 Presidents Cup.
Did You Know?
He was a three-time NCAA Division II All-American at Florida Southern College.
His 1998 U.S. Open victory was the largest final-round comeback in the tournament's history at the time (five strokes).
He is an avid pilot and holds a private pilot's license.
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