Bert Yancey

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Albert "Bert" Yancey (August 6, 1938–August 26, 1994) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour.

Yancey was born in Chipley, Florida, but lived much of his adult life in the Atlanta metro area . He attended college at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, and was captain of the golf team. Yancey suffered from a debilitating illness known then as manic-depressive illness, but today it is more commonly called bipolar disorder. His illness first manifested itself during his senior year at West Point. Yancey spent 9 months in an Army psychiatric hospital in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania before being honorably dicharged.

Yancey's condition was largely in remission until 1974 which allowed him to participate in competitive golf. He won 7 PGA Tour events in 13 seasons. He also had six top-5 finishes in major championships: 1967 The Masters (3rd), 1968 The Masters (3rd), 1968 U.S. Open (3rd), 1970 The Masters (4th), 1973 British Open (5th), 1974 U.S. Open (T-3).

In 1974, Yancey's illness resurfaced and led him to be involved in a series of bizarre incidents for which he was at various times arrested, incarcerated, and institutionalized.[1] One such incident occurred at LaGuardia Airport in 1975. Yancey climbed up on a ladder in the terminal and ordered all white people to one side and all black people to the other, and then proceeded to preach on the evils of racism. During the same incident, he claimed to have all of Howard Hughes' money and stated that he was going to use it to cure cancer. Yancey credited Dr. Jane Parker of Payne Whitney Hospital for correctly diagnosing his condition and prescribing Lithium. Lithium, however, caused him to have hand tremors which forced him to retire from competitive golf. He was able to resume competitive play, however, when Tegretol became available.

Yancey was eventually able to return to life as a productive member of society. In 1984, he took a teaching pro job at three South Carolina clubs. He joined the Senior PGA Tour after reaching the age of 50 in August 1988. During the last five years of his life he became a devoted public speaker and advocate for those with mental illnesses.

Yancey suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 56 at the 1994 Franklin Quest Championship in Park City, Utah. He went into cardiac arrest in the scorer's tent as he was preparing to go out on the course for the first round, and was pronounced dead at a local hospital a short time later. He is interred at Oakland Cemetery in Tallahassee, Florida not far from his boyhood home.[2]

[edit] PGA Tour wins

[edit] Notes and References

  1. ^ Profile on USMA webpage (URL last accessed August 2, 2006)
  2. ^ Ibid.
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