John Merrick (golfer) John Merrick (golfer) John Sampson Merrick (born March 20, 1982) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Merrick was born and raised in Long Beach, California. He grew up playing Recreation Park municipal golf course, a classic layout by William F. Bell. He attended Wilson Classical High School where he won the Moore League High School Championship. Merrick won the Southern California Golf Association Amateur Championship when he was only 19 years old, making him the youngest person since Tiger Woods in 1994 to capture that title. In 2003, he medaled at the Pac-10 Men's Golf
Tiger Woods trails only Jack Nicklaus who leads with 18, and 80 PGA Tour events, second all-time behind Sam Snead (82). Woods leads all active golfers in career major wins and career PGA Tour wins. He is the youngest player to achieve the career Grand Slam, and the youngest and fastest to win 50 tournaments on tour. Additionally, Woods is only the second golfer (after Nicklaus) to have achieved a career Grand Slam three times. Woods has won 18 World Golf Championships, and won at least one of those events in each of the first 11 years after they began in 1999.