Lee Trevino made an eagle on the 13th hole at the PNC Championship and then said something people won’t forget.

The 86-year-old golf legend was playing with his son Daniel in Orlando on December 21, 2025. He hit a 60-degree wedge, and the ball went straight into the hole. After the shot, Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis spoke to him, and Trevino did what he always does.

He made people laugh, then made them think.

"I've been digging worms," Lee Trevino told Todd Lewis.

"I had white birds following me, and I got them so fat they only followed me nine holes because I had so many worms for them."

The joke had a reason behind it. Lee Trevino was explaining why his wedge game was so good. He had spent so many hours hitting low shots into the ground that he was bringing worms up to the surface. The white birds following him on the course were just there for the food.

All jokes aside, he got serious speaking about his one true love—the game of golf.

"I eat it, I sleep it, I walk it, and I talk it," Lee Trevino said.

"I would live on a driving range today if you put a bed and a tent on a driving range; I would sleep there. And if I got up at midnight, I would put a candle on and hit low wedge shots somewhere. I mean, I love this sport. I love it. I owe it everything that I have."

It’s that kind of love for the game that built the legend of Lee Trevino.

The Legacy of Lee Trevino, Who Still Can’t Stay Off a Golf Course

The worm joke worked because of who said it. Lee Trevino did not grow up with fancy golf clubs or private courses. He started as a caddie in Texas, became a professional at 26, and went on to win six major titles—two U.S. Opens, two Open Championships, and two PGA Championships.

Only three other players in history have won each of these three majors twice.

At 86, Lee Trevino was the oldest player in the PNC Championship after Gary Player withdrew. Last year, he walked all 36 holes with his son Daniel (who was also his partner). It is a tournament he has played in every year since it began in 1995.

Team Trevino finished at 17 under par, far from the top. But that week in Orlando, people were not watching him for the score.

They were watching because even at 86, he still shows up, and he still works hard. He still makes jokes about worms and means what he says about sleeping on a driving range.

Did Lee Trevino's worm-digging story make you smile? Let us know what you think in the comments.

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Shraabona Sengupta