Jim McLean spent nearly four decades as one of golf’s most well-known coaches. McLean has dedicated his life to mentoring young golfers and even building pro players on the PGA and LPGA Tours. Naturally, when the 76-year-old was rushed to the hospital in May and pronounced dead twice, students and fans were worried. Now, after months out of the spotlight, McLean has shared a major update.
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“I’m out of the hospital after 2 1/2 months,” McLean wrote in a new Instagram post, “at the Lynn Rehabilitation Center in Miami. It’s been a very long haul. I kept my situation quiet, but eventually many of my friends found out. I’m so grateful for your prayers and text messages. I put my phone on Do Not Disturb for the entire stay.”
Moreover, in the caption accompanying the post, McLean got even more reflective about how he came close to losing everything. He admitted that no one ever expects something this serious to happen to them, and that time in the hospital gave him a firsthand look at just how fragile life can be. During his long stay in the hospital, he saw many young patients going through their battles. Despite that, he has credited his surgeon and the nurses who stayed by his side and helped him through two operations on his stomach. He closes it with a caption of gratitude.
This is McLean’s first update after he opened up about his health scare in late June. That’s when the coach revealed the terrifying details behind his disappearance. As reported previously, he was rushed to the hospital on May 26 after a case of diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis is a condition in which the colon can become punctured. Even after attempts at surgery, doctors pronounced him dead during the ordeal. But he still managed to survive.
Through it all, McLean’s wife, Amparo, was beside him, along with his sons and brother, who made the trip to see him during his recovery.
McLean’s absence was worrisome given how central he has been to golf instruction for decades. The Pacific Northwest Golf Association has recognized McLean’s contribution at every level. He spent 19 years there and was also named the Teacher of the Year in 1986 before receiving the Professional Development Award in 1987.
He was then inducted into the Met PGA Hall of Fame in 2012. Since then, he has been awarded more professional recognitions. Most recently, he was inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame in 2025.
As McLean focuses on rehab and recovery, fans and former students have flooded his post with well-wishes.