Jim McLean was inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame in November 2025 at the 109th PGA Annual Meeting, marking his sixth Hall of Fame induction. But just seven months later, the 76-year-old golf instructor disappeared from public view after being rushed to the hospital in late May 2026. This week, he finally explained why.

“To all my friends, I’m sorry I have not gotten back to you. Here’s the brief story. Arrived in an ambulance on May 26th. I was pronounced dead twice, from diverticulitis, where the colon is punctured. I had my phone off for three weeks. Then I answered a few texts.” McLean shared via an Instagram post

Diverticulitis is a condition in which small pouches that form in the wall of the colon become infected or inflamed. When the colon ruptures, bacteria spread rapidly into the abdominal cavity—a condition that can turn fatal within hours. McLean, who has coached pros like Keegan Bradley, Lexi Thompson, Gary Woodland, and others, was pronounced clinically dead twice, a severity that falls at the extreme end of the condition’s possible outcomes.

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Through it all, his wife Amparo was at his side from the moment he arrived. She slept in a chair beside his hospital bed every night. Both of his sons, Matt and Jon McLean, accomplished golf instructors in their own right, flew down as well when they heard of the emergency.

McLean founded the Jim McLean Golf School at Doral in 1991, which has since grown into one of the most respected golf academies in the world and is currently headquartered at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Miami. He is also the man who coined “The X-Factor,” the principle that the difference between shoulder rotation and hip turn at the top of the swing generates power.

One of the early adopters of video analysis technology in the mid-1980s, McLean also used radar systems like TrackMan well before they became common practice. He has coached more than 100 PGA Tour, LPGA, and Champions Tour professionals, including Tom Kite (1992 U.S. Open), Cristie Kerr (two majors), Lexi Thompson (2014 ANA Inspiration), Keegan Bradley (2011 PGA Championship), Gary Woodland (2019 U.S. Open), and Bernhard Langer (two Masters titles).

However, McLean found more pleasure in mentoring junior golfers.

“(Mentoring) has been the most important thing in my life, I think,” McLean explained in his Hall of Fame acceptance speech. “Working with a lot of juniors, that’s been the most fun thing. We have a great staff and a lot of great young people working for me, and that’s been the most important thing. We built a template for hiring young professionals, and the difference between a good future teacher and a great one is massive. We hire the great ones.”

His schools spread across North America, Europe, and Asia have produced over 400 teaching professionals. He was also named the 1994 PGA of America Teacher of the Year. But before any of that, McLean was a serious player himself—a 2x Washington State Junior Champion, a 3x Pacific Northwest Amateur three times, and an All-American at the University of Houston, where Fuzzy Zoeller was his teammate.

He played in two U.S. Opens and the 1972 Masters as an amateur. He turned professional in 1973 before realizing that instruction was where he was most at home. Fortunately, McLean is now on the road to recovery.

“I’m working on getting back to full health. I’ll be transferring to PT hospital by the end of next week. Thanks to all of you for the positive notes,” he wrote.