Golf: One of the real characters

Mexican-American Lee Trevino was famed for his on-course chatter and antics.

Chi Chi Rodriguez tells the story of a tournament in which Tony Jacklin, paired with Trevino, said: "Lee, I don't want to talk today."

Trevino shot back: "I don't want you to talk. I just want you to listen."

But it was Trevino's gag on the morning of the US Open playoff at Merion in 1971 that is best remembered.

Golf Magazine ranked it in their top 45 moments of the game.

At the first tee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus prepared to battle it out for the title. A hushed gallery. Tension. The title on the line. Trevino reached into his golf bag: "Hey Jack" and flung a 1m-long rubber snake at Nicklaus.

Nicklaus maintains he knew it was coming.

But the thing about Trevino remains: You never really knew what to expect from the "Mad Mex".

And the playoff? Trevino won it.