He attended Palisades High School, Santa Monica Junior College, turned professional in 1971.

In 1972, he won the French Open defeating Clive Clark in a sudden death playoff.

[1] Along with Walter Hagen and Byron Nelson, Jaeckel is one of only three Americans ever to win the event.

He won the 1978 Tallahassee Open by shooting a final round 65 (−7) and then defeating Bruce Lietzke in a playoff.

At the 1981 Tournament Players Championship he and Curtis Strange lost in a playoff to Raymond Floyd.