After graduation from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1965,[2] he enrolled at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
His intimate knowledge of his home course helped him to finish in a tie for eighth place, the low amateur by three strokes, and earned him an invitation to the 1967 Masters.
Teeing off at 1:36 pm, about an hour ahead of the final group, Miller shot a scorching eight-under 63, considered one of the most remarkable rounds in major championship history.
[13] Miller followed that triumph at Oakmont by finishing in a tie for second at the next major, The Open Championship at Royal Troon a month later, three strokes behind winner Tom Weiskopf.
In 1974, Miller was the leading money winner on the PGA Tour with eight victories, which considerably outpaced the rest of the field.
He won the Phoenix Open by 14 strokes, which included a second-round 61 for a 24-under par cumulative score of 260, the lowest on the tour in 20 years.
Miller also said that Jack Nicklaus, whom he viewed as a father figure, was "amazingly supportive" of him during his bleak period in the late 1970s.
His victory at the Million Dollar Challenge in Sun City, South Africa following a 9-hole sudden-death playoff with Seve Ballesteros made him that year's leading worldwide money winner after two earlier wins in the United States.
[23] Miller's final PGA Tour victory came in semiretirement at the 1994 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, at age 46.
Miller typically was paired with broadcaster Dan Hicks and called numerous events including the U.S. Open, U.S.
One example came on June 16, 2008, when he referred to Rocco Mediate during the broadcast of the U.S. Open's 18-hole playoff as "looking like the guy who cleans Tiger Woods' pool."
Mediate, who has battled many physical problems throughout his career, nevertheless played superbly, and took the heavily favored Woods to an 18-hole playoff (and one extra sudden-death hole) before losing.
Mediate later laughed off the remarks and Miller later apologized for his comments, saying: "I chose my words poorly and in the future will be more careful."
Miller said that he declined the offer from Woods because of his commitment to NBC Sports and a desire to spend time with his children and grandchildren.
Known for his very weak grip, with both "Vs" formed by the forefinger and thumb of each hand pointing to his chin, he sought to eliminate the left side of the golf course as an area for missed shots.
In one movie, The Associate, with Whoopi Goldberg, an aging billionaire is willing to transfer management of all his assets in exchange for the opportunity to play a round of golf with Johnny Miller.
[citation needed] Miller is a partner in a limited partnership which purchased Silverado Country Club in Napa, California on July 1, 2010.
[33] Miller served as the unofficial face of the resort during the event, as he was a part of the telecast, which frequently referenced his role in the club.
When he had to fulfill official club duties during the week, Miller's friend and NBC colleague Roger Maltbie filled in for him.