"Bobby Jones - Stroke of Genius" - Movie Overview

For some athletes, the ultimate win comes through a stroke of luck, but for Robert Tyre Jones Jr., "Bobby Jones," it was truly a stroke of genius. His natural skill and uncanny passion for the game of golf earned him the title of "The Best Golfer in the World." But it was his style that set him apart. A dashing smile. Impeccable integrity. Unrivaled intensity. Legendary wit and intelligence. An epic passion for life, borne out of adversity. For a brief moment in time, this incredible man became an American hero. "Bobby Jones - Stroke of Genius" tells the story of that man.

The film stars Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ, The Thin Red Line), Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black, The Rock), and Jeremy Northam (The Singing Detective, Gosford Park, An Ideal Husband), who are joined by an ensemble cast of some of today's most compelling actors including Connie Ray (About Schmidt, Stuart Little, Hope Floats), Brett Rice (The Punisher, Monster, Remember the Titans) and Malcolm McDowell (The Company, Between Strangers, A Clockwork Orange) as O.B. Keeler. Making their feature film debuts are Devon Gearhart as 6-8 year old Bobby Jones and Thomas Lewis as 14-year-old Bobby.

Overcoming a sickly early childhood, Bobby Jones earned recognition as a sports phenomenon by the age of 14. Triumphing over his own spirited temper, self-imposed perfectionism and the barbs of public scrutiny, he often endured pain and grueling physical strain to achieve victory on the golf course. Of the 13 titles that he collected during his short career, four of them - the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, the British Amateur and the coveted British Open - were won within four months of the same year, earning him the title of Grand Slam Champion, a record that has never been broken. The next year he retired from competitive golf. He was 28.

But Bobby Jones was more than just a committed family man of distinct character and personal honor. He played golf only in the summer and, by the time he was 24, he had earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech, one in the classics from Harvard and passed the bar after attending classes for a year at Emory. And he spoke six languages.

When he retired, Jones had traveled over 120,000 miles and was at the pinnacle of all that golf has to offer. For an ordinary man, these accomplishments would have been enough to last for a lifetime. But for Bobby Jones, it only served as the springboard for myriad other extraordinary achievements and experiences.

"Bobby Jones - Stroke of Genius" tells the story of a man who had great love and passion for his family and for a game that often tested both. It is a visual portrait of a man who became a true American hero, not because he played for money or fame, but rather for the love of the game.

Bobby Jones Film proudly presents a Life(n) Production in association with Dean River Productions, a Rowdy Herrington film, "Bobby Jones - Stroke of Genius," starring James Caviezel, Claire Forlani and Jeremy Northam, with Connie Ray, Brett Rice and Malcolm McDowell as O.B. Keeler. "Bobby Jones - Stroke of Genius" is directed by Rowdy Herrington. The screenplay is written by Rowdy Herrington and Tony Depaul and Bill Pryor from a story by Rowdy Herrington and Kim Dawson. The producers are Kim Dawson, Tim Moore and John Shepherd. The executive producers are Dave Ross and Rick Eldridge. The director of photography is Tom Stern, ACS, ASC. The production designer is Bruce Miller. The film is edited by Pasquale Buba A.C.E. The costume designer is Beverly Safier. The music is composed by James Horner.

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