Tom Weiskopf, who starred on the 1962 golf team at Ohio State before enjoying a long and successful career on the PGA tour, died in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Friday, according to Golf Digest.
Weiskopf passed at 79 after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
I send my deepest sympathies to the family of Tom Weiskopf. Will miss you and your stories. RIP my friend. PC has struck again..
— Tom Watson (@TomWatsonPGA) August 21, 2022
Weiskopf was a member of the 1962 golf team at Ohio State, arriving the year after Jack Nicklaus left Columbus to start his own pro career. An outstanding golfer, known by his nickname the “Towering Inferno” due to his 6-3 height and temper on the course, the Massillon native claimed 15 PGA tour victories, including the 1973 British Open at Royal Troon.
“Unquestionably, the best years of my life were those spent in Columbus, at Ohio State. Those years gave me the confidence to become successful.”
1973 would be his best season on the Tour when he won the Open and notched five tournament titles in an eight-week span. He finished that season ranked second in the world behind fellow Buckeye Nicklaus.
He finished second at The Masters in 1969, 1972, 1974, and 1975 – with two of those runner-up finishes behind Nicklaus. His best U.S. Open finish was second in 1976 and he finished third in the 1975 PGA Championship.
Weiskopf was a successful course designer following his playing days, designing more than 70 courses, including TPC Scottsdale, Double Eagle Club, and Loch Lomond in Scotland.
He is survived by his second wife Laurie and two children, Heidi and Eric.
