Tom Weiskopf

Thomas Daniel Weiskopf (November 9, 1942 – August 20, 2022) was an American golfer who competed on the PGA Tour and later the Champions Tour. He enjoyed his greatest success in the 1970s, claiming 16 PGA Tour victories from 1968 to 1982, highlighted by the 1973 Open Championship. He finished as runner-up at the Masters on four occasions. Following his playing career, Weiskopf built a reputation as a prominent golf course architect.

Born in Massillon, Ohio, Weiskopf attended Benedictine High School in Cleveland and played college golf at Ohio State University. He turned professional in 1964. His first PGA Tour win came at the 1968 Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational, with fifteen more titles to follow through 1982. His standout year was 1973, when he won seven tournaments worldwide, including the Open Championship at Royal Troon, and ended the season ranked second in Mark McCormack's world golf rankings. That major remained his only one, though he was runner-up at the Masters in 1969, 1972, 1974, and 1975, and tied for second at the 1976 U.S. Open.

Weiskopf won the Canadian Open in 1973 and 1975. The latter victory came in a dramatic one-hole playoff against fellow Ohio State alum and rival Jack Nicklaus, after Weiskopf nearly holed his approach on the 15th hole at Royal Montreal's Blue Course. He played for the U.S. in the 1973 and 1975 Ryder Cups, and qualified for the 1977 team but opted out to go big-game hunting. His swing was widely admired for its power and control, while his height and on-course temper earned him the nickname "The Towering Inferno."

Weiskopf worked as a broadcaster for CBS Sports at the Masters in 1981 and again from 1985 to 1995, and later covered the Open Championship for ESPN and ABC from 2008 to 2013. He joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1993, winning several senior events, including the 1995 U.S. Senior Open. In golf course design, he initially collaborated with Jay Morrish before founding his own firm. He designed at least 40 courses worldwide, including the Monument and Pinnacle courses at Troon North in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Loch Lomond, which hosted the Scottish Open from 1995 to 2010. A drivable par-4 hole is a common feature in his designs, and many of his courses have ranked highly on global lists. In January 2016, he was chosen to lead a renovation of Torrey Pines North Course in San Diego.

Weiskopf was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2020. He died at his home in Big Sky, Montana, on August 20, 2022, at age 79. Fellow golfer Tom Watson announced his death in a tweet, offering condolences to the family. Weiskopf was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2023 and inducted on June 10, 2024.