R.I.P Calvin Peete

[JavaMan]

Calvin Peete was the most successful African-American golfer on the PGA Tour before Tiger Woods. The winner of 12 tournaments died earlier this week at the age of 71, WSB-TV in Atlanta reported.

Peete's death was confirmed by the PGA Tour.

Peete finished fourth on the PGA Tour money list after winning four tournaments in 1982. He had multiple-win seasons in 1983, '85 and '86.

Peete overcame a broken arm as a child -- it was never set correctly -- to become one of the most accurate drivers on the PGA Tour. He won the Vardon Trophy in 1984 with the lowest scoring average on the tour.

[LINK]

 

[pinotbear]

Always enjoyed watching him play - as you say, incredibly accurate driver of the golf ball.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Cal followed Charlie Sifford and raised the bar.

Talk about making lemonade out of lemons--he used that slightly misshapen arm to his advantage to drive the ball straighter than all of his contemporaries.

RIP, Cal!

 

[Blakeon18]

Wonderfully accomplished player...learned golf at 24...yikes! Along with Charlie Sifford and Lee Elder, Calvin was an historically important
African American player...they had direct links to Tiger.

BTW: I see in the Boston Globe today that the U.S. Open will probably come to The Country Club in Brookline, Ma.
Not a done deal yet but it sounds close. The course hosted the Open in 1963...1988...the Ryder Cup in 1999 [with the brouhaha on the 17th green] and many top amateur tournaments. I have had the pleasure of being in galleries there...it is a beautiful piece of property...very New-England-y. It is not real long by today's standards
but the head of the USGA is positive that it would be a great test for the Open...bombers off the tee included. Hope it happens.

 

[VAUConnFan]

RIP Calvin Peete.