Professional golf was sad to report that it lost one of one of its all-time greats on Thursday.
Roberto De Vicenzo, the man who put Argentina on the global golf map, died on Thursday in Argentina at the age of 94. Undoubtedly the greatest Argentine golfer of all time, De Vicenzo is a PGA Hall of Famer, credited with a mind-boggling 230+ wins all over the world.
One of those wins, the 1967 Open Championship, made him the first Argentine to win a major championship.
Despite having one of the greatest winning habits in professional golf history, De Vicenzo might be best known for the one he didn’t win: the 1968 Masters when he missed out on a playoff after accidentally signing a scorecard that added up to a HIGHER score than he actually had.
An inspiration to so many, De Vicenzo’s golfing legacy will never be forgotten.
Bullets
- All-Timer: A 1989 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, from a global standpoint, De Vicenzo was one of the greatest winners in sports history.
- Big Winner: His 230+ career victories included 8 PGA Tour titles, 9 Europeon Tour titles, 3 World Cup titles, 131 wins on the Argentine Tour, and 62 other South American triumphs.
- Global Champion: According to his Hall of Fame bio, De Vicenzo’s resume includes winning national opens in Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Holland, France, Germany, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela. He finished in the top 5 of 490 tournaments.
- Champions Tour: De Vicenzo was also a great Champions Tour player, winning the first U.S. Senior Open in addition to the PGA Seniors Championship.
- Famous Quote: He may best known for his quote, “What a stupid I am!” after losing the 1968 Masters on a scorekeeping error. De Vicenzo shot a Sunday 65 at Augusta, but inadvertently signed a scorecard that added up to a 66, to finish one stroke out of a playoff.
- Self-taught: De Vicenzo learned the game of golf as a caddie’s assistant. He picked up golf quickly, turning pro in Argentina at the age of 15.
Quotable
“Roberto was a tremendous champion who, as amazing as it may seem, won at least one tournament every year between 1942 and 1980 and was one of our sport’s great ambassadors. When we were deciding what to name PGA TOUR Latinoamerica’s Player of the Year Award, there was really no discussion. Calling it the Roberto De Vicenzo Award was our small way of honoring a man who did so many things in golf that it’s difficult to even attempt to mention. We will dearly miss him.”
–Jay Monahan, PGA Tour Commissioner
