Thomas Daniel Weiskopf (November 9, 1942 – August 20, 2022) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. His most successful decade was the 1970s. He won 16 PGA Tour titles between 1968 and 1982, including the 1973 Open Championship. He was the runner-up at The Masters four times. After winding down his career playing golf, Weiskopf became a noted golf course architect. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2023 and was inducted on June 10, 2024.

Career

Weiskopf was born in Massillon, Ohio. He attended Benedictine High School in Cleveland and Ohio State University, where he played on the golf team. He turned professional in 1964. Weiskopf's first win on the PGA Tour came at the Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational in 1968 and 15 more followed by 1982. His best career season was 1973, when he won seven tournaments around the world, including The Open Championship at Royal Troon, and he would finish that year ranked second in the world according to Mark McCormack's world golf rankings. This was to remain his only major championship victory but he was runner-up at The Masters in 1969, 1972, 1974, and 1975, and had a T2 finish at the 1976 U.S. Open. Weiskopf won the Canadian Open in 1973 and 1975, the latter win was achieved in dramatic fashion with a one-hole playoff win over archrival and fellow Ohio State University alum Jack Nicklaus when Weiskopf nearly holed his approach on the 15th hole at the Royal Montreal Golf Club's Blue Course. Weiskopf was a member of the United States team in the 1973 and 1975 Ryder Cups. He also qualified for the 1977 team but decided to skip the competition in order to go big-game hunting. Weiskopf's swing was much admired in the golf world. He hit the ball high, generated enormous power and had very good control as well which is a rare combination. Weiskopf's height and displays of his temper on the golf course earned him the nickname of "The Towering Inferno". Weiskopf joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1993 and won several senior tournaments, including one senior major: the 1995 U.S. Senior Open. He also worked as a broadcaster for CBS Sports covering the Masters Tournament, first in 1981 and again from 1985–95. He returned to broadcasting with ESPN and ABC for coverage of The Open Championship from 2008–13.

Death

In 2020, Weiskopf was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died at his home in Big Sky, Montana on August 20, 2022, aged 79. His death was first announced by fellow golfer Tom Watson, who extended his condolences to the Weiskopf family in a tweet.

Golf course design

Weiskopf got into golf course design working initially with Jay Morrish but later established his own practice. He has at least 40 courses to his credit in many parts of the world, including the Monument and Pinnacle courses at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona; and Loch Lomond, the venue of the Scottish Open from 1995 to 2010. A drivable par-4 hole is a common element in most of Weiskopf's designs. Many of the courses have received considerable praise by being ranked highly in lists of top courses around the world. In January 2016, it was announced that Weiskopf would lead a renovation of the Torrey Pines North Course in San Diego, California. The following is a (partial) list of courses that Weiskopf either designed by himself or co-designed:

Amateur wins

Professional wins (28)

PGA Tour wins (16)

PGA Tour playoff record (2–3)

European Tour wins (2)

Southern Africa Tour wins (1)

South American Golf Circuit wins (1)

Other wins (5)

Senior PGA Tour wins (4)

Senior PGA Tour playoff record (1–0)

Major championships

Wins (1)

Results timeline

{{legend|lime|Win}} {{legend|yellow|Top 10}} {{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}} CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1982 Open Championship) WD = withdrew "T" indicates a tie for a place.

Summary

Champions Tour major championships

Wins (1)

U.S. national team appearances