Dow Finsterwald was an American professional golfer who is most known for winning the 1958 PGA Championship. He won 11 Tour titles between 1955 and 1963, participated on four Ryder Cup teams, and served as non-playing captain for the 1977 U.S. Ryder Cup squad.
Dow Finsterwald, who won the PGA Championship in 1958, passes away at age 93.
The 1958 PGA Championship champion Dow Finsterwald passed away in his sleep on Friday, November 4, 2022, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
He was 93 years old at the time of his passing.
His son tributes to him
“He did all he could for the game,” “The head professional at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. “He enjoyed his friends and they always remembered. He loved the rules and he cared about the game. He had a wonderful life and he felt like for sure it was complete.”
Early Life
Dow Finsterwald was born on September 6, 1929 (93 years old) in Athens, Ohio, U.S. He holds an American nationality and his zodiac sign is Virgo. He belongs to the white race.
Education
Dow Finsterwald attended Ohio University in his hometown.
In his career on the PGA Tour, Dow Finsterwald won 11 events after turning professional in 1951. More than 50 times throughout his career, he came in fifth or better. He participated in four Ryder Cup teams (1957, 1959, 1961, and 1963) and served as the team’s non-playing captain in 1977.
In 1957, he took home the Vardon Trophy, which is given to the tour pro with the lowest score average. He received the PGA Player of the Year award in 1958.
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Only Byron Nelson’s streak of 113 consecutive cuts was longer than the 72 straight tournaments in which Finsterwald finished in the money. Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Hale Irwin eventually broke this record, although he is still ranked fifth as of the year 201.
A plaintiff in a court case involving Finsterwald once alleged that he struck an incorrect tee shot at the 18th hole of the 1973 Western Open, which caused her to lose vision in her right eye. The Midlothian (Illinois) Country Club’s insurance was forced to pay the woman roughly $450,000 despite the jury’s finding that Finsterwald was not at fault. For 28 years, Finsterwald oversaw golf operations at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
Vice President of the PGA of America
From 1976 to 1978, he was vice president of the PGA of America. From 1979 to 1981, he was a member of the USGA Rules of Golf committee. Additionally, he served as the Pro Emeritus of Morgantown, West Virginia’s Pikewood National Golf Club. Jack Nicklaus, a fellow Ohioan, honored Finsterwald during the 2007 Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.
He was admitted to the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. Finsterwald split his time between Colorado Springs in the summer and Orlando, Florida, in the winter.
Dow Finsterwald married his wife, Linda. They had three sons and a daughter together.
