Ken Venturi


Kenneth Paul Venturi was an American professional golfer and golf broadcaster. In a career shortened by injuries, he won 14 events on the PGA Tour including a major, the U.S. Open in 1964. Shortly before his death in 2013, Venturi was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Early years and amateur career

Born in San Francisco, California, Venturi learned to play golf at an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the Bay Area. He attended Lincoln High School and was the San Francisco high school golf champion in 1948 and 1949.
In the early 1950s, he was a pupil of Byron Nelson, and was also influenced by playing partner Ben Hogan. Venturi won the California State Amateur Championship in 1951 and 1956, serving in the U.S. Army in Korea and Europe in the interim.
Venturi first gained national attention at age 24; while still an amateur, he finished second in the Masters in 1956, one shot behind Jack Burke, Jr., Venturi led after each of the first three rounds in an attempt to become the first-ever amateur to win the Masters, but shot a final round 80 and relinquished a four-shot lead. Through 2019, no amateur has won the Masters.

Professional career

Venturi turned pro at the end of 1956 and was a regular winner during his early years on the PGA Tour. He again came close to winning the Masters in 1958 and 1960, but was edged out both times by Arnold Palmer.
After suffering minor injuries in an automobile accident in 1961, Venturi's swing, and thus his career, began to slide. This slump lasted until 1964 when, for no reason even Venturi could fathom, he began playing well again. After a couple of high finishes, Venturi reached the pinnacle of his comeback by winning the U.S. Open in 1964 at Congressional Country Club, after nearly collapsing in the near- heat and humidity of the 36-hole final day. Venturi was the first player to win the U.S. Open after conquering a sectional qualifier.
Venturi won again in July and August, tied for fifth in the PGA Championship, and received that year's Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award and PGA Player of the Year award. He played on the Ryder Cup team in 1965, and received the 1998 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA's highest honor.
After 1964, Venturi's career again took a blow when he was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists. After missing the cut at the Masters by nine strokes, he received treatment at the Mayo Clinic in May. Defending his title at the U.S. Open in June, Venturi continued to have difficulty with his hands and entered the championship with plans to have surgery the following week. He missed the cut by ten strokes, had the surgery on both wrists, and was sidelined until the Ryder Cup in October in England. Venturi's condition improved and he won a tour event in January 1966 at the very familiar Harding Park in his hometown, but he soon relapsed; after additional surgeries, he could not regain his form.

Broadcasting career

After retiring from the Tour in 1967 with a total of 14 career wins, Venturi spent the next 35 years working as a color commentator and lead analyst for CBS Sports – the longest lead analyst stint in sports broadcasting history, made remarkable by the fact that he had a stutter, which was less manageable early in life. He retired from broadcasting at age 71 in June 2002, succeeded as CBS' lead analyst by Lanny Wadkins, then Nick Faldo in 2007.

Other ventures

Acting

Venturi appeared in the 1996 film Tin Cup, portraying himself as a commentator at the U.S. Open, held at a fictional course in North Carolina. In one scene, Venturi is shown voicing his opinion that the film's protagonist, Roy McAvoy, should lay-up on a long par-5 rather than try to reach the green in two shots. McAvoy, who decided to go for it, is then shown saying, "This is for Venturi up in the booth thinking I should lay-up." His caddy, played by Cheech Marin, sarcastically responds, "Yeah, what does he know? He only won this tournament before you were born."
Venturi described the actor and singer Frank Sinatra as his best friend and former roommate.

Course design and instruction

In 1990, Venturi redesigned and renovated the Eagle Creek Golf & Country Club course near Naples, Florida. He also lent his name to a series of instructional schools.

Honors

In 2004, after some controversy, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to Venturi. In 2013, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in the lifetime achievement category.

Death

Venturi died two days after his 82nd birthday, in Rancho Mirage, California, on May 17, 2013. He had been hospitalized for two months for a spinal infection, pneumonia, and an intestinal infection. Venturi is survived by his third wife Kathleen, two sons, Matthew and Tim and four adult grandchildren Peter, Andrew, Sara and Gianna. He was buried at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cathedral City, California.

Amateur wins (5)

PGA Tour wins (14)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory		Runner-up
1Aug 18, 1957St. Paul Open Invitational66-67-65-68=266−222 strokes Bob Rosburg
2Aug 25, 1957Miller High Life Open68-66-65-68=267−135 strokes Al Balding, Sam Snead
3Jan 26, 1958Thunderbird Invitational70-63-66-70=269−154 strokes Jimmy Demaret, Gene Littler
4Feb 2, 1958Phoenix Open Invitational70-68-66-70=274−101 stroke Walter Burkemo, Jay Hebert
5Mar 2, 1958Baton Rouge Open Invitational69-69-69-69=276−124 strokes Lionel Hebert, Arnold Palmer
6Aug 4, 1958Gleneagles-Chicago Open Invitational65-67-68-72=272−81 stroke Julius Boros, Jack Burke, Jr.
7Jan 5, 1959Los Angeles Open72-71-72-63=278−62 strokes Art Wall, Jr.
8Jun 28, 1959Gleneagles-Chicago Open Invitational 64-75-68-66=273−71 stroke Johnny Pott
9Jan 24, 1960Bing Crosby National Pro-Am70-71-68-77=286−23 strokes Julius Boros, Tommy Jacobs
10Aug 28, 1960Milwaukee Open Invitational 65-69-68-69=271−92 strokes Billy Casper
11Jun 20, 1964U.S. Open72-70-66-70=278−24 strokes Tommy Jacobs
12Jul 26, 1964Insurance City Open Invitational70-63-69-71=273−111 stroke Al Besselink, Paul Bondeson
Sam Carmichal, Jim Grant
13Aug 23, 1964American Golf Classic71-66-69-69=275−55 strokes Mason Rudolph
14Jan 31, 1966Lucky International Open68-68-71-66=273−111 stroke Frank Beard

PGA Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11957Thunderbird Invitational Jimmy Demaret, Mike SouchakDemaret won 18-hole playoff;
Demaret: −4,
Souchak: +4,
Venturi: +5
21958Greater New Orleans Open Invitational Billy CasperLost to eagle on second extra hole
31961Houston Classic Jay HebertLost to birdie on first extra hole after 18 hole playoff;
Hebert: −1,
Venturi: −1

Other wins (1)

Wins (1)

Results timeline

Amateur
Professional
LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
Sources: Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship, PGA Championship, 1955 British Amateur

Summary

Amateur
Professional