PGA Tour veteran Ed Fiori dies at 72

Ed Fiori passed away on Sunday, July 6. Born on April 21, 1953, in California, the golfing icon passed during the early hours of the day at the age of 72.

The American made a massive name for himself in the world of men's professional golf. Growing up in California and passionate about golf, Ed Fiori would often sneak through a wired fence to practice at a course near his home.

The golfing community first began recognizing Ed Fiori after he joined the University of Houston's men's golf team. He led the Cougars to an NCAA Championship during his senior year with PGA Tour players Mike Booker and David Ishii on his side.

Soon after graduating, he turned professional and earned his TOUR card by winning the 1977 PGA Tour Fall Qualifying at Pinehurst. In his rookie year, Ed Fiori played 25 tournaments and posted one top ten finish.

Ed Fiori went on to play a whopping 583 tournaments on the circuit. Having made 349 cuts, he recorded 38 finishes in the top 10 and won on four occasions. Two of his victories on the circuit came from winning playoffs on the second extra hole with birdies.

He defeated Tom Weiskopf to win the 1979 Southern Open and Tom Kite to win the 1982 Bob Hope Desert Classic.

The former collegiate golfer's last win on the PGA Tour at the 1996 Quad City Classic was his most notable. Fiori chased down a 20-year-old Tiger Woods at 43 years old.

The PGA Tour veteran played on the PGA Tour Champions for the last part of his career. He picked up a win at the 2004 MasterCard Classic to wrap up his career in stellar fashion.

Fiori defeated Australian Graham Marsh in a thrilling playoff. Both posted a 72-hole score of 6 under par, 210.

Has Ed Fiori ever won a Major championship?

Ed Fiori played his first Major championship in 1978—just a year after earning his PGA Tour card. He played the U.S. Open and ended the week tied for 35th place.

His second appearance was at the 1980 Masters Tournament. Having made the cut at one of golf's most prestigious events, he recorded his first top ten finish at a Major championship.

Having played a Major championship 19 times, the 1980 Masters Tournament was his best ever finish. Fiori posted another top ten finish at the 1989 PGA Championship, where he tied for 9th place.

After the 1990 PGA Championship, the late golfing sensation did not play a Major championship for six years. His last appearances at the events were in 1997 at the Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship, where he missed the cut in both.

About the author

Lathika is one of the newer additions to Sportskeeda’s budding golf journalism team and has brought plenty of in-game experience to the role. Having been a golfer for over 12 years now, some of her crowning achievements include winning titles on the Indian Golf Union Ladies tour and Junior Girls Amateur tour.

She currently competes in Division 1 golf in New York, and hopes to play in the U.S. Open and Chevron Championship one day. She is set to cover the 2025 Ryder Cup as well. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration and Management, and holds a Sports Marketing certification from Northwestern University, which helped her learn to draft press releases and ultimately transition into journalism.

Lathika has thus developed a knowledge base that allows her to view golf from both player, spectator and media lenses, enabling her to bring statistics, insights and an understanding of fan emotion together in her copies. She only uses verified information from reliable sources like the PGA TOUR.

Her favorite golfers are Nelly Korda and Tiger Woods, both for their playing style as well as their mental strength. Much of her time away from work is spent playing golf, but she also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and learning new hobbies or upskilling.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua