Detroit's Calvin Peete, winner of 12 PGA events, dies

[Faygo Kid]

Source: Detroit News

Calvin Peete, who taught himself how to play golf at 24 and became the most successful black player on the PGA Tour before the arrival of Tiger Woods, died Wednesday morning, the PGA Tour said. He was 71.

The tour did not have a cause of death. Murray Brothers Funeral Home confirmed it was handling the arrangements but did not release additional information.

Peete won 12 times on the PGA Tour, mainly on the strength of his uncanny accuracy off the tee. Peete led the PGA Tour in driving accuracy for 10 straight years starting in 1981, and he captured the Vardon Trophy over Jack Nicklaus in 1984. He also played on two Ryder Cup teams.

More impressive than his record, however, was the journey to compete — and beat — the best in golf. . .

Read more: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/golf/2015/04/29/calvin-peete-winner-pga-tour-events-dies/26573929/

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A true pioneer, and a class act. And his accuracy off the tee is unsurpassed to this day. Read the whole article to get a sense of the man and his legacy.

[LoisB]

1. Sad news. I actually saw him (on television) play a couple of times.

[shenmue]

2. Rest in peace

[underpants]

3. He won the Anheiser-Busch back to back in '82-'83

In fact he won 6 PGA tournaments in those two years. That was a lot back then.

[brush]

4. He was a winner.

RIP Cal Peete — from a duffer who nevertheless loves the game.

[cleduc]

5. Tied for 79th all time in PGA tour victories

... by a man who didn't attempt to play golf until he was 24 years old. I don't think any of the 78 ahead of him come anywhere close to starting to play the game that late in life and many of them already had a few PGA wins by age 24.

He probably should be in the Hall of Fame for the sport.

[AngryAmish]

6. I met him a few tumes when I was a teenager.

Great loop. Good tipper. Wasn't quite l9ng enough for our course.