Miles Bennett
Ken Venturi, the American professional golfer and golf broadcaster, died on May 17, 2013, two days after his 82nd birthday. Venturi, a top-ranked amateur golfer who won 14 events on the PGA Tour, including the 1964 U.S. Open, died in Rancho Mirage, California, following a two-month hospitalization for a spinal infection, pneumonia, and an intestinal infection. Now, the question arises: how did he die?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Death | May 17, 2013 |
| Age | 82 |
| Place of Death | Rancho Mirage, California |
| Cause of Death | Spinal infection, pneumonia, and intestinal infection |
| Hospitalization Duration | Two months |
| Career | Golfer, golf broadcaster, and announcer |
| Awards and Achievements | U.S. Open champion in 1964, PGA award winner, World Golf Hall of Fame member |
| Survived by | Wife Kathleen, two sons, four grandchildren |
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What You'll Learn
Ken Venturi's cause of death
Ken Venturi, the American professional golfer and golf broadcaster, died on May 17, 2013, two days after his 82nd birthday. Venturi had been hospitalized for two months prior to his death, suffering from a spinal infection, pneumonia, and an intestinal infection.
Venturi was a top-ranked amateur golfer who went on to become a professional and won 14 events on the PGA Tour, including the 1964 U.S. Open, despite battling dehydration and heat exhaustion during the final round. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and was a seven-time PGA award winner.
Following his playing career, Venturi embarked on a successful broadcasting career as the longtime chief golf analyst for CBS Sports. He was known for his dynamic presence and his ability to connect different generations of golfers.
Ken Venturi's death prompted an outpouring of tributes from the golfing world, including from Jack Nicklaus, who called him "my friend," and PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, who praised his ""legendary status" both as a golfer and a broadcaster.
Venturi's legacy extends beyond his golfing achievements, as his struggle with a stutter from a young age led him to take up golf, finding refuge in a game that offered a constant struggle to overcome his speech impediment.
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Ken Venturi's career
Ken Venturi was an American professional golfer and golf broadcaster. Born in San Francisco, California, Venturi learned to play golf at a young age, developing his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the Bay Area. Venturi attended Lincoln High School and was the San Francisco high school golf champion in 1948 and 1949. He went on to attend San José State University, where he was a member of the Spartan men's golf team from 1951 to 1953. In the early 1950s, he was a pupil of Byron Nelson and was influenced by playing partner Ben Hogan. Venturi won the California State Amateur Championship in 1951 and 1956.
Venturi turned professional in 1956 and was a regular winner on the PGA Tour, with a total of 14 career wins. In 1956, he nearly became the first amateur to win the Masters, falling just one stroke short. Venturi's career was unfortunately derailed by injuries, including a car accident in 1961 and carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists, which led to his retirement from the Tour in 1967. Despite these setbacks, he achieved a remarkable victory in the 1964 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club, where he battled dehydration in extreme heat and humidity during the 36-hole final day. This win earned him the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award and PGA Player of the Year honors.
Following his retirement from professional golf, Venturi embarked on a successful broadcasting career. He spent 35 years as a lead analyst for CBS Sports, the longest stint in sports broadcasting history. Venturi's stutter, which he managed later in life, did not hold him back from becoming a respected and influential commentator in the world of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame shortly before his death in 2013.
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Ken Venturi's legacy
Venturi's golfing career was impressive, winning 14 events on the PGA Tour, including the U.S. Open in 1964, where he battled dehydration and the heat to win. He also came close to winning the Masters in 1956, 1958, and 1960. After his golfing career was cut short by injuries, he moved into broadcasting, becoming the longest-serving lead analyst in sports broadcasting history with CBS Sports. Despite a stutter, Venturi's voice and delivery were praised, and he was a familiar and respected presence in golf commentary for 35 years.
Venturi was also a generous man, committed to giving back to the game of golf and supporting charitable causes. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame shortly before his death, an honour that provided him with great happiness. He was also awarded the Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America in 1998, their highest honour. Venturi was also recognised with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 2004.
In addition to his golfing prowess, Venturi was a family man, with a wife, two sons, and four grandchildren. He was also a gentleman, a great friend to many, and a principled man with a dynamic presence.
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Ken Venturi's personal life
Ken Venturi was born on May 15, 1931, in San Francisco, California. He learned to play golf at a young age, honing his skills at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the Bay Area. Venturi suffered from a stutter, which was less manageable when he was younger. He once wrote about his speech impediment: "All I saw in front of me was a lifetime of humiliation."
Venturi's parents, Fred and Ethel Venturi, were patient with their only child's stutter, remaining quiet while he struggled to speak. Venturi wrote about his parents: "Their patience allowed me to recognize the value of self-reliance, of not waiting for somebody else to solve your problems." He also described himself as a loner, and golf was the loneliest sport he knew.
Venturi attended Lincoln High School and was the San Francisco high school golf champion in 1948 and 1949. He then attended San José State University, where he was a member of the Spartan men's golf team from 1951 to 1953. In 1954, he married Connie. He also served in the U.S. Army.
Venturi had two sons, Matthew and Tim, and four grandchildren, Peter, Andrew, Sara, and Gianna. He was close friends with Frank Sinatra, who he described as his best friend and former roommate. Venturi died on May 17, 2013, two days after his 82nd birthday, in Rancho Mirage, California. He was survived by his third wife, Kathleen.
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Tributes to Ken Venturi
Tributes poured in from across the world of golf for Ken Venturi, the American professional golfer and broadcaster, who died in 2013, aged 82.
Venturi had a decorated career, winning 14 events on the PGA Tour, including the U.S. Open in 1964. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame for his lifetime achievements shortly before his death.
Jack Nicklaus, a friend of Venturi, said:
> We all knew what a wonderful player Ken Venturi was, and how he fashioned a second successful career as an announcer. But far more important than how good he was at playing the game or covering it, Ken was my friend. Ken was fortunate in that the game of golf gave him so much, but without question Ken gave back far more to the game he loved than he ever gained from it. Over the years, Ken developed a circle of friends that is enormous and whose collective heart is heavy today.
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem also paid tribute to Venturi, saying:
> His tremendous accomplishments on the golf course were certainly Hall of Fame-worthy on their own, but in Ken one finds a rare example of a golfer whose second career, in television, rivaled the legendary status of his competitive achievements.
Jim Nantz, who worked alongside Venturi at CBS, gave an emotional tribute, saying:
> He was a deeply principled man with a dynamic presence. He just exuded class. Through his competitive days and unequaled broadcasting career, Kenny became a human bridge connecting everyone from Sarazen, Nelson and Hogan to the greatest players of today's generation.
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Frequently asked questions
Ken Venturi died on May 17, 2013, two days after his 82nd birthday. He had been hospitalized for two months for a spinal infection, pneumonia, and an intestinal infection.
Ken Venturi was an American professional golfer and golf broadcaster. He won 14 events on the PGA Tour, including the 1964 U.S. Open, despite battling dehydration and heat exhaustion. He was also a seven-time PGA award winner and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Venturi was also known for his successful career as a golf announcer and analyst for CBS.
Many people in the golf world mourned the loss of Ken Venturi and spoke highly of his accomplishments and character. Jack Nicklaus, for example, called Venturi a "wonderful player" and a "friend," noting that Venturi gave back more to the game than he ever gained from it. Tim Finchem, PGA Tour commissioner, praised Venturi's "legendary status" both as a golfer and a broadcaster.
