Ken Venturi

May 15, 1931 — May 17, 2013 — San Francisco, California, United States

Ken Venturi was an American professional golfer and longtime television broadcaster whose career is defined by one of the most dramatic victories in golf history: the 1964 U.S. Open, won amid brutal heat and near-collapse. Though injuries cut short his playing days, Venturi won 14 PGA Tour events and went on to spend 35 years as the voice of CBS golf coverage. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013, just days before his death.

Early Life and Beginnings in Golf

Kenneth Paul Venturi was born on May 15, 1931, in San Francisco, California. As a boy he struggled with a severe stutter, and he later credited golf with giving him an outlet where he did not need to speak to succeed. He spent countless hours alone on the practice range, honing a swing that would eventually draw comparisons to the legendary Byron Nelson, who became an early mentor and close friend. Venturi rose through the amateur ranks in Northern California and gained national attention in 1956, when as an amateur he nearly won the Masters Tournament, ultimately finishing second after a final-round collapse. That near-miss, combined with his obvious talent, convinced him to turn professional and pursue a full-time career on the PGA Tour, where expectations for the confident, stylish Californian ran high from the start.

PGA Tour Career and the 1964 U.S. Open

Venturi won his first PGA Tour event in 1957 and went on to capture 14 tour victories during his career, establishing himself as one of the game's most promising players through the late 1950s and early 1960s. A circulatory problem in his hands, along with other physical setbacks, threatened to end his career prematurely, and by the mid-1960s many considered him finished as a competitor. Instead, Venturi authored one of golf's most storied comebacks at the 1964 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. Playing 36 holes in a single day amid dangerous heat and humidity, he became severely dehydrated and nearly withdrew, but pressed on with medical supervision to finish the final round and win the championship by four strokes. The image of Venturi, exhausted and barely able to stand, becoming a national champion remains one of the most celebrated moments in the sport's history and cemented his legacy despite the injuries that soon limited his tournament play.

Broadcasting Career and Lasting Legacy

As physical ailments forced Venturi away from full-time competition, he transitioned into broadcasting and became the lead golf analyst for CBS Sports, a role he held for 35 years beginning in the late 1960s. His insightful commentary, shaped by his own hard-won playing experience, made him one of the most respected voices in golf television, informing generations of fans about the sport's nuances. Venturi also remained active in golf course design and instruction after retiring from broadcasting in 2002. In recognition of his playing career and his enormous influence on how golf was presented to the public, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013. He died on May 17, 2013, in Rancho Mirage, California, just days after that induction, closing out a life that touched golf as both player and storyteller.