PGA Hall of Famer and former US Ryder Cup captain Dow Finsterwald has died. He was 93.Finsterwald died on Friday night at his home in Colorado Springs, according to the Golf Channel.
Finsterwald was the PGA Player of the Year in 1958 and was an 11-time winner on the PGA Tour.He captained the Ryder Cup team in 1977 when the US team won at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club."Dow was destined to a career in sports because of his father's influence, and golf was fortunate to have him as a player, teacher and administrator," PGA commissioner Jay Monahan said on the tour's website."His contributions to our sport were significant, and we take time today to remember Dow and all of his accomplishments in a well-lived life."His lone major title came when he won the PGA Championship in 1958, but Finsterwald had several other close calls.He finished in the Top 10 of the Masters four times in five years and five times overall.In 1962, he was part of a three-way playoff in which Arnold Palmer won and Gary Player was the other golfer.He was among the Top 10 of the US Open three times and Top 10 of the PGA Championship four times.His 1958 win came in the first year that the PGA Championship used the stroke-play format.According to the PGA, Finsterwald finished second in 28 tournaments, while representing the USA on four Ryder Cup teams (1957, 1959, 1961, 1963).He was inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 2006.