Kenneth Paul Venturi (May 15, 1931May 17, 2013) was an American professional golfer and golf broadcaster. In a career shortened by injuries, he won 14 events on the PGA Tour including a major, the U.S. Open in 1964. Shortly before his death in 2013, Venturi was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Early life and amateur career Born in San Francisco, California, Venturi learned to play golf at an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the Bay Area. He attended Lincoln High School and was the San Francisco high school golf champion in 1948 and 1949.CIF San Francisco Section. AAA Golf Boys Annual Champions. (Retrieved April 26, 2017.) Venturi also attended San José State University, where he was a member of the Spartan men's golf team from 1951 through 1953.
In the early 1950s, he was a pupil of Byron Nelson, and was also influenced by playing partner Ben Hogan. Venturi won the California State Amateur Championship in 1951 and 1956, serving in the U.S. Army in Korea and Europe in the interim.
Venturi first gained national attention at age 24; while still an amateur, he finished second in the Masters in 1956, one shot behind Jack Burke Jr., Venturi led after each of the first three rounds in an attempt to become the first-ever amateur to win the Masters, but shot a final round 80 and relinquished a four-shot lead. Through 2025, no amateur has won the Masters.
Professional career Venturi turned pro at the end of 1956 and was a regular winner during his early years on the PGA Tour. He again came close to winning the Masters in 1958 and 1960, but was edged out both times by Arnold Palmer. On January 24, 1960, Venturi won the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am on the 1960 PGA Tour.
After suffering minor injuries in an automobile accident in 1961, Venturi's swing, and thus his career, began to slide. This slump lasted until 1964 when, for no reason even Venturi could fathom, he began playing well again. After a couple of high finishes, Venturi reached the pinnacle of his comeback by winning the U.S. Open in 1964 at Congressional Country Club, after nearly collapsing in the near- heat and humidity of the 36-hole final day. (The format was changed the next year in 1965.) Venturi was the first player to win the U.S. Open after conquering a sectional qualifier.
Venturi won again in July and August, tied for fifth in the PGA Championship, and received that year's Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award and PGA Player of the Year award. He played on the Ryder Cup team in 1965.
After 1964, Venturi's career again took a blow when he was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists. After missing the cut at the Masters by nine strokes, he received treatment at the Mayo Clinic in May. Defending his title at the U.S. Open in June, Venturi continued to have difficulty with his hands and entered the championship with plans to have surgery the following week. He missed the cut by ten strokes, had the surgery on both wrists, and was sidelined until the Ryder Cup in October in England. Venturi's condition improved and he won a tour event in January 1966 at the very familiar Harding Park in his hometown, but he soon relapsed; after additional surgeries, he could not regain his form.
Broadcasting career After retiring from the Tour in 1967 with a total of 14 career wins, Venturi spent the next 35 years working as a color commentator and lead analyst for CBS Sports – the longest lead analyst stint in sports broadcasting history, made remarkable by the fact that he had a stutter, which was less manageable early in life. He retired from broadcasting at age 71 in June 2002, succeeded as CBS' lead analyst by Lanny Wadkins, then Nick Faldo in 2007.
In 1990, Venturi redesigned and renovated the Eagle Creek Golf & Country Club course near Naples, Florida. He also lent his name to a series of instructional schools.
Awards and honors
In 1998, he received the Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA's highest honor. In 2004, after some controversy, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to Venturi. In 2013, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in the lifetime achievement category.
In popular culture
Venturi appeared in the 1996 film Tin Cup, portraying himself as a commentator at the U.S. Open, held at a fictional course in North Carolina. In one scene, Venturi is shown voicing his opinion that the film's protagonist, Roy McAvoy (Kevin Costner), should lay up on a long par-5 rather than try to reach the green in two shots. McAvoy, who decided to go for it, is then shown saying, "This is for Venturi up in the booth thinking I should lay up." His caddy, played by Cheech Marin, sarcastically responds, "Yeah, what does he know? He only won this tournament before you were born."
Personal life Venturi had two sons, Matthew and Tim and four adult grandchildren Peter, Andrew, Sara and Gianna.
Venturi described the actor and singer Frank Sinatra as his best friend and former roommate.
Death Venturi died on May 17, 2013, in Rancho Mirage, California at the age of 82. He had been hospitalized for two months for a spinal infection, pneumonia, and an intestinal infection. Venturi is survived by his third wife Kathleen, two sons, Matthew and Tim and four adult grandchildren Peter, Andrew, Sara and Gianna. He was buried at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cathedral City, California.
Amateur wins (5) 1950 San Francisco City Amateur Championship 1951 California State Amateur Championship 1953 San Francisco City Amateur Championship 1956 California State Amateur Championship, San Francisco City Amateur Championship
Professional wins (15) PGA Tour wins (14) LegendMajor championships (1)Other PGA Tour (13) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up1 Aug 18, 1957 St. Paul Open Invitational 66-67-65-68=266 −22 2 strokes Bob Rosburg2 Aug 25, 1957 Miller High Life Open 68-66-65-68=267 −13 5 strokes Al Balding, Sam Snead3 Jan 26, 1958 Thunderbird Invitational 70-63-66-70=269 −15 4 strokes Jimmy Demaret, Gene Littler4 Feb 2, 1958 Phoenix Open Invitational 70-68-66-70=274 −10 1 stroke Walter Burkemo, Jay Hebert5 Mar 2, 1958 Baton Rouge Open Invitational 69-69-69-69=276 −12 4 strokes Lionel Hebert, Arnold Palmer6 Aug 4, 1958 Gleneagles-Chicago Open Invitational 65-67-68-72=272 −8 1 stroke Julius Boros, Jack Burke Jr.7 Jan 5, 1959 Los Angeles Open 72-71-72-63=278 −6 2 strokes Art Wall Jr.8 Jun 28, 1959 Gleneagles-Chicago Open Invitational (2) 64-75-68-66=273 −7 1 stroke Johnny Pott9 Jan 24, 1960 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am 70-71-68-77=286−2 3 strokes Julius Boros, Tommy Jacobs10 Aug 28, 1960 Milwaukee Open Invitational (2) 65-69-68-69=271 −9 2 strokes Billy Casper11 Jun 20, 1964 U.S. Open 72-70-66-70=278 −2 4 strokes Tommy Jacobs12 Jul 26, 1964 Insurance City Open Invitational 70-63-69-71=273 −11 1 stroke Al Besselink, Paul Bondeson Sam Carmichael, Jim Grant13 Aug 23, 1964 American Golf Classic 71-66-69-69=275 −5 5 strokes Mason Rudolph14 Jan 31, 1966 Lucky International Open 68-68-71-66=273 −11 1 stroke Frank Beard
PGA Tour playoff record (0–3) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11957Thunderbird Invitational Jimmy Demaret, Mike SouchakDemaret won 18-hole playoff;Demaret: −4 (67),Souchak: +4 (75),Venturi: +5 (76)21958Greater New Orleans Open Invitational Billy CasperLost to eagle on second extra hole31961Houston Classic Jay HebertLost to birdie on first extra hole after 18 hole playoff;Hebert: −1 (69),Venturi: −1 (69)
Other wins (1) 1959 Almaden Open
Major championships
Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 1964 U.S. Open 2 shot deficit −2 (72-70-66-70=278) 4 strokes Tommy Jacobs
Results timeline Amateur Tournament1953195419551956Masters TournamentT162 LAU.S. OpenCUT8 LAThe Open ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipR64
Professional Tournament195719581959Masters TournamentT13T4CUTU.S. OpenT6T35T38The Open ChampionshipPGA ChampionshipT20T5 Tournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969Masters Tournament2T11T934CUT16T21T50CUTU.S. OpenT231CUTT17T28CUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipPGA Championship9T37T51T5T15T11T48
Tournament19701971197219731974Masters TournamentU.S. OpenCUTThe Open ChampionshipCUTPGA Championship
LA = Low amateur CUT = missed the half-way cut WD = withdrew R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play "T" = tied
Sources: Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship, PGA Championship, 1955 British Amateur
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 2 0 3 4 9 14 11U.S. Open 1 0 0 1 3 5 13 8The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0PGA Championship 0 0 0 2 3 6 9 9Totals 1 2 0 6 10 20 37 28 Most consecutive cuts made – 12 (1959 U.S. Open – 1964 PGA) Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (four times)
U.S. national team appearances Amateur Walker Cup: 1953 (winners) Americas Cup: 1952 (winners), 1956 (winners)
Professional Ryder Cup: 1965 (winners) Presidents Cup: 2000 Presidents Cup (winners, non-playing captain)
References
External links