Jay Sigel, considered America's best amateur golfer since Bobby Jones, dies of cancer at 81
His intention was to turn pro when he starred at Wake Forest on an Arnold Palmer scholarship. But his left hand went through a pane window on a swinging door that required 70 stitches. Sigel decided to remain amateur and started a successful insurance business.
'I always thought things happen for a reason,' Sigel once said. 'The hand injury was the best thing to happen to me.'
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At the age of 38, he defeated David Tolley, 8 and 7, at The Country Club to win his first US Amateur in 1982, and the following year became the first player to win the US Amateur and the US Mid-Amateur — for players at least 25 years old — in the same year. He also captured some of the nation's most prestigious titles, such as the Sunnehanna Amateur, the Northeast Amateur, and the Porter Cup — winning each three times.
Sigel joined the PGA Tour Champions when he turned 50 in 1994 and won eight times, though his legacy was amateur golf.
He was on eight winning Walker Cup teams, and played as the captain in 1983 and 1985.
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