Latest news with #QuadCityClassic
Daily Mirror
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
PGA Tour winner famous for beating Tiger Woods sadly dies after cancer battle
The PGA Tour have confirmed that Ed Fiori, a four-time winner on the tour, has sadly died at the age of 72 after a battle with cancer in a statement on their website Golf icon Ed Fiori has sadly passed away at the age of 72 following a battle with cancer. The sad news about Fiori, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, was confirmed via the tour on their website. Among Fiori's victories was his triumph in the 1996 Quad City Classic, which is now known as the John Deere Classic. In winning the tournament, he defeated a young Tiger Woods in the final round, denying the American what would have been his maiden tour victory. Miller Brady, the PGA Tour Champions president, paid tribute to Fiori during the final round of the John Deere Classic on Sunday. He said: "Ed Fiori was a true gentleman in our sport, and is a player who would often be referred to as a pro's pro. "In three of his four wins on the PGA Tour, he dueled down the stretch with future World Golf Hall of Fame members, most notably Tiger Woods in 1996. READ MORE: 'I had to give Tiger Woods a major talking to on the golf course – we didn't speak for five holes' "That grit and resolution in the face of immeasurable odds is incredibly admirable in every aspect of life, and I know he battled cancer with that same determination until the end. "He will be missed by all of us at the Tour." After hitting 50, Fiori only played 58 times on the senior circuit, winning the 2004 MasterCard Classic in Mexico following a play-off with Graham Marsh. Sadly, back issues eventually led to him undergoing spinal fusion surgery in 2005 which prevented him from featuring more often on the PGA TOUR Champions. "I hung on for a few more years, and played for a while on the senior tour, but my back was always a problem," Fiori told back in 2019. "I had spinal fusion surgery in 2005, and from then on, I struggled to break 80. "Don't feel sorry for me, though. I've had a great life in a game I love. It was never easy. Lots of times, I was on that flight heading home on Friday nights," he said. "But I would not trade it for anything. Even today, people call me the Tiger killer. They don't always get their facts straight, but I don't mind. I'll never forget that weekend at the John Deere."
New York Post
07-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Ed Fiori, who famously chased down Tiger Woods, dead at 72
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Ed Fiori, who for 13 years was the only player to rally from a 54-hole deficit to beat Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour, died Sunday, the tour said on its website. He was 72. The tour said Fiori had been battling cancer. It provided no other details. A four-time winner on the PGA Tour, no victory was more memorable than the 1996 Quad City Classic, now the John Deere Classic. Three tournaments into his pro career, a 20-year-old Woods had a one-shot lead over Fiori going into the final round at Oakwood Country Club. 3 Ed Fiori passed away at the age of 72. AP Woods had a quadruple bogey on the fourth hole and a four-putt double bogey on the seventh hole. He shot 72 to tie for fifth, four shots behind Fiori. Woods won two starts later in Las Vegas. He never lost a 54-hole lead in another PGA Tour-sanctioned event until Y.E. Yang beat him in the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Lee Westwood overcame a deficit to beat Woods in 2000 in a European tour event in Germany. Fiori also beat two other Hall of Fame members in playoffs, Tom Weiskopf in the 1979 Southern Open and Tom Kite in the 1982 Bob Hope Classic. 3 Ed Fiori after winning the Quad City Classic in 1996. AP 'In three of his four wins on the PGA Tour, he dueled down the stretch with future World Golf Hall of Fame members, most notably Tiger Woods in 1996. That grit and resolution in the face of immeasurable odds is incredibly admirable in every aspect of life, and I know he battled cancer with that same determination until the end,' said Miller Brady, president of the PGA Tour Champions. 'He will be missed by all of us at the tour.' Fiori played only 58 times on the senior circuit after turn 50, winning in 2004 in Mexico. 3 Tiger Woods during the final round of the 1996 Quad City Classic. ASSOCIATED PRESS 'I hung on for a few more years, and played for a while on the senior tour, but my back was always a problem,' Fiori said in a 2019 interview with 'I had spinal fusion surgery in 2005, and from then on, I struggled to break 80. 'Don't feel sorry for me, though. I've had a great life in a game I love. It was never easy. Lots of times, I was on that flight heading home on Friday nights,' he said. 'But I would not trade it for anything. Even today, people call me the Tiger killer. They don't always get their facts straight, but I don't mind. I'll never forget that weekend at the John Deere.'
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ed Fiori, known for taking down Tiger Woods, dies of cancer
FILE - Ed Fiori of Sugar Land, Texas, holds his trophy after winning the Quad City Classic at the Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley, Ill., Sunday, Sept. 15, 1996. (AP Photo/Charles Bennett, File) FILE - Ed Fiori plays his tee shot from the 13th tee during the second round of the MasterCard Classic in Mexico City, Sunday, March 7, 2004. (AP Photo/Jaime Puebla, File) FILE - Ed Fiori plays his tee shot from the 13th tee during the second round of the MasterCard Classic in Mexico City, Sunday, March 7, 2004. (AP Photo/Jaime Puebla, File) FILE - Ed Fiori of Sugar Land, Texas, holds his trophy after winning the Quad City Classic at the Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley, Ill., Sunday, Sept. 15, 1996. (AP Photo/Charles Bennett, File) FILE - Ed Fiori plays his tee shot from the 13th tee during the second round of the MasterCard Classic in Mexico City, Sunday, March 7, 2004. (AP Photo/Jaime Puebla, File) PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Ed Fiori, who for 13 years was the only player to rally from a 54-hole deficit to beat Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour, died Sunday, the tour said on its website. He was 72. The tour said Fiori had been battling cancer. It provided no other details. Advertisement A four-time winner on the PGA Tour, no victory was more memorable than the 1996 Quad City Classic, now the John Deere Classic. Three tournaments into his pro career, a 20-year-old Woods had a one-shot lead over Fiori going into the final round at Oakwood Country Club. Woods had a quadruple bogey on the fourth hole and a four-putt double bogey on the seventh hole. He shot 72 to tie for fifth, four shots behind Fiori. Woods won two starts later in Las Vegas. He never lost a 54-hole lead in another PGA Tour-sanctioned event until Y.E. Yang beat him in the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Lee Westwood overcame a deficit to beat Woods in 2000 in a European tour event in Germany. Fiori also beat two other Hall of Fame members in playoffs, Tom Weiskopf in the 1979 Southern Open and Tom Kite in the 1982 Bob Hope Classic. Advertisement 'In three of his four wins on the PGA Tour, he dueled down the stretch with future World Golf Hall of Fame members, most notably Tiger Woods in 1996. That grit and resolution in the face of immeasurable odds is incredibly admirable in every aspect of life, and I know he battled cancer with that same determination until the end,' said Miller Brady, president of the PGA Tour Champions. 'He will be missed by all of us at the tour.' Fiori played only 58 times on the senior circuit after turn 50, winning in 2004 in Mexico. 'I hung on for a few more years, and played for a while on the senior tour, but my back was always a problem,' Fiori said in a 2019 interview with "I had spinal fusion surgery in 2005, and from then on, I struggled to break 80. 'Don't feel sorry for me, though. I've had a great life in a game I love. It was never easy. Lots of times, I was on that flight heading home on Friday nights,' he said. 'But I would not trade it for anything. Even today, people call me the Tiger killer. They don't always get their facts straight, but I don't mind. I'll never forget that weekend at the John Deere.' ___ AP golf:
News18
07-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
Ed Fiori, Who Took Down A 20-Year-Old Tiger Woods, Dies Of Cancer
Four-time PGA tour champion Ed Fiori has passed away at the age of 72 years. Ed Fiori, who was the only player to overcome a 54-hole deficit to beat Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour for 13 years, passed away on Sunday at the age of 72, the tour reported on its website. Fiori had been battling cancer, though no additional details were provided. Fiori, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, is best remembered for his victory at the 1996 Quad City Classic, now known as the John Deere Classic. At the time, Woods, just three tournaments into his professional career and only 20 years old, held a one-shot lead over Fiori going into the final round at Oakwood Country Club. Woods experienced a quadruple bogey on the fourth hole and a four-putt double bogey on the seventh hole, ultimately shooting 72 and tying for fifth, four shots behind Fiori. Woods secured a victory two starts later in Las Vegas. He never again lost a 54-hole lead in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event until Y.E. Yang defeated him in the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Lee Westwood also overcame a deficit to beat Woods in a 2000 European tour event in Germany. Fiori triumphed over two other Hall of Fame members in playoffs: Tom Weiskopf in the 1979 Southern Open and Tom Kite in the 1982 Bob Hope Classic. 'In three of his four wins on the PGA Tour, he competed fiercely against future World Golf Hall of Fame members, particularly Tiger Woods in 1996. His determination and resilience in the face of daunting odds are truly admirable in all aspects of life, and he fought cancer with the same tenacity until the end," said Miller Brady, president of the PGA Tour Champions. 'He will be dearly missed by everyone at the tour." Fiori played only 58 times on the senior circuit after turning 50, winning in 2004 in Mexico. 'I continued for a few more years and played on the senior tour, but my back was always an issue," Fiori said in a 2019 interview with 'I had spinal fusion surgery in 2005, and from that point on, I struggled to break 80. 'Don't feel sorry for me, though. I've enjoyed a great life in a sport I love. It was never easy. Many times, I was flying home on Friday nights," he said. 'But I wouldn't trade it for anything. Even today, people refer to me as the Tiger killer. They don't always have their facts straight, but I don't mind. I'll never forget that weekend at the John Deere." First Published:
San Francisco Chronicle
07-07-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Ed Fiori, known for taking down Tiger Woods, dies of cancer
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Ed Fiori, who for 13 years was the only player to rally from a 54-hole deficit to beat Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour, died Sunday, the tour said on its website. He was 72. The tour said Fiori had been battling cancer. It provided no other details. A four-time winner on the PGA Tour, no victory was more memorable than the 1996 Quad City Classic, now the John Deere Classic. Three tournaments into his pro career, a 20-year-old Woods had a one-shot lead over Fiori going into the final round at Oakwood Country Club. Woods had a quadruple bogey on the fourth hole and a four-putt double bogey on the seventh hole. He shot 72 to tie for fifth, four shots behind Fiori. Woods won two starts later in Las Vegas. He never lost a 54-hole lead in another PGA Tour-sanctioned event until Y.E. Yang beat him in the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Lee Westwood overcame a deficit to beat Woods in 2000 in a European tour event in Germany. Fiori also beat two other Hall of Fame members in playoffs, Tom Weiskopf in the 1979 Southern Open and Tom Kite in the 1982 Bob Hope Classic. 'In three of his four wins on the PGA Tour, he dueled down the stretch with future World Golf Hall of Fame members, most notably Tiger Woods in 1996. That grit and resolution in the face of immeasurable odds is incredibly admirable in every aspect of life, and I know he battled cancer with that same determination until the end,' said Miller Brady, president of the PGA Tour Champions. 'He will be missed by all of us at the tour.' 'I hung on for a few more years, and played for a while on the senior tour, but my back was always a problem,' Fiori said in a 2019 interview with "I had spinal fusion surgery in 2005, and from then on, I struggled to break 80. 'Don't feel sorry for me, though. I've had a great life in a game I love. It was never easy. Lots of times, I was on that flight heading home on Friday nights,' he said. 'But I would not trade it for anything. Even today, people call me the Tiger killer. They don't always get their facts straight, but I don't mind. I'll never forget that weekend at the John Deere.'
