I saw him play on a few occasions, with Hogan and some others. Dayton, Ohio had a number of tournaments, saw him in the late 50's.
Ken Venturi, who overcame dehydration to win the 1964 U.S. Open and spent 35 years in the booth for CBS Sports, died Friday afternoon. He was 82.
His son, Matt Venturi, said he died in a hospital in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Venturi had been hospitalized the past two months for a spinal infection, pneumonia and then an intestinal infection that he could no longer fight.
Ken Venturi, who passed away Friday at the age of 82, played a part in Arnold Palmer's controversial Masters win in 1958.
Venturi died 11 days after he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
He couldn't make it to the induction. His sons, Matt and Tim, accepted on his behalf after an emotional tribute by Jim Nantz, who worked alongside Venturi at CBS.
"When Dad did receive the election into the Hall of Fame, he had a twinkle in his eye, and that twinkle is there every day," Tim Venturi said that night.
Venturi was all about overcoming the odds.