A legendary golfer, who famously defeated Tiger Woods during the peak of his career, passed away this month at the age of 72.
Ed Fiori secured four PGA titles throughout his lengthy career, including the 1996 Quad Cities Classic, where he denied Woods what would have been his first PGA victory in his early career.
Fiori succumbed to cancer on Sunday, as confirmed by a representative. Born on April 21, 1953, in Lynnwood, California, Fiori recounted tales of his childhood, sneaking through barbed-wire fences near his home to play on a nearby golf course.
He developed his skills while competing at the University of Houston. He turned professional in 1977 and joined the PGA the following year. Prior to his victory over Woods, Fiori’s last win came at the 1982 Bob Hope Desert Classic.
He later retired from professional golf, expressing to friends and family his desire to pursue his long-held aspiration of becoming a charter boat captain. “You kind of root your playing partner on, he roots for you and maybe you can feed off each other and keep it going,” Fiori remarked about his 1996 triumph over Woods at the Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley, Illinois.
This was one of only four occasions in Woods’s career where he lost after leading at the 54-hole mark.
“Playing with Tiger kind of raised my intensity a little bit. It brought my game up with it, I guess,” he added.
At that time, Woods, aged 21, was competing against the then-42-year-old Fiori, who trailed by one shot entering the final round.
Woods excelled off the tee but faltered as the day progressed, allowing Fiori to narrow the gap. He recorded a score of 67, securing a two-shot victory over Andrew Magee. Woods, who experienced a quadruple-bogey at one point, finished tied for fifth in the tournament.
PGA leadership commended Fiori for his contributions to the sport he cherished.
“Ed Fiori was a true gentleman in our sport, and is a player who would often be referred to as a pro’s pro,” stated PGA Tour Champions president Miller Brady in a message to the Daily Mail.
In three of his four victories on the PGA Tour, he engaged in intense competition with future members of the World Golf Hall of Fame, particularly with Tiger Woods in 1996.
“That tenacity and resolve in the face of overwhelming challenges is truly commendable in every facet of life, and I am aware that he confronted cancer with that same unwavering spirit until the very end.
“He will be greatly missed by all of us at the Tour.”
Despite facing challenges with weight gain throughout much of his life, Fiori persisted in competing on the senior circuit, ultimately winning the 2004 event in Mexico.
“I managed to continue for a few more years and participated in the senior tour for a time, but my back was consistently an issue,” Fiori remarked in a 2019 interview with Golf.com. “I underwent spinal fusion surgery in 2005, and from that point onward, I found it difficult to break 80.
“However, do not feel pity for me. I have enjoyed a wonderful life in a sport I cherish. It was never simple. Many times, I found myself on that flight returning home on Friday nights,” he shared.
“Yet, I would not exchange it for anything. Even now, people refer to me as the Tiger killer. They do not always have their facts correct, but I do not mind. I will always remember that weekend at the John Deere.