Peter Oosterhuis: Difference between revisions

{{Shortshort description|English golfer and broadcaster (1948–2024)}}

| name = Peter Oosterhuis

| image =

| imagesize = <!-- e.g. 250px (default is 200px) -->

| caption =

| fullname = Peter Arthur Oosterhuis

| nickname = Oosty<ref name="wp">{{cite news |last1last=Murphy |first1first=Brian |title=Peter Oosterhuis, British golfer who blazed path in America, dies at 75 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2024/05/04/peter-oosterhuis-golf-cbs-dies/ |access-newspaper=The Washington Post |date=4 May 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=4 May 2024}}</ref>

| birth_date = {{Birthbirth date|1948|5|3|df=y}}

| birth_place = [[Lambeth]], [[London]], England

| death_date = {{Deathdeath date and age|2024|5|2|1948|5|3|df=y}}

| death_place = [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], U.S.

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=5}}

| weight = {{convert|230|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}

| nationality = {{ENG}}

| spouse = Valerie, Ruth Ann

| partner =

| children = 2

| college =

| yearpro = 1968

| extour = [[PGA Tour]]<br>[[European Tour]]<br>[[Southern Africa Tour]]

| prowins = 28

| pgawins = 1

| eurowins = 7

| sunwins = 3

| otherwins = 17

| majorwins = <!-- Number of Major Championship wins -->

| masters = T3: [[1973 Masters Tournament|1973]]

| usopen = T7: [[1975 U.S. Open (golf)|1975]]

| open = 2nd/T2: [[1974 Open Championship|1974]], [[1982 Open Championship|1982]]

| pga = T22: 1982

| wghofid = <!-- World Golf Hall of Fame member ID -->

| wghofyear = <!-- World Golf Hall of Fame year inducted -->

| award2 = [[Harry Vardon Trophy]]/<br>[[Harry Vardon Trophy#Winners|European Tour<br>Order of Merit winner]]

| year2 = 1971, [[1972 European Tour|1972]], [[1973 European Tour|1973]], [[1974 European Tour|1974]]

| award1 = [[Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year|Sir Henry Cotton<br>Rookie of the Year]]

| year1 = 1969

| awardssection = <!-- location of awards page or section -->

'''Peter Arthur Oosterhuis''' (3 May 1948 – 2 May 2024) was an English [[professional golfer]] and broadcaster. OosterhuisHe played on the European circuit from 1969 to 1974, winning 10 tournaments and taking the [[Harry Vardon Trophy]] for heading the Order of Merit for four consecutive seasons from 1971 to 1974. From 1975 he played on the [[PGA Tour]], winning the [[Canadian Open (golf)|Canadian Open]] in 1981. HeOosterhuis was twice runner-up in the [[Open Championship]], in [[1974 Open Championship|1974]] and [[1982 Open Championship|1982]]. Later he became a golf analyst on TV, initially in Europe and then in the United States. In 2015, Oosterhuishe announced that he had [[Alzheimer's disease]].

Oosterhuis won the 1966 [[Berkshire Trophy]] by a stroke from [[Michael Bonallack]], after a final round 67 which included nine 3s in 11 holes, with seven 3s in succession.<ref name=bt>{{cite news |title=Berkshire Trophy for Oosterhuis |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wX1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sqMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2007%2C5038398 |title=Berkshire Trophy for Oosterhuis |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |date=30 May 1966 |page=4}}</ref> Later in 1966 heOosterhuis won the [[British Youths Open Amateur Championship]] by four strokes.<ref name=byc>{{cite news |title=Oosterhuis British Youths' Champion |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5HhAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=x6MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4132%2C1042224 |title=Oosterhuis British Youths' Champion |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |date=6 August 1966 |page=5}}</ref> In 1968 he was a runner-up in the [[Golf Illustrated Gold Vase]] behind Michael Bonallack and tied with [[Ted Dexter]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Campbell finishes fourth |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tG1AAAAAIBAJ&pg=6610%2C2238382 |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=7 |date=13 May 1968}}</ref>

Oosterhuis was a regular competitor for English and British teams at the boys (under-18) and youth (under-21) levels. He made his senior debut for England in the 1966 [[Men's Home Internationals (golf)|Home Internationals]].,<ref name=hi1966/> Oosterhuisthen represented Great Britain in the [[1967 Walker Cup]]. PlayingHe withand [[Ronnie Shade]], playing together in the [[foursomes they]], halved one match and won the other.; Howeverhowever, Oosterhuis lost both his singles matches.<ref name=wc>{{cite web |url=https://walkercup.co.uk/1967-royal-st-georges/ |title=1967 – Royal St. George's |date=22 November 2017 |publisher=walkercup.co.uk |access-date=30 November 2018}}</ref> He also played in the [[1968 Eisenhower Trophy]] where Great Britain and Ireland won the silver medal. Great Britain and Ireland led the United States by 7 strokes after three rounds, but the Americans scored 73, 73 and 75 in the final round to Great Britain and Ireland's 76, 76, and 77 to win by a stroke.<ref name=et/> Oosterhuis turned professional in November 1968.<ref name="gh26nov68">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vn9AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yKMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4068%2C4805049 |title=Oosterhuis will play on South African professional circuit |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |date=26 November 1968 |page=6}}</ref>

Oosterhuis played in South Africa in early 1969, finishing runner-up to [[Bobby Cole (golfer)|Bobby Cole]] in the [[Natal Open]]. He seemed a likely winner but dropped a shot at the 17th and then took 7 at the final hole.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hX9AAAAAIBAJ&pg=4977%2C3138473 |title=Oosterhuis just fails to win |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=20 January 1969 |page=7}}</ref> Later in the year, he started the British season by winning the [[Sunningdale Foursomes]], playing with the amateur Peter Benka.<ref name=sf/> He finished runner-up in the [[Gor-Ray Under-24 Championship]] and, playing with [[Nigel Paul (cricketer)|Nigel Paul]], won the Whitbread professional-amateur foursomes.<ref name=whitbread/> He was awarded the [[Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year]] award.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/news/articles/detail/rookie-of-the-year-award-for-rahm/ |title=Rookie of the Year award for Rahm |publisher=European Tour |date=14 November 2017}}</ref>

In 1970, Oosterhuis won two age-restricted events, [[Lord Derby’s Under-23 Professional Tournament]] and the [[Coca-Cola Young Professionals' Championship]].<ref name=ldu23/><ref name=ccypc70/> Later in the season he finished tied for sixth in the [[1970 Open Championship|Open Championship]], and third in the [[Dunlop Masters]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1ZJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2151%2C2645558 |title=Huggett "scrambles" to record 65 and Masters title |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |date=14 September 1970 |access-date=2 February 2011}}</ref> Oosterhuis had won the [[General Motors Open]] in [[South Africa]] in February, an event which served as the South African qualifier for the [[Alcan Golfer of the Year Championship]].<ref name=gmo/> In the Alcan event he finished tied for third place in that event with [[Neil Coles]] and [[Lee Trevino]], winning £2,487.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=25JAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6141%2C4096047 |title=Devlin ways away unchallenged with £23,060 first prize |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=21 September 1970 |page=5}}</ref>

In February 1973, Oosterhuis played on the Caribbean Tour, winning the [[Ford Maracaibo Open]] and finishing runner-up in the [[Caracas Open]] and the [[Panama Open]], before playing a number of events on the PGA Tour.<ref name=fmo/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KOE9AAAAIBAJ&pg=2810%2C2453200 |title=Oosterhuis Joint Second |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |location=Glasgow, Scotland |date=13 February 1973 |page=5 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Oosterhuis second |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |location=Glasgow, Scotland |agency=ReuterReuters |page=4 |date=20 February 1973 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LuE9AAAAIBAJ&pg=6381%2C3988780 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref><ref name=pgatr>{{cite web |title=Peter Oosterhuis |url=https://www.pgatour.com/player/01897/peter-oosterhuis/results |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=18 October 2023}}</ref> In April, Oosterhuis led the [[1973 Masters Tournament|Masters]] by three strokes after three rounds, before finishing tied for third place, two strokes behind [[Tommy Aaron]], after a final round 74.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=it89AAAAIBAJ&pg=2438%2C1633554 |title=Oosterhuis (68) leads Masters by three strokes |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=9 April 1973 |page=5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i989AAAAIBAJ&pg=2215%2C1853408 |title=Oosterhuis tied for third place as Aaron wins |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=10 April 1973 |page=4}}</ref> Later in the year, Oosterhuis won three [[European Tour]] events: the [[Piccadilly Medal]], [[French Open (golf)|French Open]] and [[Viyella PGA Championship]].<ref name=etr/> He was also runner-up in the [[Sunbeam Electric Scottish Open]] and [[Dutch Open (golf)|Dutch Open]].<ref name=etr/> He won the Order of Merit again, with 3,440 points, 460 points ahead of [[Maurice Bembridge]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dJFAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3902%2C3142395 |title=Oosterhuis tops order |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=13 October 1973 |page=2}}</ref> He won £17,455 in official tour events, second behind [[Tony Jacklin]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.e-magin.se/paper/jpp3fq7z/paper/32#/paper/h5vq82x2/50 |title=Brittiska Cirkusen {{!}} Order of Merit |trans-title=British Tour {{!}} Order of Merit |language=sv |magazine=Svensk Golf |access-date=21 October 2023 |date=December 1973 |issue=8 |page=48}}</ref> In September, he played in the [[1973 Ryder Cup|Ryder Cup]], having led the points list.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rJVAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1393%2C3956592 |title=Selectors stick to Ryder Cup table |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=21 August 1973}}</ref> As in 1971, he again played well in his singles matches, halving with [[Lee Trevino]] and beating Arnold Palmer.<ref name=rcmg/> Oosterhuis was selected to the two-man English team for the [[1973 World Cup]], to be played in November in Spain. Shortly before the tournament Oosterhuis withdrew because his wife was ill.<ref>{{cite news |date=14 November 1973 |title=Oosterhuis out of England's World Cup team |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kJBAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3557%2C3501049 |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=5}}</ref>

In March and April 1974, Oosterhuis played three events on the [[PGA Tour]], including the Masters.<ref name=pgatr/> The week after the Masters, he was runner-up in the [[Monsanto Open]], where he lost at the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff to [[Lee Elder]]. It was Elder's first win on the PGA Tour.<ref>{{cite news |date=22 April 1974 |title=Elder finally wins tourney |page=17 |newspaper=The Calgary Herald |agency=Associated Press |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oW1kAAAAIBAJ&pg=3100,88696&dq=lee+elder+pensacola&hl=en}}</ref> Oosterhuis won three more [[European Tour]] events in 1974: the [[French Open (golf)|French Open]] and the last two tournaments of the season, the [[Italian Open (golf)|Italian Open]] and [[El Paraiso Open]].<ref name=etr/> In addition he was runner-up in five other events, including the [[1974 Open Championship|Open Championship]], and was third in three more, finishing outside the top three only twice during the European Tour season.<ref name=etr/> He won the Order of Merit for the fourth time, nearly 600 points ahead of second-place [[Dale Hayes]].<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=23 November 1974 |page=18 |title=Oosterhuis at the start of the trial that leads to dollar wealth}}</ref> In November, Oosterhuis played in the [[1974 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates|1974 PGA Tour Qualifying School]] in [[Palm Springs, California]]. Oosterhuis easily qualified, finishing in fourth place, three strokes behind the winner [[Fuzzy Zoeller]].<ref>{{Citecite web |title=The Naples Daily News 24 Nov 1974, page 38 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/798518987/ |access-date=4 April 2023 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=25 November 1974 |title=Oosterhuis is set for U.S. circuit |page=5 |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uGM_AAAAIBAJ&pg=5408%2C5409589}}</ref>

Oosterhuis made his debut on his PGA Tour rookie season at the opening event, the 1975 [[Phoenix Open]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kdw9AAAAIBAJ&pg=5819%2C1626913 |title=Miller - now a 61 |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |date=11 January 1975 |page=8}}</ref> In the middle of the year, he recorded a second-place finish at [[First NBC New Orleans Open]] to [[Billy Casper]]. He was also in contention for the [[1975 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] on the last day. He was in a tie for 4th place as he entered the final round. The leaders struggled early and Oosterhuis's even-par golf through the first 8 holes was nearly enough to catch them. However, he made four consecutive bogeys in the middle of the round to eliminate his chances. He would still finish only two back, in a tie for seventh. Oosterhuis also recorded one other top-10 in 1975. His overall record for the year was 28 starts with 24 made cuts along with 3 top-10s and 10 top-25s.<ref name=tb1976>{{cite web |url=https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/header/files/1976_pgatour.pdf#page=76 |title=The Tour Book 1976 |access-date=27 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119073949/https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/header/files/1976_pgatour.pdf#page76 |archive-date=19 January 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="pga">{{Cite web |url=https://www.pgatour.com/players/player.01897.peter-oosterhuis.html |title=Peter Oosterhuis – Profile |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=31 May 2019}}</ref> Late in the year, Oosterhuis played the [[1975 Ryder Cup]]. He again had much success at the event, defeating [[Johnny Miller]] and [[J. C. Snead]].

Oosterhuis did not progress on this performance, however. Through the late 1970s, he would easily keep his Tour card, but was not a regular contender to win events on the PGA Tour. His year-end statistics through the late 1970s are remarkably similar to his 1975 results. In 1976, he made the cut in 25 of 29 events with 3 top-10s and 11 top-25s. In 1977, he made 18 of 25 cuts with 3 top-10s and 9 top-25s, including a runner-up finish at the [[Canadian Open (golf)|Canadian Open]], his third and final runner-up finish on tour. In 1978, he recorded 20 made cuts in 24 events with, for the fourth straight year, 3 top-10s as well as 6 top-25s.<ref name=pga/>

Oosterhuis's career in America reached its nadir in the summer of 1981. He hadn'thad not recorded a top-10 in over a year.<ref name=pga/> He barely kept his card the previous year, finishing #107 on the money list.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.109.1980.html |title=Official Money – 1980 |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=31 May 2019}}</ref> He had gotten some advice, however, from former pro and instructor [[Bert Yancey]] which, in this words, "helped immensely."<ref name=nyt>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/03/sports/oosterhuis-wins-canadian-open.html |title=Oosterhuis Wins Canadian Open |last=Radosta |first=John |date=3 August 1981 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=31 May 2019}}</ref> This work eventually paid off as he won the Canadian Open in August 1981. It would be his only PGA Tour win. He defeated [[Andy North]], [[Bruce Lietzke]], and [[Jack Nicklaus]] by a shot. Nicklaus had a 20-foot eagle putt on the last hole to tie but missed.<ref name=nyt/> He would build on this success, recording 4 top-10s and 13 top-25s in 1982, both his best ever for the PGA Tour.<ref name=pga/> He would also finish runner-up at the [[1982 Open Championship]].

The remainder of Oosterhuis's career was not quite as successful. He would record a handful of top-10s before quitting life as a touring professional after the 1986 season.<ref name=pga/> From 1987 to 1993, he was Director of Golf at [[Forsgate Country Club]] in [[Jamesburg, New Jersey|Jamesburg]], New Jersey, and at the [[Riviera Country Club]] in [[Pacific Palisades, California|Pacific Palisades]], California.<ref name=guardianobit/>

In 1994, Oosterhuis was hired to cover the [[PGA Tour]] by Britain's [[Sky Sports]] and covered the Open Championship for the [[BBC]] in 1996 and 1997. From 1995 to 1997, he was the lead analyst for the [[Golf Channel]]'s coverage of the European Tour.<ref name=guardianobit/> From 1998, Oosterhuis joined the [[PGA Tour on CBS|CBS Sports]] announcer team.<ref name=guardianobit/>

In May 2015, Oosterhuis announced that he was battling early-onset [[Alzheimer's disease]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/oosterhuis-announces-he-has-alzheimers-disease/ |title=Oosterhuis announces he has Alzheimer's disease |work=Golf Channel |first=Nick |last=Menta |date=29 June 2015}}</ref> He died from complications of the disease at a Charlotte memory care facility on 2 May 2024 at the age of 75;<ref>{{cite webnews |last1=Sandomir |first1=Richard |title=Peter Oosterhuis, British Golfer Turned Broadcaster, Dies at 75 |work=The New York Times |date=5 May 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/05/sports/golf/peter-oosterhuis-dead.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=5 May 2024}}</ref> a day before what would have been his 76th birthday.<ref>{{cite web |last=Alter |first=Tom |title=PGA Tour winner, beloved Masters analyst Peter Oosterhuis dies at age 75 |url=https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2024/05/02/pga-tour-winner-ryder-cup-member-masters-augusta-national-announcer-peter-oosterhuis-dies-at-age-75 |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=2 May 2024}}</ref>

|29 JuneJun 1971

|14 AugustAug 1971

|14 FebruaryFeb 1970

|<ref name=gmo>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nJxAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6529%2C2536684 |title=Oosterhuis holds off challengers |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |date=16 February 1970 |page=4}}</ref>

|20 FebruaryFeb 1971

|6 MarchMar 1971

|<ref name=spo>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pOA9AAAAIBAJ&pg=4458%2C1276803 |title=Oosterhuis wins Schoeman Open |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |date=8 March 1971 |page=5}}</ref>

*1974 Raleigh Cup (Guadalajara, Mexico)<ref name=rc>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E5VAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9qQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5603%2C3358696 |title=Raleigh win for Oosterhuis |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |date=22 January 1974 |page=4}}</ref>

*England–Scotland youths match (representing England): 1966 (winners),<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4XhAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1687%2C431847 |title=England win youth internatonalinternational |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |date=3 August 1966 |page=6}}</ref> 1967 (tied),<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DFxAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1994%2C1300041 |title=Scottish Youths' fight bck for halved match |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |date=9 August 1967 |page=6}}</ref> 1968<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7xk-AAAAIBAJ&pg=3648%2C691407 |title=Last green win saves Scots |first=Jack |last=Robertson |newspaper=[[The Evening Times]] |date=6 August 1968 |page=19}}</ref>