Former U.S. Open Champion Lou Graham Passes Away at 88, Leaving Behind a Remarkable PGA Tour Legacy
Early response brings about smiles from the chairmen of the American Lung Association’s golf privilege card, Midget May, left, and two program supporters, former U.S. Open champion Lou Graham and Kathy Gaston, president of the Middle Tennessee Lung Association. They three were together on a local golf course on April 12, 1984.
Early response brings about smiles from the chairmen of the American Lung Association’s golf privilege card, Midget May, left, and two program supporters, former U.S. Open champion Lou Graham and Kathy Gaston, president of the Middle Tennessee Lung Association. They three were together on a local golf course on April 12, 1984.
The Nashville native and one of the PGA Tour's most respected ball-strikers, Lou Graham, passed away on May 11 at age 88.
Eleven strokes down, eighteen holes left, and most players pack it in mentally at that point when Graham went out and won a U.S. Open. But now, golf has lost one of its great champions.
Both the PGA Tour and the USGA confirmed his passing.
At the 1975 U.S. Open, Graham was 11 shots behind Tom Watson after the first two rounds at Medinah Country Club. In the third round, Graham shot a 68 and got back into contention for the title. He finished tied with John Mahaffey at 3-over 291.
On Monday, the two golfers played an 18-hole playoff, and Graham won 71-73 to claim the U.S. Open title.
The victory remains the largest 36-hole comeback in U.S. Open history.
"My goal was to play for pars," Graham said after the playoff. "I know when I do that … I'll get a (birdie) or two."
That was not his only strong run at the U.S. Open.
In 1974, he finished tied for third at Winged Foot Golf Club. Then, in 1977, he finished second at Southern Hills Country Club, just one shot behind Hubert Green.
Lou Graham's 1979 Streak That Golf Digest Could Not Ignore
Four years after his win at Medinah Country Club, Graham had one of the best stretches of his career.
He won three tournaments in just 71 days: the IVB-Philadelphia Golf Classic, the American Optical Classic, and the Texas Open. Because of that strong run, Golf Digest gave him the Comeback Player of the Year award.
He played 23 seasons on the PGA Tour, making 623 starts. After turning 50 in 1988, he made another 239 starts on what is now the PGA Tour Champions. During his career, Graham earned more than $2 million playing on both tours.
He also represented Team USA on three Ryder Cup teams in 1973, 1975, and 1977.
He teamed up with Johnny Miller in 1975 and won the World Cup. Before his golf career took off, he served in the United States Army as part of “The Old Guard.”
This special regiment protects the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. He won the Inter-Service Championship in 1961 and then joined the PGA Tour full-time in 1964.
Graham entered the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. Friend and golf professional Joe Taggert confirmed that he had been in hospice care at Richland Country Club, where Graham was a longtime member.
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Written by
Sneha Abraham
Edited by
Pulkit Prabhav