Those we lost in the world of golf in 2024

The world of golf lost some very important people in 2024.

A Hall of Famer, a Masters champ, a U.S. Women’s open champ and a beloved Golfweek journalist are among those who we’re going to miss.

This is a closer look at some of those we lost in the world of golf this year.

Carl Paul

Carl Paul took an avocation — a knack for custom-producing golf clubs — and created one of the biggest forces in the world of golf, Golfsmith. Co-founded with his wife, Barbara, the retail outlet started in the family’s two-bedroom apartment, forcing the couple’s daughters to move in with them. But by the time it was sold in 2002, Golfsmith grew from that bedroom to 35 brick-and-mortar stores across the country, employing 1,200 people and boasting a catalog distribution of 30 million per year, making it the biggest golf retail and component catalog in the world. Paul died on January 12 at the age of 83.

Jack Burke Jr.

John “Jack” Joseph Burke Jr. won 16 times on the PGA Tour, including two majors in 1956 – the Masters and PGA Championship – earning him Player of the Year honors. In 1952, he won four tournaments in a row, along with the Vardon Trophy, which is awarded for low scoring average. He played on five Ryder Cup teams during the 1950s, captained twice and hosted another at his own course. Burke died on January 19 at the age of 100.

Carl Weathers

Carl Weathers, known for roles such as Apollo Creed in “Rocky,” Chubbs Peterson in “Happy Gilmore” and Greef Karga in “The Mandalorian,” died February 2 at the age of 76.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” his family said in a statement. “He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, Feb. 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend.”

Chubbs is one of the best characters from a golf movie off all time, so it’s no surprise to see a huge reaction from golf Twitter.

Toby Keith

Singer-songwriter and avid golfer Toby Keith died in early February at age 62.

Keith, who battled stomach cancer, passed awaty “peacefully” surrounded by his family, according to a statement posted on the country singer’s website. “He fought his fight with grace and courage,” the statement said. He was diagnosed in 2021. Keith revealed his diagnosis in a June 2022 Instagram post, noting he “spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery.”

Keith and legendary Oklahoma Sooners coach Barry Switzer were co-owners of the private Belmar Golf Club in Norman, Oklahoma, near Keith’s home. During his career, Keith spent numerous occasions playing in pro-ams and spending time with the best golfers in the world. He also hosted an annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic to raise money for local charities, oftentimes raising more than $1 million per event. His Schooner Fall Classic at Belmar every September is a prominent a women’s Division I college golf tournament. The trophy? A signed guitar.

Maurice Bembridge

Maurice Bembridge died in April at age 79. He played in four Ryder Cup matches, and won five times on the European Tour.

Stephanie Sparks

Longtime Golf Channel “Big Break” host Stephanie Sparks died on April 13 at the age of 50. Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Sparks was an All-American golfer at Duke. She won the 1992 North and South Women’s Amateur at Pinehurst and in the summer of 1993, rattled off victories at the Women’s Western Amateur, Women’s Eastern Amateur and the West Virginia State Amateur.

Sparks represented the U.S. on the 1994 Curtis Cup team and had a brief professional career that was plagued by injuries. She began her pro career on what’s now the Epson Tour and played only one season on the LPGA in 2000 before chronic back pain ultimately ended her career.

Rick Evans

Yana Wilson will never forget the 2024 Epson Tour season opener. It started out as a reunion of sorts as Wilson met up again with Rick Evans, the longtime Liberty National caddie who was on her bag for the win at the AJGA Mizuho Americas Open last summer. Wilson, 17, won the junior event right alongside Rose Zhang.

Evans collapsed during a practice round in March at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic in Winter Haven, Florida. The night before the start of the 54-hole event, Wilson’s family learned that the caddie known as “Goose” had died.

Peter Oosterhuis

One day shy of his 76th birthday, PGA Tour winner and former Masters broadcaster Peter Oosterhuis passed away in May. The Englishman won the 1981 Canadian Open but was probably more known as the longtime voice of the 17th hole at Augusta National during CBS’s annual Masters coverage. Oosterhuis retired from broadcasting in 2014 to deal with early-onset of Alzheimer’s. The London native earned seven wins on the European Tour in a two-year span from 1972-74 and was the rookie of the year in 1969. He also competed on six consecutive Ryder Cup teams from 1971-1981, where he boasts an overall record of 14-11-3. He twice defeated Arnold Palmer as part of his record-tying six Sunday singles wins.

Mark Carnevale

Mark Carnevale, who won the the 1992 Chattanooga Classic and earned PGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors that same year, died in late July. He was 64.

Carnevale won just the one tournament but in his career he appeared in 212 PGA Tour tournaments and made another 66 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour. In 2007, he transitioned to broadcasting, joining Sirius/XM radio on coverage of PGA Tour events. He also covered some tournaments for PGA Tour Live on ESPN+.

Carnevale’s last event was the Genesis Scottish Open last summer.

Chi Chi Rodriguez

Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, an eight-time PGA Tour winner and one of the most charismatic and beloved figures in pro golf, died in August at age 88.

Small in stature, Rodriguez was a big hitter off the tee and one of golf’s great entertainers. His comedic antics included placing his hat over holes to keep birdies from flying away. He said he developed that ritual in which he danced the salsa because he once sank a putt and a toad in the hole made the ball pop out. His opponent wouldn’t count it and he lost a nickel so he began trapping the ball in the hole with his trademark fedora. Some thought he was too much of a hot dog but the fans loved it and he attracted some of the largest galleries.

Bill Kirkwood

University of Mount Union golf coach Bill Kirkwood died in September at age 65.

Kirkwood, who joined the Mount Union community in 2014, was diagnosed with CLL/SLL, a form of lymphoma/leukemia. Even while receiving treatment, he continued to coach on a daily basis. Earlier this year, Kirkwood was diagnosed with CNS, another rare form of lymphoma/leukemia. He died this week.

A Cleveland native, Kirkwood coached the Mount Union men’s and women’s teams for several years. He led the women’s team to nationals three years in a row.

Ronald Green

Esteemed golf writer Ronald Green passed away on September 18 in Charlotte after a brief illness, his son, Ron Jr., announced on Facebook. Green, who was 95, was a long-time sports columnist for the Charlotte News and the Charlotte Observer, writing about some of the most memorable events and people in the region for more than 50 years.

Susie Maxwell Berning

Susie Maxwell Berning, a 2021 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee who won three U.S. Women’s Opens, died in early October. She was 83.

Maxwell Berning won 11 times on the LPGA, and she’s one of six women to win the U.S. Women’s Open at least three times (1968, 1972, 1973). She also won the Women’s Western Open in 1965 when it was considered a major championship.

“Susie was a true trailblazer from the moment she picked up a golf club,” USGA CEO Mike Whan said in the release. “When I reflect on the incredibly short list of golfers – male or female – who have claimed three U.S. (Women’s) Open titles, alongside four major championships, it puts into perspective just how extraordinary her achievements were. Even more inspiring is the decision she made to step away from the competitive game to prioritize her family, a choice that resonates deeply with so many of us. Her legacy will forever be a source of admiration and respect.”

Brian Huggett

Former Ryder Cup captain Brian Huggett, who finished second in the 1965 Open Championship, died in Septemner at the age of 87.

A statement issued on behalf of Huggett’s family said he died in the early hours of Sunday morning after a short illness. His daughter Sandra also shared the news on X, formerly Twitter, describing herself as his “No 1 fan”.

Huggett, who was born in Porthcawl on Nov. 18, 1936, played in the Ryder Cup six times, including the 1969 contest at Royal Birkdale which ended in a 16-16 tie after Jack Nicklaus famously conceded a vital putt to Tony Jacklin in the final singles match.

Nancy McDaniel

McDaniel, longtime women’s golf coach at Cal died in October from cancer. She was 57. Her former player and current Stanford women’s golf coach Anne Walker confirmed her death.

A Portland, Oregon, native and former star golfer at University of Washington, McDaniel retired from her position at Cal earlier this year after 29 seasons as the founding head coach of the women’s golf program. Since answering an ad she read in a golf magazine to be the first women’s golf coach at Cal, McDaniel helped turn the team, which debuted in 1995-96,  into one of the most nationally regarded programs.

Under her leadership, Cal has consistently been ranked in the top 25 nationally as she led the Golden Bears to 10 NCAA Championship appearances, 22 NCAA regional appearances, the 2003 Pac-10 Championship and the 2012 Pac-12 Championship.

Wes Paxson Sr.

Paxson, one of a group of area businessmen instrumental in launching the PGA Tour’s Greater Jacksonville Open — the forerunner to the Players Championship — passed away Dec. 13 in hospice care at the age of 100 — 10 days short of his 101st birthday.

Paxson, whose family moved from his birthplace of Chester, Pennsylvania, to Jacksonville, Florida, when he was 2 years old in 1925, attended John Gorrie Junior High and Riverside High and then graduated from Georgia Tech.

He worked for Miller Electric, which his father-in-law owned, then formed his own company, Paxson Electric.

Years later, in 1964, Paxson joined forces with Southern Bell executives John Tucker and John Montgomery, Florida Publishing Company head Bob Feagin, and other community leaders to lure the PGA Tour to the First Coast. The first GJO was in 1965 at Selva Marina, with Tucker as the chairman.

Jeff Babineau

Jeff Babineau, longtime golf writer and former editor of Golfweek, died Dec. 9 at his home in Oviedo, Florida. He was 62.

Babineau’s list of friends and contacts ranges across the entire sport, and the scope of his work spanned decades and included stories and interviews about every major star on any golf tour. He covered more than 100 major championships on the men’s and women’s tours, and he also wrote about 12 Ryder Cups.

The Golf Writers Association of America reported he passed away from natural causes. Babineau was president of that organization from 2015-2017 and still served as its secretary.

Known far and wide as “Babs” and one of the best-known voices in any media room, he worked in recent years as a freelance writer for organizations such as Augusta National, the PGA Tour and the PGA of America, among many others. He also was proud to serve on the board of directors for Folds of Honor, a non-profit that raises money for children who have lost a military parent.

Dan Baker

Respected golf industry veteran Dan Baker, who spent nearly 17 years with the PGA of America, died in December in a car accident in Jupiter, Florida. He was 58 years old.

“He was more than just a colleague. He was a friend, true professional and leader who touched the lives of everyone he worked with,” said PGA of America CMO Jeff Price. “His dedication, passion, and kindness were evident in everything he did.”

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Those we lost in the world of golf in 2024