PGA Tour winner famous for beating Tiger Woods sadly dies after cancer battle
Golf icon Ed Fiori has sadly passed away at the age of 72 following a battle with cancer. The sad news about Fiori, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, was confirmed via the tour on their website.
Among Fiori's victories was his triumph in the 1996 Quad City Classic, which is now known as the John Deere Classic. In winning the tournament, he defeated a young Tiger Woods in the final round, denying the American what would have been his maiden tour victory.
Miller Brady, the PGA Tour Champions president, paid tribute to Fiori during the final round of the John Deere Classic on Sunday.
He said: "Ed Fiori was a true gentleman in our sport, and is a player who would often be referred to as a pro's pro.
"In three of his four wins on the PGA Tour, he dueled down the stretch with future World Golf Hall of Fame members, most notably Tiger Woods in 1996.
READ MORE: 'I had to give Tiger Woods a major talking to on the golf course – we didn't speak for five holes'
"That grit and resolution in the face of immeasurable odds is incredibly admirable in every aspect of life, and I know he battled cancer with that same determination until the end.
"He will be missed by all of us at the Tour."
After hitting 50, Fiori only played 58 times on the senior circuit, winning the 2004 MasterCard Classic in Mexico following a play-off with Graham Marsh.
Sadly, back issues eventually led to him undergoing spinal fusion surgery in 2005 which prevented him from featuring more often on the PGA TOUR Champions.
"I hung on for a few more years, and played for a while on the senior tour, but my back was always a problem," Fiori told golf.com back in 2019. "I had spinal fusion surgery in 2005, and from then on, I struggled to break 80.
"Don't feel sorry for me, though. I've had a great life in a game I love. It was never easy. Lots of times, I was on that flight heading home on Friday nights," he said. "But I would not trade it for anything. Even today, people call me the Tiger killer. They don't always get their facts straight, but I don't mind. I'll never forget that weekend at the John Deere."
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