Jay Sigel, one of the most decorated amateur golfers in history, has passed away, his family has announced.
Sigel died on Saturday at age 81 from pancreatic cancer.
The famed golf star was native to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He received an Arnold Palmer Scholarship to Wake Forest University and thought he would go pro.
However, a hand injury derailed those plans.
Nevertheless, he continued to play amateur golf while pursuing a career in insurance.
He won the U.S. Amateur championship in 1982 and 1983, as well as the 1983 Mid-Amateur and two more by 1986.
Those followed up the British Amateur in 1979.
He later said that he believed the hand injury was the “best thing that happened” to him.
Sigel was a nine-time member of the U.S. Walker Cup team, which he captained twice.
He participated in a record 33 Walker Cup matches, both in singles and foursomes.
Of those, he won 18, tied 10, and lost only five.
Sigel was also the low amateur three times at the Masters as well as once at the U.S. Open and the Open Championship.
“He was a dear friend and somebody that we will remember forever, and take a lot of