It's been a hard week for golfing legends. Earlier this week it became ninety two-yr-antique Charlie Sifford, and Saturday 83-year-old Billy Casper joined him.
Casper were having a few fitness issues over the last 12 months, starting whilst he passed out at the Masters last year, had pneumonia over Thanksgiving, and were going to aerobic rehab during the last 4 months. Even so, his own family stated he turned into doing nicely until he started out feeling bad this past week.
At least whilst the stop came, he changed into along with his family and it got here speedy and painlessly.
Unlike Charlie Sifford, whose golfing performances in his top -- or even at the Champions Tour -- are rarely replayed so the ones people too young to keep in mind can recognize them, Billy Casper's game is a bit greater familiar. It's now not simply because he turned into a chunk younger or maybe because he won greater (51 times). In reality, Casper didn't get that lots attention when he became in his prime because "the Big 3" of Palmer, Nicklaus and Player garnered the TV time.
But Casper did win 3 majors and one in all them -- the 1966 US Open -- became the biggest comeback in US Open history... And it was at the cost of one Arnold Palmer. Palmer entered the final 9 on the Olympic Club with a 7-stroke lead, simplest to have Casper run him down after which beat him in an 18-hole playoff.
That type of thing gets you a variety of TV time, even years after it befell.
ESPN quoted a Facebook post from Jack Nicklaus after the information came on Saturday night time, and it likely says it first-rate:
"Billy Casper turned into one of the best circle of relatives guys -- be it inner the game of golfing or out -- I even have had the fortunate blessing to meet," Nicklaus stated in a Facebook submit Saturday night time. "He had such a super stability to his existence. Golf was by no means the most essential element in Billy's life -- own family turned into. There became always a lot greater to Billy Casper than golfing. But as a golfer, Billy became a terrific player, and I do not assume he gets enough credit for being one. I even have stated oftentimes that during my career, once I looked up at a leaderboard, I wasn't just looking to see in which a Palmer or a Player or a Trevino changed into. I was additionally checking to see in which Billy Casper was.
"Billy had tremendous confidence. He just believed in himself. You knew when you played against Billy Casper, Billy would not beat himself. You want to talk about someone who could perform under pressure, if you wanted someone to get up-and-down for you, Billy Casper was your man. I think it is fair to say that Billy was probably under-rated by those who didn't play against him. Those who did compete against him, knew how special he was." Golf has lost two great players -- two great men -- this week. The new kids will have some big shoes to fill going forward.
The picture came from this USAToday post about Casper's passing.
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