Ken Venturi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ken Venturi
Personal information
Full name	Kenneth Paul Venturi
Born	(1931-05-15)May 15, 1931 San Francisco, California
Died	May 17, 2013(2013-05-17) (aged 82) Rancho Mirage, California
Height	6 ft 0 in
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st)
Nationality	United States
Spouse	Kathleen Venturi (m. 2003–2013, his death) Beau Wheat Venturi (m. 1972–1997, her death) Conni Venturi (m. 1954–1970, divorced)
Children	Matthew, Tim
Career
College	San Jose State
Turned professional	1956
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour
Professional wins	15
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	14
Other	1
Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 1)
The Masters Tournament	2nd: 1956, 1960
U.S. Open	Won: 1964
The Open Championship	CUT: 1973
PGA Championship	T5: 1959, 1964
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame	2013
PGA Player of the Year	1964
Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year	1964

Kenneth Paul Venturi (born May 15, 1931 – died May 17, 2013) was a famous American professional golfer and a well-known golf announcer. Even though his playing career was cut short by injuries, he won 14 tournaments on the PGA Tour. His biggest win was a major championship, the U.S. Open, in 1964. Just before he passed away in 2013, Venturi was honored by being added to the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Early Golf Days

Ken Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He started playing golf when he was very young. He practiced a lot at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the Bay Area.

He went to Lincoln High School. He was the San Francisco high school golf champion in both 1948 and 1949. Venturi also played on the men's golf team at San José State University from 1951 to 1953.

In the early 1950s, Ken learned from famous golfers like Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan. He won the California State Amateur Championship in 1951 and again in 1956. In between those wins, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War in Korea and Europe.

Venturi first became famous when he was 24 years old. He was still an amateur golfer, but he finished second in the Masters in 1956. He was just one shot behind the winner, Jack Burke Jr.. Venturi led the tournament for the first three rounds. He was trying to be the first amateur to ever win the Masters, but he shot a high score of 80 in the final round. No amateur has won the Masters since then.

Becoming a Professional Golfer

Ken Venturi became a professional golfer at the end of 1956. He quickly started winning tournaments on the PGA Tour. He almost won the Masters again in 1958 and 1960, but Arnold Palmer beat him both times. In 1960, Venturi won the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am.

After a small car accident in 1961, Venturi's golf swing changed, and his career started to slow down. This difficult period lasted until 1964. Then, for reasons even he didn't understand, he started playing well again.

His big comeback moment was winning the U.S. Open in 1964 at Congressional Country Club. It was a very tough day, with temperatures near 100 degrees Fahrenheit and high humidity. Venturi almost collapsed from the heat during the final 36-hole day. He was the first player to win the U.S. Open after having to qualify for the tournament first.

After his U.S. Open win, Venturi won two more tournaments in July and August of 1964. He also finished tied for fifth place in the PGA Championship. Because of his amazing year, he received the "Sportsman of the Year" award from Sports Illustrated magazine and the PGA Player of the Year award. He also played on the Ryder Cup team in 1965.

After 1964, Venturi's career faced another challenge. He was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists. This condition affects the nerves in the wrist and can cause pain and weakness. He had surgery on both wrists and couldn't play golf for a while. He did win another tournament in 1966, the Lucky International Open, in his hometown. But after more surgeries, he couldn't get back to his top form.

Life After Playing: Broadcasting

After retiring from playing golf in 1967, Ken Venturi started a new career. He became a color commentator and lead analyst for CBS Sports. He worked there for 35 years, which is the longest time anyone has been a lead analyst in sports broadcasting! This was especially amazing because he had a stutter, which was harder to manage when he was younger. He retired from broadcasting in 2002 when he was 71 years old.

Other Cool Things Ken Did

Acting in a Movie

Venturi appeared in the 1996 movie Tin Cup. He played himself as a commentator at the U.S. Open. In one scene, he gives his opinion that the main character, Roy McAvoy, should play it safe. McAvoy then jokes about Venturi's advice, and his caddy reminds him that Venturi actually won the tournament before McAvoy was even born!

Ken Venturi was also very good friends with the famous actor and singer Frank Sinatra. They were even roommates for a time.

Designing Golf Courses

In 1990, Venturi helped redesign a golf course called Eagle Creek Golf & Country Club in Florida. He also lent his name to special golf schools where people could learn how to play better.

Awards and Honors

In 2004, Ken Venturi received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars. In 2013, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame for his lifetime achievements in golf.

His Passing

Ken Venturi passed away on May 17, 2013, two days after his 82nd birthday. He died in Rancho Mirage, California. He had been in the hospital for two months dealing with a spinal infection, pneumonia, and an intestinal infection. He is survived by his wife Kathleen, his two sons Matthew and Tim, and four grandchildren. He was buried at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cathedral City, California.

Amateur Wins (5)

• 1950 San Francisco City Amateur Championship
• 1951 California State Amateur Championship
• 1953 San Francisco City Amateur Championship
• 1956 California State Amateur Championship, San Francisco City Amateur Championship

Professional Wins (15)

PGA Tour Wins (14)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Aug 18, 1957	St. Paul Open Invitational	66-67-65-68=266	−22	2 strokes	Bob Rosburg
2	Aug 25, 1957	Miller High Life Open	68-66-65-68=267	−13	5 strokes	Al Balding, Sam Snead
3	Jan 26, 1958	Thunderbird Invitational	70-63-66-70=269	−15	4 strokes	Jimmy Demaret, Gene Littler
4	Feb 2, 1958	Phoenix Open Invitational	70-68-66-70=274	−10	1 stroke	Walter Burkemo, Jay Hebert
5	Mar 2, 1958	Baton Rouge Open Invitational	69-69-69-69=276	−12	4 strokes	Lionel Hebert, Arnold Palmer
6	Aug 4, 1958	Gleneagles-Chicago Open Invitational	65-67-68-72=272	−8	1 stroke	Julius Boros, Jack Burke Jr.
7	Jan 5, 1959	Los Angeles Open	72-71-72-63=278	−6	2 strokes	Art Wall Jr.
8	Jun 28, 1959	Gleneagles-Chicago Open Invitational (2)	64-75-68-66=273	−7	1 stroke	Johnny Pott
9	Jan 24, 1960	Bing Crosby National Pro-Am	70-71-68-77=286	−2	3 strokes	Julius Boros, Tommy Jacobs
10	Aug 28, 1960	Milwaukee Open Invitational (2)	65-69-68-69=271	−9	2 strokes	Billy Casper
11	Jun 20, 1964	U.S. Open	72-70-66-70=278	−2	4 strokes	Tommy Jacobs
12	Jul 26, 1964	Insurance City Open Invitational	70-63-69-71=273	−11	1 stroke	Al Besselink, Paul Bondeson Sam Carmichael, Jim Grant
13	Aug 23, 1964	American Golf Classic	71-66-69-69=275	−5	5 strokes	Mason Rudolph
14	Jan 31, 1966	Lucky International Open	68-68-71-66=273	−11	1 stroke	Frank Beard

PGA Tour playoff record (0–3)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent(s)	Result
1	1957	Thunderbird Invitational	Jimmy Demaret, Mike Souchak	Demaret won 18-hole playoff; Demaret: −4 (67), Souchak: +4 (75), Venturi: +5 (76)
2	1958	Greater New Orleans Open Invitational	Billy Casper	Lost to eagle on second extra hole
3	1961	Houston Classic	Jay Hebert	Lost to birdie on first extra hole after 18 hole playoff; Hebert: −1 (69), Venturi: −1 (69)

Other Wins (1)

• 1959 Almaden Open

Major Championships

Wins (1)

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner-up
1964	U.S. Open	2 shot deficit	−2 (72-70-66-70=278)	4 strokes	Tommy Jacobs

Results Timeline

Amateur

Professional

     Win      Top 10      Did not play LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied

Sources: Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship, PGA Championship, 1955 British Amateur

Summary

• Most consecutive cuts made – 12 (1959 U.S. Open – 1964 PGA)
• Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (four times)

U.S. National Team Appearances

Amateur

• Walker Cup: 1953 (winners)
• Americas Cup: 1952 (winners), 1956 (winners)

Professional

• Ryder Cup: 1965 (winners)
• Presidents Cup: 2000 Presidents Cup (winners, non-playing captain)