honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 9:17 a.m., Friday, August 8, 2008

1969 U.S. Open champion Orville Moody dies

Associated Press

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Orville Moody, who won the 1969 U.S. Open for his only PGA Tour title, died today, the tour said. He was 74.

The tour said he died in Texas and did not give a cause of death.

Moody was the last player to win the U.S. Open after going through local and sectional qualifying. He shot 72 in the final round at Champions Golf Club in Houston for a one-shot victory over Deane Beman, Al Geiberger and Bob Rosburg.

Moody was a runner-up in five other tournaments, but he never won again on the PGA Tour. A long putter helped revive his career when he joined the 50-and-over Senior PGA Tour in 1984, and his 11 victories included the 1989 U.S. Senior Open.

He was often called "Sarge" because of his 14 years in the U.S. Army.