George Archer, the 1969 Masters champion who was one of the best putters in the world during his long professional career, died on Sunday after a year-long battle with Burkitt’s lymphoma. He was 65.
Archer died at his home in Incline Village, his wife, Donna, said late on Sunday night.
”I was holding him and it was a beautiful experience,” Donna Archer said. ”He was quite expressive about what a wonderful life he’d had, to be able to have that kind of career. He was on the tour for 40 years.”
The 1,92m Archer cut a memorable figure among professional golfers and stood almost doubled over when he used his trademark putting stroke.
At the Augusta National in 1969, the 29-year-old Archer closed with an even-par 72 to beat Billy Casper, George Knudson and Tom Weiskopf by a stroke. He finished with a seven-under 281 total. Archer won 12 times on the PGA Tour and 19 times on the Champions Tour, the last in 2000 in the MasterCard Championship.
He set the PGA Tour record for fewest putts in a four-round tournament with 95 in the 1980 Sea Pines Heritage Classic. The mark was broken by Bob Tway in 1986.
Archer, born in San Francisco, won his first PGA Tour title in his hometown, taking the 1965 Lucky International a year after turning pro.
His daughter, Elizabeth, became the first female caddie in the history of the Masters when she carried her father’s bag during the 1983 tournament.
After several rounds of chemotherapy in the past year, he gave up treatment five weeks ago. He left his house for a final round of golf on August 25.
He’s survived by Donna, Elizabeth and another daughter, Marilyn. — Sapa-AP