Peter Oosterhuis, a renowned figure in the world of golf, left an indelible mark on the sport both as a player and a broadcaster. Born in London in 1948, Oosterhuis began his professional career in 1969 when he was awarded the European tour’s Rookie of the Year. Over the next decade, he won seven times on the DP World Tour and was a key player on the GB&I and European Ryder Cup teams. He holds the record for six singles victories in his career.
Despite his successful playing career, Oosterhuis only won once on the PGA Tour, at the Canadian Open in 1981. However, he had 85 top-25 finishes in 343 Tour starts and was runner-up three times, including at the 1974 and 1982 Open Championships.
Following his retirement from professional play in 1985, Oosterhuis entered the world of broadcasting. He began his broadcasting career at Sky Sports and the BBC before ultimately joining the Golf Channel in 1995. In 1997, he started working as an analyst for CBS Sports, where he became a well-known figure in the 17th-hole tower during the Masters telecast. Oosterhuis once stated that he never saw announcing as work but rather as something he would do regardless of being paid.
In 2014, Oosterhuis retired from broadcasting after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. He moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he became a member at Quail Hollow Club. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann, his sons Rob and Rich, stepsons Byron and Matt, and his four grandchildren: Peyton, Turner, Sutton
