Jay Sigel, often regarded as America’s best amateur golfer since Bobby Jones, has passed away at the age of 81 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Sigel, who died Saturday, was a distinguished figure in amateur golf, winning two U.S. Amateur titles and three U.S. Mid-Amateur championships. He also represented the U.S. in nine Walker Cup matches, serving as a playing captain twice.
Over the course of his career, Sigel earned the distinction of being the low amateur at the Masters three times, and once each at the U.S. Open and the British Open. Though he initially planned to turn professional after excelling at Wake Forest University on an Arnold Palmer scholarship, an injury to his left hand that required 70 stitches after going through a window led him to change course. Sigel decided to stay an amateur and later built a successful insurance business.
Reflecting on his injury, Sigel said, “I always thought things happen for a reason. The hand injury was the best thing to happen to me.”
Sigel won his first U.S. Amateur in 1982, and in 1983, he became the first golfer to win both the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Mid-Amateur in the same year. His victories extended to other prestigious tournaments, including the Sunnehanna Amateur, Northeast Amateur, and Porter Cup.
After turning 50, Sigel joined the PGA Tour Champions and secured eight victories. However, his legacy remains rooted in amateur golf, where he was a part of eight winning Walker Cup teams and captained the U.S. team in 1983 and 1985.