- Tom Weiskopf was an American golfer who played for PGA Tour and Champions Tour
- In the 70s, he was famous for winning the PGA Tour 16 times and also finishing as part of the 21 top 10 in Major Championships
- The father of two and husband of Laurie tragically lost his life to pancreatic cancer at the age of 79
Tom Weiskopf was a Massillon-born former golf player who gained fame in the 70s. He was first married to his wife Jeanne Weiskopf with whom he had two children. However, they parted ways after spending over 3 decades as a couple and then he moved on to marry Laurie in the early 2000s.
The 16-time winner of the PGA Tour battled pancreatic cancer for over two years until his unfortunate death on August 20, 2022. in Big Sky, Montana. Here’s all we’ve garnered about him.
Brief Biography of Tom Weiskopf
Though popular as Tom Weiskopf, his birth name is Thomas Daniel Weiskopf. He was born to his parents on November 9, 1942, and raised in Massillon, Ohio. Details about his parents, siblings, and other members of his family are limited. What is known however is that his father Weiskopf was a railway worker in Ohio.
After Toms’s elementary education, he proceeded to Benedictine High school in Cleaveland and subsequently to Ohio State University where he acquired his bachelor’s degree.
His First Marriage to Jeanne Weiskopf ended after 33 years
Tom was first married to the former beauty queen Jeanne Weiskopf sometime in 1966. Information about how they met and what prompted their relationship has not been disclosed to the public. We gathered that they were teenage lovers. His wife Jeanne Weiskopf revealed that they got married a week after her high school graduation. She also added that she was only 18 while Ben was 23.
The pair enjoyed great marital bliss until trouble began to brew. As a result, Tom filed for divorce and ended their marriage of 33 years. They got divorced in 1999.
Tom’s Second Wife Laurie is also a Golfer
After Tom’s divorce from his marriage of over three decades, he found love in the arms of Laurie, a golfer. The pair began to build their relationship and got married in the early 2000s.
Tom and Laurie have been married for over 2 decades. More than being his wife, she was a great support to him during his career and also stood by him while fighting the dreadful disease, cancer.
Though the pair never birthed a child together it wasn’t a major challenge for the couple who were in love.
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One of Tom’s Children Died in 2021
Tom has only two children and they were birthed by his first wife Jeanne Weiskopf before their separation in 1999. His first child Heidi Weiskopf was born on March 20, 1971, and he’s currently 54 years old while his second child Eric Weiskopf was born on January 10, 1973. Tom also had two grandchildren Hunter and Morgan who are children of his first son, Heidi.
Sadly, Tom lost his second son Eric on June 25, 2021, at the age of 48. Eric was also a golfer who played in the PGA Tour Father-Son Challenge five times and finished in third place. He was also a caddie for his father for two years before his unfortunate demise.
Information about the early life of Eric Thomas Weiskopf is limited except that he attended the Ohio State University and the University of Arizona. He was also said to be a lover of outdoor activities.
Tom Weiskopf Lost His Life to Cancer at the age of 79
The former golfer and father of two tragedically died on August 20, 2022. He was reportedly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2020 and spent several months fighting the disease with support from family and friends.
According to his wife Laurie, Tom was declared cancer free few months to the end of 2021. Sadly, the disease returned in April 2022 only to claim his life barely after 4 months. Tom died in his home in Big Sky Montana, with his wife, Laurie beside him.
Here are other Interesting Facts about Tom Weiskopf
1. He was One of the Best Golfers in The 70s
Tom Weiskopf’s passion for the club and ball sport was ignited at a very tender age. He played in local tournaments before his admission into the Ohio state university which was him to explore the sport better. After Tom’s graduation, he decided to make a career and started playing professionally in 1964.
The father of won his first Tournament at the Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitation with the PGA Tour in 1968. He became well known in the 70s after winning seven tournaments around the world including The Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Over the course of his career with the PGA Tour, he has won 16 Tournaments and he is well known for his magical swing and control of the ball. He is also said to have joined the Senior PGA Tour in 1993 and recorded many wins as well including the U.S Senior Open in 1995.
2. Tom Weiskopf was also a Sports Analyst and Golf Course Architecture
Asides from being good at playing golf, he was also a sports analyst for CBS Sports for over 5 years and then ABC Sports in 2008 which saw him cover for the Open Championship.
Later, Tom went into golf course designing. He started working with Jay Morrish until he mastered the art and established his own. At present, he has designed over 30 courses in many parts of the world including Troon North Golf Club (Monument and Pinnacle courses) in Scottsdale, Arizona, Loch Lomond Golf Club, Double Eagle, and Galena, Ohio, and many others.
3. He was Nick Named ‘Towering Inferno’ as a result of his Temper
Tom’s nickname “Towering Inferno” was prompted by his on-course outburst and temper. He was reportedly easily angered and found it a big deal working with other golfers.
While short-tempered golfers like Tiger Woods, Pat Parez, Rory Sabbatini, and many others have strained relationships, Tom managed to work on himself before his career ended. He also maintained a great relationship with team names in his latter years.
4. The 6’3″ Former Golfer was an Avid Lover of Dogs
Tom was popular for his tall height of 6 feet 3 inches(1.91m) which partly formed his nickname. He was also very fond of dogs, especially his dog Spanky who was a great companion to him. We gathered that the two (Tom and Spanky), went bird hunting together many times until his cancer diagnosis.
5. What is Tom Weiskopf’s Net Worth?
At the time of Tom Weiskopf’s death, he was worth an estimated value of $2 million. His net worth can be linked to his career as a former golfer, sports analyst, and golf course architect.
Tom Weiskopf had an impressive career while he lived. He was also a great husband, father, and storyteller. While his family and friends continue to mourn him, it’s a known fact that the golf world will always remember him like Steve Ballesteros and others who have passed on but their legacies still live on.
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