BERWIN, Pa. — Jay Sigel, widely seen as America’s best amateur since Bobby Jones, has died of pancreatic cancer, the American Golf Association said Sunday.
The USGA said Sigel died Saturday at age 81. With his two US amateur titles and three US junior high school wins, Sigel played for nine Walker Cup Matches.
Siegel was a low amateur at the master three times, and during his Sterling career, each opened in the US, with the British opening.
His intention was to change the pros when he appeared on Wake Forest on Arnold Palmer’s Scholarship. However, his left hand went through the pane window of a swinging door that required 70 stitches. Shigeru decided to remain an amateur and started a successful insurance business.
“I always thought things would happen,” Siguel once said. “Hand injuries were the best thing that could happen to me.”
He won his first US amateur in 1982, and the following year became the first player for at least 25-year-olds to win the same season with the US amateur and mid-central US victory. He also captured some of the country’s most famous titles, including Sunnehanna Amateur, Northeast Amateur, and Porter Cup.
His legacy was amateur golf, but Shigeru joined the PGA Tour champion when he won eight times at age 50.
He joined eight victorious Walker Cup teams and played as captain in 1983 and 1985.