Along with his two U.S. Amateur titles and three U.S. Mid-Amateur victories, Sigel played in nine Walker Cup matches, twice as a playing captain.
Jay Sigel, considered by many as one of the greatest amateur golfers in the United States following in the footsteps of Bobby Jones, has passed away due to pancreatic cancer as confirmed by the U.S. Golf Association on Sunday.
At the age of 81, Sigel’s remarkable career includes winning two U.S. Amateur titles, three U.S. Mid-Amateur championships, and participating in a notable nine Walker Cup matches, twice of which he served as a playing captain.
Sigel was low amateur in the Masters three times, and once each at the U.S. Open and British Open during his sterling career.
Despite considering a professional golfing career during his time at Wake Forest on an Arnold Palmer scholarship, Sigel faced a setback when his left hand sustained a severe injury, leading him to opt to stay amateur and later establish a successful insurance business.
“I always thought things happen for a reason,” Sigel once said. “The hand injury was the best thing to happen to me.”
He won his first U.S. Amateur in 1982, and the following year became the first player to win the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Mid-Amateur — for players at least 25 years old — in the same season. He also captured some of the nation’s most prestigious titles, such as the Sunnehanna Amateur, the Northeast Amateur and the Porter Cup.
Sigel joined the PGA Tour Champions when he turned 50 and won eight times, though his legacy was amateur golf.
He was on eight winning Walker Cup teams, and played as the captain in 1983 and 1985.
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