https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2023/05/07/don-january-dies-age-93-major-champion-obituary

January, whose most notable triumph came at the 1967 PGA Championship died on Sunday May 7, 2023 at age 93.
Born November 20, 1929 in Plainview, Texas, January graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas. As a member of the North Texas State golf team, he contributed to its four consecutive NCAA Division I titles, from 1949-52.

Nicknamed “Bones” for his tall, slender stature, he turned pro and went on to win 10 PGA TOUR titles, earned the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average in 1976 at age 47 and was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in both 1965 and 1977. His best-known victory came at the 1967 PGA Championship, when he tied Don Massengale at the end of regulation play and then beat him in an 18-hole playoff the following day at Denver’s Columbine Country Club. His most-disappointing loss came in the same tournament, six years earlier, when he lost a four-shot lead with three holes left and fell into a playoff with Jerry Barber, an overtime session January lost the next day.

After turning 50, January had tremendous success on PGA TOUR Champions, winning 22 events including two PGA Seniors’ Championships. He won that circuit’s first official tournament, the 1980 Atlantic City Senior International, with his last victory coming in 1987—a playoff victory over Butch Baird at the MONY Senior Tournament of Champions.

In between his last PGA TOUR win and the start of the Champions Tour, January devoted most of his professional efforts to a golf-course design business, JanMart Enterprises.

The Don January Golf Classic, a golf tournament played annually in the spring, was established in 1980 to honor him by his alma mater, the University of North Texas.

January is survived by three children (Tim, Richard and Cherie Depuy), six grandchildren (Sean, Cody, Alexandra Hill, Meagan Eichenlaub, Andy Stowe, Samantha Reasor) and eight great grandchildren.

Tom Betts wrote:

> January, whose most notable triumph came at the 1967 PGA Championship died on Sunday May 7, 2023 at age 93.

Everybody is going to die so it really doesn't matter, but have you ever noticed how rare it is for a known golfer to die before age 80 and hardly ever from a heart attack? I believe this is due to lots of daily consistent that can be grueling but is never strenuous. Lots of walking. Plus they're outdoors. Even playing under heavy pressure adds to their overall health as it's happening outdoors at an un-rushed pace. I didn't see the reason for January's death reported. Age is a good reason. He died from being old. Anyway, I noticed it a long time ago, that golfers live longer than people in other sports. Of course I'm not including all golfers in that list, just the known ones. But even if January had made it to 94 he still would have been 19 years away from beating out today's world's oldest man champion.. It is remarkable to me how many people make it to 100, but from their the odds of making it just another 13 years are something like four billion to one.

Thomas Joseph <jazeev1234@gmail.com> wrote:
>Tom Betts wrote:

>>January, whose most notable triumph came at the 1967 PGA Championship died on Sunday May 7, 2023 at age 93.

>Everybody is going to die so it really doesn't matter, but have you ever
>noticed how rare it is for a known golfer to die before age 80 and
>hardly ever from a heart attack? I believe this is due to lots of daily
>consistent that can be grueling but is never strenuous. Lots of
>walking. Plus they're outdoors. Even playing under heavy pressure adds
>to their overall health as it's happening outdoors at an un-rushed pace.
>I didn't see the reason for January's death reported. Age is a good
>reason. He died from being old. Anyway, I noticed it a long time ago,
>that golfers live longer than people in other sports. Of course I'm not
>including all golfers in that list, just the known ones. But even if
>January had made it to 94 he still would have been 19 years away from
>beating out today's world's oldest man champion. It is remarkable to me
>how many people make it to 100, but from their the odds of making it
>just another 13 years are something like four billion to one.

For a professional golfer, the ball tends to go where intended. That
relieves stress. Your more typical duffer doesn't get the same benefit
of stress relief.

Anyway, your point is well taken about the benefits of consistent
exercise and being outdoors.

Your pro-vs.-amateur point is downright inspired, Adam; just maybe most golfers are inadvertently slicing and/or hooking their way into early graves!

BRYAN STYBLE/Florida

radioacti...@gmail.com wrote:

> Your pro-vs.-amateur point is downright inspired, Adam; just maybe most golfers are inadvertently slicing and/or hooking their way into early graves!
>
> BRYAN STYBLE/Florida

I agree and knew I should have mentioned it after I sent the post.
I don't think it has anything to do with hooking and slicing though.
I think it's more a matter of inconsistency. The weekend warrior
is not getting the consistent positive movement of the pro. There
is a lot of drinking going on, even with the pros. But I think the pros
tend to balance it out with healthier routines in order to keep their
pro dreams alive. I'm not suggesting everyone take up golf to live
longer. Plus even if they do live longer one day they will be what
we're all going to be one day - nothing but a bunch of stinking rotting
corpse meat.