Jay Sigel, one of golf’s greatest amateur players, died Saturday at age 81 after battling pancreatic cancer, the USGA confirmed.
Sigel dominated amateur golf for decades, capturing back-to-back U.S. Amateur titles in 1982 and 1983, along with the 1979 British Amateur. He also collected three U.S. Mid-Amateur championships (1982, ’85 and ’87), showcasing his remarkable consistency at the highest levels of amateur competition.
The Pennsylvania native’s Walker Cup record stands unmatched in American golf. He represented the U.S. nine times in the prestigious team competition against Great Britain and Ireland, twice serving as playing captain. No American has ever made more Walker Cup appearances.
Born and raised in Bryn Mawr, Sigel’s regional dominance was equally impressive. He won 10 Pennsylvania Amateur titles and four state opens. He’s also one of the few players to win three times each at the Porter Cup, Sunnehanna Amateur and Northeast Amateur – all major events on the amateur circuit.
Masters patrons saw Sigel regularly at Augusta National, where he competed for 11 straight years from 1978-88. He made four cuts and earned low amateur honors three times. His skill in major championships extended beyond Augusta, as he finished as low amateur at both the 1984 U.S. Open and the 1980 Open Championship.
While most players turn pro in their 20s, Sigel took a different path. He finally joined the professional ranks late in his career and quickly proved he belonged, winning eight times on the PGA Tour Champions and earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1994.
