Ed Fiori, Four-Time PGA Tour Winner Who Challenged Tiger Woods, Passes Away at 72

Ed Fiori, remembered for his resilience and competitive spirit, passed away on July 6 at the age of 72 due to complications from cancer. He is perhaps best known for his victory at the 1996 Quad City Classic (now the John Deere Classic), where he famously challenged a young Tiger Woods.

During that tournament, Fiori, aged 43, faced Woods in a dramatic final round. Woods, who had turned professional after winning his third consecutive U.S. Amateur, started with a one-stroke lead and was competing for his first PGA Tour win. However, Woods experienced a costly quadruple-bogey at the 4th hole and a four-putt double bogey at the 7th, which allowed Fiori to seize the moment.

“There’s no other way to put it: The kid self-imploded,” Fiori recalled. Despite being regularly outdriven by 50 yards, Fiori shot a final-round 67, finishing two strokes ahead of Andrew Magee and securing his most notable victory after 14 years without a win. This triumph became one of only four on the PGA Tour for Fiori, and it marked the only time he came from behind after 54 holes to beat Woods.

Nicknamed “The Grip” due to his unusually strong grip, Fiori earned his first PGA Tour victory at the 1979 Southern Open, followed by wins at the Western Open in 1981 and the Bob Hope Desert Classic in 1982. Over his career, he played in 583 tournaments from 1978 to 2004.

Fiori also found success in senior golf, winning his only Champions Tour event at the 2004 MasterCard Classic in a playoff. After spinal fusion surgery in 2005, his form declined, leading to his retirement from competitive play. Known for his grit and determination, Fiori was affectionately called the “Tiger Killer” and remains remembered as a true competitor and gentleman of the sport.