Former Canadian Open Champion, CBS announcer Peter Oosterhuis dies at 75

CHARLOTTE, NC: Peter Oosterhuis, a two-time winner of the European Tour money title who later brought his distinguished British voice to CBS golf telecasts as an analyst, died Thursday. He was 75.

The PGA Tour announced his death without listing a cause, though Oosterhuis had retired from broadcasting in 2014 with early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Oosterhuis won seven times on the European Tour, twice at the French Open, and his lone PGA Tour victory was the Canadian Open in 1981 when he beat Jack Nicklaus, Andy North and Bruce Lietzke by one shot.

Often overlooked was his stellar play in the Ryder Cup. Oosterhuis played on six consecutive teams and compiled 14-11-3 record, remarkable considering this was the 1970s during an era of U.S. dominance. Oosterhuis played on six losing teams and still had a winning record.

He went 6-2-1 in singles, twice beating Arnold Palmer and once Johnny Miller.

Oosterhuis twice won the Order of Merit when the European Tour was formed in 1972. He was twice a runner-up in the British Open, and he had the 54-hole lead in the 1973 Masters until closing with a 74 to tie for third behind Tommy Aaron.

That inspired him to spend more time on the PGA Tour — rare in those days for European players to play primarily in America — and his best year was in 1981 when he finished 28th on the money list with $115,862.

After his playing career ended, Oosterhuis launched a new career as a club manager, first in New Jersey, then at Riviera CC in Los Angeles. That’s where he met his wife Ruth Ann.

A third career followed. The Englishman worked for Sky Sports, and then for Golf Channel covering the European Tour before spending 15 years with CBS as a commentator and analyst.

Oosterhuis was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease in 2014 and retired from broadcasting. He and Ruth Ann spent his final years in Charlotte, NC.