Tommy Bolt has passed away and his impact on golf today

Almost 50 years after he won the US Open, Bolt died last Saturday.

Some Associated Press hack writes a obituary on Bolt, long on Bolt's temper but fails to mention how Bolt may be responsible for today's Senior Tour. At another blog I wrote-

The AP article below reports this thoroughly. What the wire service fails to report, is Bolt’s impact on present day golf. Namely the Senior or Champions Tour. The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf event in 1979 probably launched the Champions tour. The event in only its second year of existence, put on a show of golf that has hardly been matched since. A playoff between two teams, Bolt and Art Wall versus Julius Boros and Roberto DeVicenzo that lasted six holes before Boros and DeVicenzo came out on top. The playoff that saw great shot after great shot till the very end and the high ratings it received and excitement this caused led then PGA Commissioner Deane Beman to begin forming a tour for Senior players. All Champions Tour members today owe a debt to Bolt, Boros, DeVicenzo and Wall.

Without the 79 LMLOG there may never have been a Champions Tour. It is disgraceful this wonderful moment in golf history is almost totally forgotten today.