Lou Graham, 6-time winner on PGA Tour, dies at 88

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Lou Graham, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour whose victories included a memorable comeback in the 1975 U.S. Open, died on Monday. He was 88.

Graham’s death was confirmed to The Tennessean by longtime Richland Country Club golf professional Joe Taggert, where Graham was a member. He had been in hospice care, the newspaper reported.

The Nashville native was known for accuracy off the tee and well-struck irons, The PGA Tour said. Graham tied for third at the U.S. Open in 1974 and was runner-up to Hubert Green in 1977 by one stroke.

But his signature win came in the U.S. Open in Medinah in 1975. Graham struggled through damp, humid conditions and trailed leader Tom Watson by 11 shots after two rounds.

Graham rallied with a 68 in the third round and was in fourth place heading into the final 18 holes.

Only three players broke par in the final round. Graham shot 73 and John Mahaffey carded a 71 to force a playoff.

In the 18-hole playoff, Graham topped Mahaffey by two strokes, shooting a 71 for the biggest win of his career.

“My goal was to play for pars,” Graham told reporters after the playoff. “I know when I do that … I’ll get a (birdie) or two.”

Graham’s 11-stroke comeback after 36 holes remains the largest in U.S. Open history, Golf Digest reported.

Graham’s other victories on the PGA Tour included the Minnesota Golf Classic in 1967 and the Liggett and Myers Open in 1972, The Associated Press reported. In 1979 he won Comeback Player of the Year honors after winning the Valero Texas Open, the IVB Philadelphia Golf Classic and the CVS Charity Classic.

Graham also played for the U.S. on three consecutive Ryder Cup teams during the mid-1970s, according to Golf Digest.

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