Tom Weiskopf
A golfer of sublime talent and fiery temperament who conquered the British Open, then shaped the very landscapes of the game.
1942–2022 (age 80)·American professional golfer·Birthday: November 9·The Silent Generation
Biography
Tom Weiskopf possessed one of the most beautiful and powerful swings in golf history, a 'liquid' motion that fellow professionals watched with envy. For a decade, he was a dominant force, his career defined by a thrilling rivalry with the era's greats and a handful of agonizing near-misses at the Masters. His moment of ultimate triumph came at Royal Troon in 1973, where he won The Open Championship with a display of controlled brilliance. Known as the 'Towering Inferno' for his height and occasional outbursts, his intensity was both a weapon and a burden. After his playing days, that same keen eye and perfectionism found a brilliant second act in golf course architecture. Designs like Loch Lomond and TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course showcased his strategic genius, leaving a physical legacy on the game as enduring as his major victory.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Tom was born in 1942, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tom Was Born
The biggest hits of 1942
#1 Movie
Bambi
Best Picture
Mrs. Miniver
Tom's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1942Born
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1947Started school
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Became a teenager
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Could drive
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1960Could vote
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Turned 21
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1972Turned 30
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 40
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 50
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 60
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 70
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 80
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Key Achievements
- Won the 1973 Open Championship at Royal Troon, defeating Johnny Miller by three strokes.
- Captured 16 PGA Tour victories, including the Canadian Open twice and the prestigious Tournament Players Championship.
- Finished as runner-up at The Masters Tournament four times, a record he shares.
- Designed over 40 golf courses worldwide, including the acclaimed Loch Lomond in Scotland and the stadium-style TPC Scottsdale.
Did You Know?
He worked as a television golf analyst for CBS Sports following his playing career.
Weiskopf was an accomplished amateur skeet shooter and considered pursuing it professionally.
He made a hole-in-one on the famous par-3 16th at Augusta National during the 1982 Masters.
His design for the TPC Scottsdale's 16th hole created the first fully enclosed 'stadium' hole for spectators.
“The golf swing is like a suitcase into which we are trying to pack one too many things.”
