Andy North

Andy North (born 9 March 1950 in Thorpe, Wisconsin) is an American golfer. He attended the University of Florida and turned professional in 1972. He had a moderately successful career on the PGA Tour made remarkable by the fact that two of his three wins on the tour came in the U.S. Open.

Related Topics:
Thorpe, Wisconsin - American - Golf - University of Florida - PGA Tour - U.S. Open

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The first PGA Tour win of North's career came at the 1977 American Express Westchester Classic. He was twenty-eight years old when he won the 1978 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. He moved into the lead after the second round, and was three shots ahead going into Sunday, but an erratic final round left him needing to make a five on the last hole to take the championship. He struggled up the eighteenth, finding the rough twice and then landing in a greenside bunker, but he nailed a four foot putt to win.

Related Topics:
American Express Westchester Classic - Cherry Hills Country Club - Cherry Hills Village, Colorado

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At the 1985 U.S. Open North found himself two shots behind Taiwan's Tze-Chung Chen going into the final round, but three shots clear of the rest of the field. Chen moved into a four shot lead early on, but threw the tournament wide open by shooting a "double-par" eight on the fifth hole. The lead swung between North, Chen and Dave Barr, who had surged into contention, but North went into the last hole with a two shot lead, and his bogey five was enough to give him a second major championship.

Related Topics:
Taiwan - Tze-Chung Chen - Dave Barr - Major championship

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In 1990 North won the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which is an off season event, and is not an official stop on the PGA Tour. Since turning fifty in 2000 North has played intermittantly on the Champions Tour. His best finish at this level is second in the 2001 Emerald Coast Classic. The improbability of North's career is illustrated by the fact that the only other post World War II golfer to win two majors without reaching double figures in individual professional titles is Lee Janzen, and he accumulated eight to North's four.

Related Topics:
PGA Grand Slam of Golf - Champions Tour - World War II - Lee Janzen

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Currently, North serves as a golf analyst for ESPN.

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