11-time PGA champ dies after battle with COVID-19

Former Florida Gators standout and 11-time PGA champion Andy Bean died recently after a battle with COVID-19, he was 70.

On Saturday, the PGA Tour confirmed that Bean died at 70 while fighting to recover from a double-lung transplant he underwent six weeks ago after his lungs were badly damaged in a battle with COVID-19.

Larry Rinker, who also played golf at the University of Florida, posted this about Bean on X.

“So sad to hear of the passing of my friend and fellow Gator, Andy Bean,” former tour player Larry Rinker posted on X (formerly Twitter). “He was larger than life when I met him on a recruiting trip to Gainesville as a senior in high school. A kind and generous soul.”

Bean never won a major, but he did finish second several times throughout his PGA career. Bean was part of the 1973 Florida Gators team that won a national championship.

Although Bean was not a very talkative guy, he was still very confident in his abilities as a golfer. He found success on the senior tour but an accident caused Bean to retire and he spent his last few years fishing and spending more time with his family.

He said in one of his last interviews that it was hard for him to retire.

“It’s hard giving up something that you worked all your life to achieve. But everybody has to do it,” he said.

{Golf.com}