Two-Time USGA Champion Moody Dies At 74

Orville Moody, a two-time USGA champion whose only victory on the PGA Tour was the 1969 U.S. Open, died Friday at the age of 74 in Texas. The cause of death was not released.

Nicknamed "Sarge" because he rose to the rank of sergeant during his 14 years in the U.S. Army, Moody remains the last person to win the U.S. Open after playing in local and sectional qualifying.

Orville Moody's lone PGA Tour victory came at the 1969 U.S. Open in Houston. (USGA Museum)

Two years after giving up his military career to make a trial run at the PGA Tour in 1967, the Oklahoma native held off Deane Beman, Al Geiberger and Bob Rosburg by a single stroke at Champions Golf Club's Cypress Creek Course in Houston, Texas. Moody, then 35, posted rounds of 71-70-68-72 for a 72-hole total of 1-over-par 281. It was only Moody's second appearance at the Open. His first came in 1962 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club when he failed to make the 36-hole cut.

Moody, a gifted ball-striker whose career was plagued by putting problems, would finish the 1969 season as the PGA Player of the Year.

After turning 50 and joining the Senior Tour (now the Champions Tour) in 1984, Moody enjoyed much more success thanks to the long putter, winning three of his first five tournaments. He finished with 11 career Senior Tour victories, including the 1989 U.S. Senior Open at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pa., at the age of 55. Moody charged into the lead with a third-round 64 (eight under) and closed with a 2-under 70 (279) for a two-stroke victory over Frank Beard.

"The USGA was proud to call Orville Moody an Open and Senior Open champion," said USGA Executive Director David Fay. "While his victory in the 1969 Open at The Champions was a surprise (with the notable exception of a fellow former Veteran by the name of Lee Trevino!), Orville's superb ball-striking talents were, thankfully, showcased over the next quarter century, both on the regular and senior Tour.  The expression, 'he could golf his ball' certainly applied to Orville.  I am saddened to hear of this champion's passing.  He was a stand-up kind of guy who earned the admiration of all with whom he came in contact."

At the time of his Senior Open victory, Moody joined Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper and Gary Player as the only players to have won both a U.S. Open and Senior Open. That feat has since been matched by Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Hale Irwin.

The son of a golf course superintendent, Moody, a part Choctaw Indian, was born Dec. 9, 1933, in Chickasha, Okla. At Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City, he won the state high school golf championship in 1952. But after spending a few weeks at the University of Oklahoma, Moody opted to join the U.S. Amy, where he spent 14 years heading up maintenance supervision and instruction at all Army golf courses, eventually rising to the rank of sergeant.

When he decided to give professional golf a try in 1967, Moody was making $5,000 a year. In his first full year on the PGA Tour, he earned $300,000. Besides his U.S. Open triumph, Moody's only other top-10 finish in a major came when he tied for seventh at the 1969 PGA Championship, but he did have five runner-up finishes in other PGA Tour events.

Moody, who competed in 250 PGA Tour events, also played many international events during his professional career, winning titles in Hong Kong, Morocco and Australia. He also took a club pro job in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

The same year Moody won the U.S. Senior Open, he added a second major title at the Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship, which helped him earn $647,985 in 1989. His last title came at the 1992 Franklin Showdown Classic.

Overall, Moody competed in 513 Champions Tour events, with his final appearance coming at the 2003 Constellation Energy Classic.

Prior to the 1995 season, Moody had triple bypass heart surgery, but still managed to compete in 29 events after surgery.

Memorial service and arrangements are currently pending.

Story written by USGA New Media staff writer David Shefter