It was the 1996 John Deere Classic, and a 43-year-old Ed Fiori had to face a 20-year-old Tiger Woods. The Quad City Classic was packed with spectators, but the veteran golfer knew none of them were there to see him… They were there to see his playing partner, Woods, but Fiori didn’t really blame them because when they were paired together in the third round, Fiori couldn’t help but talk to the youngster. “Tiger, I wonder if I can get a couple of autographs for my kids?” he asked.

“Sure,” Woods responded, before Fiori added, “They’re about the same age as you are.” It was Woods’ third pro event, and while he was dialed in, so was Fiori. After all, it had been 14 long years since he had won on the Tour, and after a couple of practice rounds, Fiori wasn’t sure he was doing well. Though his caddie, Bullet, assured him, the golfer was worried. So he made a resolve to not watch Woods hit a single tee shot, afraid it would disrupt his own tempo. So he stared at the cameramen, the spectators, the pretty woman… everyone except Woods.

He had assumed all sports columns of the Sunday morning paper would be dominated by the youngster, but he was wrong! At No. 7, Woods four-putted for a double bogey with one power lip after another. Fiori enthusiastically watched that happen and years later, described it as: “There’s no other way to put it: The kid self-imploded.” Suddenly, Fiori was ahead of Woods and eventually won the tournament by two shots over Andrew Magee, and Tiger Woods finished in the back. He went on to become the only player for 13 years to rally from a 54-hole deficit to beat Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour, but the 5’7”, 200-pound man had immense respect for Woods. He was closer to the Jack Nicklaus era, but believed Woods was the greatest player ever.

But today, the golf world is missing Fiori, after he passed away at age 72, because of cancer. “Ed Fiori was a true gentleman in our sport, and is a player who would often be referred to as a pro’s pro,” mentioned PGA TOUR supports President Miller Brady. “In three of his four wins on the PGA TOUR, he dueled down the stretch with future World Golf Hall of Fame members, most notably Tiger Woods in 1996. That grit and resolution in the face of immeasurable odds is incredibly admirable in every aspect of life, and I know he battled cancer with that same determination until the end. He will be missed by all of us at the TOUR.”

He was famously known as ‘The Grip’ owing to his grip strength, but it all started in Houston. Born on April 21, 1953, in Lynwood, Calif., he played college golf at Houston, which was a powerhouse in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Playing under coach Dave Williams, Fiori won the NCAA title in 1977. His golf achievements include:

The internet still remembers Ed Fiori’s fiery grit against Tiger Woods

Grouped with Tiger Woods in the final round, that iconic putt that won him the 1996 Quad City Classic is still one of the most memorable clips of Ed Fiori. Popular golf account, Straight Down The Middle, posted the video with the caption, “RIP Ed Fiori. Great pro. Not many beat Tiger in the final group.” 

Another golf enthusiast and probably an associate of Fiori commented, “Very sad day as my friend of many years, Ed Fiori, passed away. Ed was a 4 time winner on the PGA Tour, and had huge heart in this game. He will be missed by many. RIP Eddie, and may God Bless your family.” Fiori was known for giving back to the community as he often contributed to donations. One particular organization he was famously linked with was Doodle for Hunger, where he donated pieces of artwork to raise money for a good cause.

He understood the struggle of many families. After all, he would sneak through a barbed wire fence to a nine-hole course near his Downey, California, home to practice his game. That’s how it all started for him.

Further, Sirius XM co-host, John Maginnes, also dropped a tweet that said,

“29 years ago Ed Fiori wrestled the 54 hole lead from Tiger Woods at the Quad Cities for Eddie’s 4th PGA Tour title. Tiger would give up the 54 hole lead exactly 4 times in his career… Gotta live golf. The John Deere runs carrying deep roots.” Apart from Fiori’s 1996 win, another famous loss Woods suffered after a 54-hole lead was against Y.E. Yang in the 2009 PGA Championship. On both occasions, the 15-time major winner shot over par in the last round to lose the title.

Recollecting another fond memory of Fiori, a fan tweeted, “RIP Ed Fiori…visited Ottawa several times to play the Lone Star Shootout (Skins Game) @RideauViewGolf Always generous with his time and story telling during those events and he stressed to play your own game and that, sometime, a strong grip can do the job 😂 It beat Tiger.” Like many, they also confirmed that Fiori was a very generous man and had a knack for storytelling. His post-win comments in 1996 suggested that, as he said, “I better be a little mean out here or they’d have run me out a long time ago. I knew the crowd was pulling for Tiger, but in a way, I was, too. He hit one bad shot and never got over it.” 

Lastly, reflecting on the kind of personality Fiori possessed, another fan mentioned, “R.I.P., Ed Fiori, an all-time University of Houston great from the Dave Williams era. He was a delightful man and a wonderful representative of Houston on the PGA Tour. His nickname among the pros was ‘Grip’.”