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Golf Flags at Half Mast – 1955 U.S. Open Champion Jack Fleck Dies at 92

Written by: Tony Korologos | Saturday, March 22nd, 2014
Categories: Golf Books • PGA Tour • Pro Golf • U.S. OPEN

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I’ll admit that I didn’t know who Jack Fleck was until about a year ago. That’s when I read my friend Neil Sagebiel’s book about Jack Fleck and the 1955 U.S. Open: The Longest Shot – Jack Fleck, Ben Hogan, and Pro Golf’s Greatest Upset at the 1955 U.S. Open. The story of Fleck’s victory over Ben Hogan in a playoff at the 1955 U.S. Open is without a doubt the biggest cinderella story, biggest upset in golf history.

Jack Fleck passed away at the age of 92 yesterday.

Here’s a great synopsis of Fleck as written by Neil on his Facebook page yesterday:

“Jack was born in Bettendorf, Iowa, on November 7, 1921. He became a golf professional at the age of 17. He served in the Navy during World War II and was part of the Normandy invasion. He beat his idol Ben Hogan in an 18-hole playoff to win the 1955 U.S. Open, one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports. When Hogan died in 1997, Jack decided not to attend the funeral because he didn’t want his presence to detract in any way from the remembrance of his idol. “

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