RIP Gator Golf Great Andy Bean

Aw, I'm sorry to hear that. I was in high school in Gville when he won.

 

Back then the only things we could hang our hats on as National Champions was in golf. In 1968 we won with Steve Melnyk. Then Andy Bean was our next great golfer.

 

That’s so sad! RIP

Here’s a nice summary of his career:

https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/latest/2023/10/14/eleven-time-pga-tour-winner-andy-bean-dies-at-70-obituary

 

“At 6-foot-4 and with a shock of red hair, Andy Bean cut an imposing figure on the PGA Tour for nearly three decades. His skills intimated fellow competitors, too. "He's awesome long, he's straight, and he can putt," Masters and PGA champion Raymond Floyd once told Sports Illustrated.”

“We all have a chance to have our time. You hope you make the most of it,'' Bean said in an interview with The Ledger in his hometown of Lakeland, Fla., in 2015. “I've been able to travel the world, to see things and have privileges that other people only dream about. I've been able to support my family and do things that I enjoy. How could anybody complain about that?''

A damn good golfer, Gator and a great guy. R.I.P. Andy

 

Loved him & professional golf at that time in the sport.

 

Andy and I lived a couple doors down from each other in YON Hall. Pretty good buddies and a few classes together. Funny Andy didn’t do much class. He told me if he can stay eligible that’s all he needed . He was always at the Gators course, now Bostwick.
When we left UF we never hooked up again .
We promised each other we would watch each other on TV when he was on tour and me in the major leagues.
One of those things happened! Lol
RIP my friend!! Big dude for sure. Lakeland

 

You played for Gator baseball?

 

The UK golf fans called him “Mon Mountain Bean” during the Open Championship. Big dude, great golfer. RIP

 

The words "played for" have long been disputed.
If you know @wingtee you know he will enjoy that one. Or curse you out just the same. At least that's what @74nole says.

 

I did … graduate of 75

 

Depends on the alcohol intake per the post.

 

@74nole is a good buddy. He pitched at FSU same years as me . He shut us out in Gville one fine spring afternoon.
He was a tall power pitcher who sniffed 98-99 every outing . I was a shorter, chunky lefty who would battle an army to beat you .

 

Sad to hear. Met him once at a Seniors Tour event. He was very nice and spent some generous time conversing about the Gators.

 

My grandfather was the golf coach at Wake Forest for 30+ years. He used to tell a story (he had many) about one of his players (maybe Strange or Haas) coming up to him in the middle of a tournament. They said coach look at this and presented him with a ball that Andy had bitten the cover off after a bad hole. Great Gator and part of golf when it was still somewhat blue collar and fun.

 

I remember when you played….

 

R.I.P. Mr. Andy Bean. May OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN watch over and comfort your family and friends at this sad time.

 

Did you know Sammy Rick or Chuck Dale?

 

Roomed with Sammy our Junior year . I remember Chuck but don don’t honk he was on the team ?

 

Sammy lived behind me in SE Gainesville when I was a little boy. My bad, Chuck was there a few years after you left. Thought he was there earlier. He pitched for UF and in the Red Sox farm system. He later died of ALS.