Pro Golfer Ed Fiori and his wife Debbie were blessed with their first child in 1982.
Ed Fiori, who for 13 years was the only player to rally from a 54-hole deficit to beat Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour, died Sunday, July 6, 2025, at the age of 72 due to cancer.
Jim Suttie, a director of instruction at Dr. Jim Sutie Golf Academy, took to his official Facebook handle and mourned the tragic loss of Ed. He wrote,
Sorry to hear that the grip (Ed Fiori) died today. Great player with the strongest grip I have ever seen.
Jim Suttie
A four-time winner on the PGA Tour, no victory was more memorable than the 1996 Quad City Classic, now the John Deere Classic.
Three tournaments into his pro career, a 20-year-old Woods had a one-shot lead over Fiori going into the final round at Oakwood Country Club.
Woods had a quadruple bogey on the 4th hole and a four-putt double bogey on the 7th hole. He shot 72 to tie for fifth, four shots behind Fiori.
Tiger won two starts later in Las Vegas. He never lost a 54-hole lead in another PGA Tour-sanctioned event until Y.E. Yang beat him in the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine.
Fiori also beat two other Hall of Fame members in playoffs, Tom Weiskopf in the 1979 Southern Open, and Tom Kite in the 1982 Bob Hope Classic.
Miller Brady, president of the PGA Tour Champions, said,
“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.”
Miller Brady
Fiori played only 58 times on the senior circuit after turning 50, winning in 2004 in Mexico.
Wife Debbie Is Mourning The Tragic Death Of Her Husband, Ed Fiori
According to reports, the late American professional golfer Ed Fiori was married to Debbie Ann Fiori. However, their exact wedding date has not been revealed.
Although Debbie stayed out of the media spotlight, she helped Ed balance his professional and personal life.
In addition, Ed also helped his wife by cleaning the pool at his home in Richmond, Texas, outside Houston, and buying groceries for her.
Earlier, in 1978, Debbie attended Ed’s game in the U.S. Open. They were photographed together after the tournament.
Sadly, their married life ended following the tragic death of Ed Fiori.
Friends and relatives have offered their heartfelt condolences and sent prayers to Debbie to stay strong in this difficult time.
During one of the interviews after winning the PGA Tour at the 1982 Bob Hope Desert Classic, Ed Fiori revealed that he and his wife Debbie were blessed with their first child, a baby boy.
However, they have managed to keep their children away from the media spotlight.
His kids are fans of Tiger Woods. Earlier, Ed asked Tiger for a couple of autographs for his kids. He said,
“Tiger, I wonder if I can get a couple of autographs for my kids,”
Ed Fiori
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Ed Fiori had been plagued with weight-related health problems, which led to him undergoing spinal fusion surgery in 2005. He lived in a Houston suburb of Sugar Land, Texas.
- His first of four tournament wins on the PGA Tour was the 1979 Southern Open. His last victory at the 1996 Quad City Classic led to the postponement of his plans to retire from the game and become a charter boat captain.
- He attended the University of Houston, where he played on the golf team, and turned professional in 1977, joining the PGA Tour in 1978.
