Golf: Former PGA player Barber dead at 82

Miller Barber, who won 11 PGA Tour events in 694 career starts and 24 more titles on the 50-and-over Champions Tour, died Tuesday at age 82, the US PGA Tour announced on Wednesday.

Barber’s 1,297 combined career starts on the PGA and Champions Tours is a record and each of his PGA titles came in a different year. He collected at least one crown a season from 1967-1974, a feat only Jack Nicklaus matched.

Barber came closest to a major victory at the 1969 US Open, when he led by three strokes after 54 holes only to shoot 78 in the last round and finish three shots behind winner Orville Moody.

“We are saddened by the passing of Miller Barber,” PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. “He was a wonderful player who made his mark on the PGA Tour with 11 victories and then really excelled on Champions, Tour becoming one of its best players in the Tour’s formative years.

“Golf has lost a great man and competitor.”