Three-time PGA Tour champion Bart Bryant died in a car accident on May 31, according to the PGA Tour. He was 59. Bryant is known for winning the 2005 PGA Tour Championship over Tiger Woods by six strokes.
A Ford F-150 truck traveling at around 60 mph failed to stop, crashing into the back of Bryant’s Volkswagen SUV as traffic was suspended at a construction site on State Road 33, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.
Bryant was unresponsive to CPR at the scene and later died at the hospital. His wife Donna, 49, sustained minor injuries, while the pickup driver, 21-year-old Mark Farkas, was not injured.
“The PGA Tour is saddened by the tragic passing of Bart Bryant, and our hearts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time,” PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan said.
“The Bryants have been a part of the PGA Tour family for over four decades, and we are grateful for the impact and legacy he made on our organization and countless communities. Bart will be dearly missed,” the PGA said in a statement.
Bryant, who was beset for much of his early career by injuries, won all of his PGA Tour victories after turning 41. His first victory came during his 187th career start when he won the 2004 Texas Open.
Bryant reached No.22, his highest ranking, in 2005 when he won both the Memorial Tournament and Tour Championship.
His first PGA Tour win came in 2004 when he beat Patrick Sheehan by three strokes at the Valero Texas Open. Bryant was the 1,000th winner of the Champions Tour Event in 2013 at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open in Champions Tour history.
Bryant is survived by his wife Donna, two daughters, and his stepchildren. His first wife, Cathy, preceded him in death.
His brother Brad also won the PGA Tour at the 1995 Walt Disney World Classic, making them one of just 12 sets of brothers to win on tour.
According to WFLA, officers have not yet determined why the truck driver who smashed into Bryant’s SUV failed to stop, but an investigation is ongoing.