Professional Golfer Rod Funseth Dies of Cancer at His Home in Napa at Age 52

Pro golfer Rod Funseth, who won more than $600,000 during his career on the regular PGA tour and continued to play on the senior circuit after discovering he had terminal cancer, died at his home here Tuesday at the age of 52.

Funseth played on the PGA tour for almost 20 years and won three tour events, the 1965 Phoenix Open, the 1973 Los Angeles Open and the 1978 Greater Hartford Open.

His wife, Sandi, daughter, Lisa, 18, and son, Mark, 17, were with him when he died.

“He wanted to die at home,” his wife said. “This was his choice. He fought a courageous battle.”

The Spokane, Wash., native set the course record at Pebble Beach, an eight-under-par 64 in the 1972 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am. The record stood until 1983, when Tom Kite shot a 62 in the same tournament.

Funseth made his Seniors Tour debut in 1983 and won the Legends of Golf and Hall of Fame tournaments. He lost in a playoff to Billy Casper in the U.S. Senior Open, collecting more than $120,000 for the year.

Funseth moved to Napa in 1975 and lived in a home alongside the 12th hole of the Silverado Country Club.