1996 Quad City Classic winner passes away at 72

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - The 1996 Quad City Classic winner, Ed Fiori, has passed away at age 72.

According to the PGA TOUR website, the player known as “The Grip” because of the strong grip he utilized, died on July 6.

Fiori won after a heated round against Tiger Woods in the 1996 Quad City Classic, now called the John Deere Classic, the PGA said.

It was the final win of Fiori’s PGA Tour career.

“Ed Fiori was a true gentleman in our sport, and is a player who would often be referred to as a pro’s pro,” said PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady. ”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.”

After turning 50, and despite ongoing health challenges, Fiori made his presence felt on Champions Tour, according to the PGA Tour. He only played in 58 events spread over three seasons, his highlight coming at the 2004 MasterCard Classic in Mexico, where he beat Graham Marsh in a playoff for his lone Champions Tour title.