Golf World Mourns as Jim Colbert Dies at 85 After Building a Bucket-Hat Legacy Across the PGA Tour

Jim Colbert, the former PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions standout known as much for his signature bucket hat as for his long record of victories, has died at the age of 85.

The PGA Tour confirmed that Colbert died on Sunday, though no cause of death was listed.

A Bucket Hat Became His Trademark

Colbert’s most recognizable look began during his teenage years in Kansas.

While playing in a tournament, he nearly collapsed from sunstroke. Doctors later advised him to wear a hat whenever he played golf to protect himself from the sun.

Colbert chose a bucket hat, and the style eventually became one of the defining images of his professional golf career.

From Football Scholarship to Golf Career

Although Colbert was born in New Jersey, his athletic path took him to Kansas State University on a football scholarship.

An injury shifted his focus away from football and toward golf. That decision changed the direction of his life.

By 1964, Colbert had become runner-up at the NCAA Championship. Two years later, he joined the PGA Tour.

Eight PGA Tour Wins and Major Contention

Colbert earned the first of his eight PGA Tour victories at the 1969 Monsanto Invitational Open.

His strongest performances in major championships came in 1974, when he tied for fourth at the Masters and tied for fifth at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

His best PGA Tour season arrived in 1983, when he won twice and finished 15th on the money list.

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Success Continued on PGA Tour Champions

Colbert’s competitive career did not slow down after his regular tour years.

He went on to win 20 times on the PGA Tour Champions, building a second successful chapter as one of the senior circuit’s most accomplished players.

In 1996, Colbert was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent surgery to remove his prostate. He returned to competition two years later and won The Transamerica.

Business Ventures and Golf Course Legacy

Colbert also built a major presence away from tournament golf.

According to the PGA Tour, he bought his first golf course in Las Vegas in 1980. His company, Jim Colbert Golf, later grew to include 23 golf courses, 700 employees, and annual gross revenue of about $50 million.

Later in life, Colbert lived in Las Vegas but remained closely connected to Kansas State.

The university’s men’s and women’s golf teams play at Colbert Hills Golf Club in Manhattan, Kansas, a course he helped design and opened in 2000.

Honors Across Kansas and Las Vegas

Colbert’s achievements earned him several major honors.

He was inducted into the Kansas State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame in 2019.

Impact and Consequences

Colbert’s death marks the loss of a golfer who left a lasting imprint on multiple generations of the sport.

His career connected college athletics, PGA Tour competition, senior golf, golf course ownership, and course design.

His story also stands out because of his transition from football to golf, his comeback from prostate cancer, and his long-term investment in the game beyond tournament play.

What’s Next?

Tributes are expected from across the golf community, especially from Kansas State, the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, and Las Vegas golf circles.

Colbert’s legacy will continue through his tournament record, his business contributions, and Colbert Hills Golf Club, which remains tied to Kansas State’s golf program.

Summary

Jim Colbert, an eight-time PGA Tour winner and 20-time PGA Tour Champions winner, has died at 85.

Known for his trademark bucket hat, Colbert built a career that stretched from college golf to major championship contention, senior tour success, golf course ownership, and course design.

Bulleted Takeaways

• Jim Colbert died at the age of 85.
• The PGA Tour did not list a cause of death.
• He won eight times on the PGA Tour.
• He added 20 victories on the PGA Tour Champions.
• His bucket hat became his trademark after doctors warned him about sun exposure.
• He attended Kansas State on a football scholarship before switching to golf.
• He finished runner-up at the 1964 NCAA Championship.
• His first PGA Tour win came at the 1969 Monsanto Invitational Open.
• He posted top-five finishes at the 1974 Masters and U.S. Open.
• He later built Jim Colbert Golf into a major golf course business.
• Colbert Hills Golf Club remains part of his Kansas State legacy.