Professional Golfer Andy Bean was a force on the golf course since his youth. In college, he played for the Florida Gaters and helped his team win the 1973 NCAA Championship.

After graduating from the University of Florida, Bean turned pro and won on the PGA Tour 11 times. Getting older didn’t slow him down. In 2008, at the age of 50, he won the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

Unfortunately, in 2011, after a car accident, he decided to stop playing golf. He had wrist pain following the accident, and his right index finger was crooked. However, he kept a positive outlook, turning his attention to fishing and family. 

Now, in 2023, Bean had another health struggle. He battled Covid-19, which did a lot of damage to his lungs. As a result, he had to have a double lung transplant.

Bean struggled to recover from the lung transplant, and after six weeks of fighting to make a full recovery, tragically, he did not survive. He died on Saturday, October 14, 2023, in his hometown of Lakeland, Florida. He was 70 years old. He is survived by his wife, Debbie, his three daughters, and his grandchildren.

Upon hearing the news of Bean’s death, Larry Rinker, a former tour player, wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “So sad to hear of the passing of my friend and fellow Gator, Andy Bean. He was larger than life when I met him on a recruiting trip to Gainesville as a senior in high school. A kind and generous soul.”

PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady remembers Bean as “a tenacious competitor on the course but the kindest of men off of it.” Brady added, “He was affectionately referred to as a gentle giant, someone who always had time for fans, the media and his fellow players. As a multiple-tournament winner after turning 50, he exemplified those same traits on PGA Tour Champions that he did during his stellar PGA Tour career. We send our best to Andy’s family.”

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