Sporting legend 'beloved by players' dead at 63 after devastating health battle
Legendary golf writer Steve DiMeglio has died at the age of 63 following a battle with cancer - and Tiger Woods has paid an emotional tribute to him.
Steve, who was a regular at PGA Tour events for nearly two decades, passed away this week due to rectal cancer that had spread to his liver. After first being diagnosed in 2022, the former USA Today reporter documented his cancer battle, which included dozens of rounds of chemotherapy, to his followers on social media.
And, in his poignant message on social media, Tiger wrote gold has lost "part of our family". He wrote: Unfortunately the golf world lost part of our family today, beloved golf writer Steve DiMeglio. I was always very close to Steve and we texted and talked about how he needed to keep fighting to get better so we could see each other in the Bahamas last month. And we did. I am so grateful for that. This a very sad day for all of golf. We have truly lost a friend.
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Throughout his career as a journalist, Steve covered Tiger closely ever since he broke into the professional ranks in 1996.
The PGA Tour itself also mourned the loss of the golfing legend and described him as being "beloved by players" because of his "humour and love of the game".
The organisation wrote on social media: "The PGA TOUR joins the golf world in mourning the loss of our friend, golf journalist Steve DiMeglio.
'A fixture at TOUR events for nearly two decades and beloved by players, he inspired us all with his unique perspective, humour and love of the game, even in the midst of his recent, arduous battle with cancer. In the words of our friend Steve, 'Onward'."
Steve previously covered baseball for USA Today for a few years before making the switch over to golf in 2002. His byline also appeared under the Golfweek banner in 2019, and he continued writing for the publication until just last year. The writer was a hugely popular figure in the sport with players, fans and his fellow writers, including good friend Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated.
Four-time PGA Tour winner Billy Andrade said about Steve back in March, after learning he was playing in the PGA Tour Champions’ Cologuard Classic in his honour: "Everybody knows him out here. He’s Mr. Golf, USA Today forever. One of the great guys of all time."
