Charismatic Hall of Fame golfer Juan “Chichi” Rodriguez died Thursday at age 88 in his native Puerto Rico, the Associated Press reported.
Rodriguez, who reportedly learned how to play golf using a guava stick as a club, has become one of the sport's most popular players, known for his colorful personality and antics on the golf course, according to The Daily Beast. AP“Chichi” was born Juan Antonio Rodriguez to six siblings and spent his childhood helping his father harvest sugar cane before becoming the first Puerto Rican to play on the PGA Tour, according to the Associated Press. (RELATED: PGA legend Mark Carnevale dies at 64)
Hall of Fame golfer ChiChi Rodriguez, known for his eccentricities on the green, dies at 88 https://t.co/DuS6NW0z8R
— KVIA ABC-7 News (@KVIAABC7News) August 9, 2024
“They told me I was a dog dreaming about pork chops,” Rodriguez once told Sports Illustrated magazine about his desire to succeed, according to the outlet.
Rodriguez won eight times on the tour, his first in 1963 and then two more times in 1964, according to the Associated Press.
According to the Associated Press, Rodriguez had won 22 Champions Tour titles and earned $7.6 million in career prize money before being inducted into the PGA World Golf Hall of Fame in 1992.
Rodriguez, who had a legendary sense of humor, was also passionate about baseball, but according to the Associated Press, he quit the sport because he was “stealing bases.”
On the fairways, Rodriguez was known for antics like his “Matador routine,” in which he twirled his club like a sword, and, according to the Associated Press, he was also known for shuffling and doing a salsa step dance after sinking a birdie putt.
In his later years, Rodriguez worked as a partner in a golf community project, hosted a radio talk show and appeared at public events, according to the outlet.
“Chichi Rodriguez's passion for philanthropy and advocacy is only matched by his incredible talent with a golf club in hand,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement.
Puerto Rican Senator Carmelo Javier Rios, who announced the golfer's death, did not disclose a cause of death, according to the Associated Press.
