From Golf Canada
It is with great sadness that the Canadian golf community mourns the loss of revered PGA of Canada professional Jerry Anderson of Cambridge, Ont. who passed away suddenly on March 9, 2018 at the age of 62.
He is survived by his wife Barbara and children Chrysse and Luke along with countless friends across the Canadian and International golf community.
Statement from Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum:
“On behalf of the entire golf community including the golfers, associations and fellow competitors whose lives he touched, we are saddened by the passing of Jerry Anderson. Jerry’s accomplishments on the golf course along with his determination to chase his dream all around the globe define the drive of a champion. As we join family and friends in mourning his sudden passing, his outstanding legacy deserves to be celebrated.”
Born September 22, 1955 in Montreal, Que, Anderson took up the game in 1968 as a caddie at the Whitlock Golf and Country Club near Montreal. He attended the University of Texas (1975-78) and had a strong amateur career before turning professional.
By 1978, he had had earned his Canadian Tour (now Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada) card and would go on to win nine times on the Canadian development tour including the Ontario Open (1979), Players Cup (1979), Saskatchewan Open (1979-80), Quebec Open (1982-83) and Canadian Tour Players Championship (1988). Anderson topped the Canadian Tour Order of Merit on three occasions—1980, 1982 and 1989.
He also won the PGA of Canada Championship in 1987 after finishing runner-up in 1985.
Anderson played on the European Tour through most of the 1980’s, travelling the world with his wife. He became the first Canadian to win on the European Tour when he shot 27-under par (261) to win the 1984 Ebel European Masters – Swiss Open by five strokes. His 72-hole score was a record on the European Tour until Ernie Els shot 29-under at the 2003 Johnnie Walker Classic. In 1984, he finished ninth on the European Tour Order of Merit.
In additional to playing golf in Europe, through Asia, Africa and South America, Anderson also spent two seasons on golf’s biggest stage, the PGA TOUR in 1990 and 1992. Over a total of 66 events played, he made the cut 18 times with three top-25 finishes.
He played in the (RBC) Canadian Open 12 times between 1977 and 1992 with three cuts made. His best finish was T15 in 1982.
Among his many accomplishments, Anderson represented Canada at the Alfred Dunhill Cup in 1985 (with Dave Barr and Dan Halldorson) and at the World Cup in 1983 and 1987 (with Dave Barr), .
In 1991, Anderson won the Ben Hogan Texarkana Open (currently the Web.com Tour).
In 2000, he was reinstated as a Class A member of the PGA of Canada and worked at several clubs including Cambridge Golf Club and Ingersoll Golf and Country Club.
Most recently, Anderson worked as a PGA of Canada Class A Teaching Professional at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.
He was inducted in the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in 2002 and the PGA of Canada Hall of Fame in 2016.
Jerry Anderson’s competitive accomplishments across the provincial, national and international golf landscape included:
- Attended the University of Texas from 1975-78
- #1 Ranked Amateur golfer in Ontario in 1976
- Ontario Open Champion (1979)
- Players Cup Champion (1979)
- Saskatchewan Open Champion (1979-80)
- Quebec Open Champion (1982-83)
- PGA of Canada Champion (1987); Runner-Up (1985)
- Canadian Tour Players Champion (1988)
- Three-time Canadian Tour Order of Merit winner (1980, 1982, 1989)
- Member of Canada’s World Cup Team in 1983 and 1987
- Member of Canada’s Dunhill Cup Team in 1985
- European Masters Swiss Open Champion (1984)
- German Open, Runner-Up (1984)
- Canadian Open, Low-Canadian (1992)
- Texarkana Open Champion (1991)
