Bart Bryant, three-time PGA Tour winner, killed in car accident at age 59

Bart Bryant, a three-time PGA Tour winner, died Tuesday in a car accident. He was 59.

Bryant and his wife, Donna, were stopped on a two-lane highway in Polk County, Florida, as a construction crew was working and monitoring traffic. The Bryants’ at-rest vehicle was hit from behind by a pickup truck travelling roughly 60 mph, according to Fox 8. Bart Bryant was unresponsive when first responders arrived, and later died from his injuries. Donna Bryant was hospitalized with minor injuries.

Bart Bryant’s was a story of professional perseverance. He won his first PGA Tour event at 41, when he captured the 2004 Valero Texas Open in his 187th start. The following season, he won the Memorial Tournament and the Tour Championship.

Not only did Bryant capture a pair of the Tour’s top prizes, he beat its biggest names to do so. He edged Fred Couples by a shot and beat Tiger Woods by four, to earn the Memorial trophy from Jack Nicklaus. He then cruised to victory at East Lake in ’05, beating runner-up Woods by six.

Bryant, born in 1962 in Gatesville, Texas, went on to twice on the PGA Tour Champions, including in his first start in 2013. He was the circuit’s 1,000th winner.

He is survived by his wife, daughters Kristen and Michelle and his stepchildren. His brother, Brad, was also a Tour winner. Bart Bryant was preceded in death by his first wife, Cathy, who succumbed to brain cancer in 2017.

“The PGA Tour is saddened by the tragic passing of Bart Bryant and our hearts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. “The Bryants have been a part of the PGA Tour family for over four decades and we are grateful for the impact and legacy he made on our organization and countless communities. Bart will be dearly missed.”