Jim Colbert’s career in the PGA arena carried a distinctive image that was impossible to separate from the man himself: the bucket hat, worn not for flair but out of necessity. That choice traced back to a moment as a teenager in Kansas, when he nearly collapsed from sunstroke during a tournament. Doctors urged protection, and Colbert responded in a way that would follow him through decades on the course.
A PGA Career Built Through Adjustment
Colbert died Sunday at the age of 85. No cause of death was provided by the PGA Tour.
His path into golf was not direct. Born in New Jersey, he arrived at Kansas State on a football scholarship before an injury shifted his focus. The transition proved decisive. By 1964, he was runner-up in the NCAA Championship, and within two years, he had reached the PGA Tour.
Colbert secured his first PGA Tour win at the 1969 Monsanto Invitational Open, beginning a run that would eventually total eight victories on the main tour. While he never claimed a major championship, 1974 stood out as his strongest year in that category, with a tie for fourth at the Masters and a tie for fifth at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. His most consistent season came later, in 1983, when he won twice and finished 15th on the money list.
Success Beyond the Main Tour
His success extended well beyond the standard tour. On the PGA Tour Champions, Colbert found another level of dominance, winning 20 times and reinforcing his reputation as a steady competitor well into his later years.
Health challenges interrupted that run in 1996 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Surgery followed, and within two years, he returned to competition and won The Transamerica, adding another chapter to a career defined by persistence.
Business Growth and Lasting Ties
Away from competition, Colbert built a substantial business presence in golf. He purchased his first course in Las Vegas in 1980, and over time, Jim Colbert Golf expanded to 23 courses, employing 700 people and generating $50 million in revenue. His influence also reached back to Kansas State, where Colbert Hills Golf Club, designed with his involvement and opened in 2000, became the home course for the university’s men’s and women’s teams.
Recognition followed across multiple stages of his life. He was inducted into the Kansas State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame in 2019. Through each phase, from college athlete to tour winner to businessman, Colbert maintained a steady presence tied to the game that defined him.
