Australian News Today

Golf

Tiger Woods, other tour pros offer tributes after the passing of popular golf writer Steve DiMeglio – Australian Golf Digest

  • by
  • January 2, 2025
Tiger Woods, other tour pros offer tributes after the passing of popular golf writer Steve DiMeglio – Australian Golf Digest

In covering the game of golf the past two decades for Gannett-owned USA Today and Golfweek, Steve DiMeglio had won the respect of tour pros as well as fellow journalists for his writing and reporting. But it was in the last 2½ years as the Minnesota native documented his journey with cancer—chronicling the good and the bad along the way on social media—that DiMeglio’s powerful resolve in fighting the disease earned him the admiration of so many others.

Not surprisingly, then, when news that DiMeglio had passed away at age 63 became public on Wednesday, an outpouring of tributes followed.

DiMeglio’s bravery in the face of being diagnosed with rectal cancer in the summer of 2022 inspired many, which was his ultimate goal. In a video produced by the American Cancer Society and filmed at TPC Sawgrass, he noted that by being so open about his fight against the disease, which had spread to his liver, he hoped to inspire others to sign-up for cancer screenings.

His social media posts often included humor, joking about sports bets gone wrong. He would track each dose of chemotherapy he endured by noting the number worn by a sports legend.

A long-time member of board of directors Golf Writers Association of America, DiMeglio was popular with his fellow writers. His friends on the beat would kid him often about his height (he stood around 5-foot-5) to which DiMeglio would always have a good comeback, enjoying the back-and-forth exchanges that showcased his own dire wit.

During DiMeglio’s treatments, tour pros reached out to see how he was doing. He attended a handful of tour events, most recently traveling to the Bahamas in December for the Hero World Challenge.

DiMeglio’s journalism career began in 1994 at the Palm Springs Desert Sun before joining Gannett in 1999 and writing for USA Today, where he covered both politics and sports before taking over the golf beat in the mid-2000s.

“Steve was a longtime golf reporter at USA Today who covered baseball for years before he changed beats. He was incredibly plugged-in, had some of the best sources in the sport and would do anything you asked as an editor,” said Roxanna Scott, executive editor of USA Today Sports. “He had a passion for golf that was reflected in his writing and all of the relationships he built through the years.

“I loved seeing the video of Steve being greeted by Tiger in the Bahamas last month. I’m sure that meant a lot to Steve. We will all miss Steve’s thoughtfulness, his updates on his sports bets and his wonderful storytelling.”

DiMeglio’s passing comes less than a month after the death of another former Golfweek employee, Jeff Babineau, from a heart attack at age 62. Babineau wrote at the Orlando Sentinal for 12 years before joining Golfweek in 1998 and working there until 2017, including six years as the magazine’s editor. During his career he covered more than 100 major championships on the men’s and women’s tours, and he also wrote about 12 Ryder Cups. He was the president of the GWAA from 2015-17.

In the wake of his sudden death, ClubsHelp is coordinating a fundraising effort to support the Babineau family. Donations are tax-deductible with anything up to $20,000 being matched by the organization. Contributions can be made here.

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com

The Latest News
Popular News

More like this Related