Andy Bean, an 11-time PGA Tour winner who underwent a double lung replacement last month, has died following complications from the surgery. He was 70.
Bean won 11 times on the PGA Tour and captured three titles on the PGA Tour Champions. He turned pro in 1975 after an illustrious career at Florida, where he was a three-time All-American and helped the Gators win the NCAA men’s golf title in 1973.
Bean’s lungs were badly damaged from a bout with COVID-19, according to a Facebook post by friend Alan Pope. He underwent surgery at Advent Health Hospital in Orlando last month.
He was born March 13, 1953, in Lafayette, Georgia, near the Georgia-Tennessee border, a mere 35 miles from Chattanooga. His family then moved to Jekyll Island, Georgia, when he was a teenager before settling in Lakeland, Florida, where he graduated from Lakeland High School. Bean competed in high school golf against Fred Ridley, a standout at nearby Winter Haven High.
Bean officially retired from golf after the 2014 season, a car accident in 2011 and ongoing injury issues with his wrists taking their toll.
He is survived by his wife, Debbie, and the couple’s three daughters, Ashley, Lindsay and Jordan. Funeral services are pending.