Peter Oosterhuis goes public with early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Long-time broadcaster and, before that, European standout Peter Oosterhuis has gone public with the news that he has early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Oosterhuis first shared the news in May at Pebble Beach during a private fundraising event for former CBS colleague Jim Nantz’s National Alzheimer’s Center. Nantz lost his father to the disease after a 13-year fight. Footage of Oosterhuis’ announcement was made public as part of a piece on the Englishman and how he is coping with the diagnosis in Golf World.

A member of the 1973 Ryder Cup team, Oosterhuis was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in July 2014 by his Charlotte, N.C., doctor. After telling his colleagues later that summer ahead of his contract expiration in November, Oosterhuis decided to retire in January. At the time, he issued a statement saying, “I feel it is the right time to step away to focus on things in life that I have always wanted to do.” Oosterhuis, who had been calling golf since 1995, wanted to continue in the booth but, at the time, didn’t want to draw attention to himself.

Oosterhuis won seven times on the European Tour in the 1970s and four consecutive Order of Merit titles from 1971-74. His lone PGA Tour win is the 1981 Canadian Open, though he finished runner-up at the Open Championship in 1974 and ’82. He was also a member of six Ryder Cup teams from 1971-81, earning a 14-11-3 record.

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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