Renowned former Argentine golfer Eduardo “El Gato” Romero, who amassed a large number of international trophies throughout his career, died at the age of 67 at his home in Villa Allende, his hometown, in the central province of Córdoba.
"The Argentine Golf Association mourns his loss with great sadness and warmly greets the family and friends of one of the best Argentine golfers of all time"reported the sports institution on its official website.
In the last hours, a large number of public and anonymous figures expressed their condolences for the death through social networks, including political faces since “El Gato”, who died this Sunday night, was mayor of Villa Allende since 2015 for the Republican Proposal party, to which former Argentine President Mauricio Macri belongs.
His remains are veiled this Monday at the House of Culture in his hometown.
HEALTH PROBLEMS FOR MONTHS
Romero, winner of the US Open, the Lancome Trophy, the Opens of Spain, France, Italy and Scotland, as well as more than 80 tournaments in Latin America and who represented Argentina numerous times in the World Cup and the Alfred Dunhill Cup, had informed at the end of December that he had been suffering from a health problem for some months.
He had begun his relationship with golf at the age of seven as a caddy at the Córdoba Golf Club, where his father Alejo Romero was a professional and his instructor, and he became a professional in 1972.
One of his friends came up with the nickname "Cat" for his strategy to play the tournaments, lying in wait in the early rounds to deploy a more aggressive game towards the end.
In Argentina, Romero won the República Open in 1989 at the Argentine GC, the only time he was able to conquer it, while he added fourteen top tens in the República Open. He won the PGA Championship and the Central Open seven times. He won four times in the North Open and was the winner in the South Open, in the North Patagonian Open and in the Littoral Open.
At the regional level, Romero won eleven titles, including the Chilean Open (1984), the Mexican Open (1998), and the Desafío de Maestros in 2000.
EIGHT WINS ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR
"El Gato” entered the European Tour in 1988, where he won eight times: the Lancome Trophy in France (1989), the Volvo Open in Florence (1990), the Spanish Open (1991), the French Open (1991), the Italian Open (1994), the European Masters in Switzerland (1994 and 2000) and the Scottish Open (2002).
At the Scottish Open in 2002, three days before his 48th birthday, he became the oldest European Tour winner behind Des Smyth and Neil Coles. He finished that season in fifth place in the ranking.
In 2005 he won his first title on the European Seniors Tour and his first Major: the Travis Perkins Senior Masters. He has also won the Wentworth Senior Masters twice in a row, in 2005 and 2006.
In 2006 he obtained his first victory on the Champions Tour, winning the Jeld-Wen Tradition against Lonnie Nielsen.
THE "US SENIOR OPEN"
The biggest title of his career was the US Senior Open, his second Major, at the Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs in 2008. A month later, he captured the SAS Championship title and in March 2009 he won the Toshiba Classic.
Romero was recognized in 2000 by receiving the Platinum Konex Award as the best golfer of the decade 1990-1999. In 1990 and 2010 he received the Konex Award – Diploma of Merit as one of the five best golfers of the decade in Argentina.
In 2010 he was honored with the Argentine Golf Association Award, a recognition given to outstanding personalities who work for the growth of Argentine golf.
Romero had married in 1978, had a daughter named Dolores, and three grandchildren.
