Longtime Golf Writers Association of America member Larry O’Brien, one of Jack Nicklaus’s longest term executives and member of the PGA Advisory Board, passed away today due to complications from Parkinson’s Disease at his home in the company of his family; he was 83.
A native of Montreal, Quebec and 35-year resident of North Palm Beach, O’Brien spent the majority of his career working for the Jack Nicklaus family in a variety of capacities during his 26 years at the company headquarters here. Serving as Vice President of Public Relations, O’Brien was the Golden Bear’s publicist and media liaison for most of the golf legend’s record-setting career. O’Brien also assisted Nicklaus in starting Memorial Tournament, which the winner of 20 major championships founded in 1976 and has since developed into to one of the most prestigious events on the PGA Tour. But perhaps O’Brien’s most rewarding role was working with Jack and Barbara Nicklaus on a variety of their charitable efforts over the years including the PGA Junior Golf Foundation, Columbus Children’s Hospital and the FCA golf ministry.
"Larry was side-by-side with me for the majority of my career and served an important role in my company as well as for my family," commented Nicklaus who first met O’Brien in 1962. "Larry was a good friend to us, someone we considered one of the family. Barbara and I will miss him dearly and remember him fondly as will so many that knew Larry in and out of golf."
Nicklaus first met O’Brien after winning the 1962 U.S. Open when O’Brien was luring Nicklaus to play in the Canadian Open, which O’Brien coordinated for 37 years. Jack and Barbara Nicklaus joined O’Brien and his wife, Libby, for dinner, and a friendship blossomed. After O’Brien moved to Palm Beach in 1970 to work on the PGA Championship, Nicklaus asked O’Brien a year later to join his newly-formed company and handle his public relations and his tournament golf activities with the PGA Tour. O’Brien served in that role until his retirement in 1997.
Prior to moving to Florida and joining Nicklaus, O’Brien enjoyed a long career in the sports industry. Born January 19, 1922 in Montreal, O’Brien began a lifelong love affair with the media when he joined the Montreal Star as reporter covering the police beat and city hall. While working the crime beat in 1946, O’Brien broke a front-page story about a Russian espionage ring. O’Brien also did radio broadcasts for the Brooklyn Dodgers farm team in Montreal and regularly threw batting practice. One of O’Brien great moments was pitching to rookie Jackie Robinson who was being groomed for the major leagues, and afterwards helping Robinson and his wife find an apartment in Montreal.
O’Brien became a familiar name in Canadian radio and television, when he was featured in nightly shows over a 20-year span that soon became one of the most popular programs in the country. With the advent of television, O’Brien was tapped to call the very first televised sports event in Canada, a July 25, 1952 Montreal Royals baseball game. O’Brien went on to broadcast pro football games, including the Grey Cup, and then became part of the television team for the Montreal Canadian during five Stanley Cup Championship seasons.
A consultant to the PGA of America, Doral Open, and the Golf Writers Association of America, O’Brien was named to the PGA Advisory Board in 1992. In 1999, the PGA launched the PGA Larry O’Brien Scholarship for journalism/communications students at the University of Notre Dame. From 2000 until his death, O’Brien served on the Board at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter and was a regular fixture at Spring Training games.
O’Brien survived by his wife, Elizabeth (Libby), three children, and four grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Hospice of Palm Beach County (5300 East Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida 33407, or the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.
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