Jim Colbert was easy to spot on a golf course. He was the one in the bucket hat. He had worn it ever since a doctor told him to after he collapsed from sunstroke at a Kansas tournament in 1957. He won eight times on the PGA Tour and 20 times on the PGA Tour Champions, including a senior major championship. He was still wearing that hat as he battled prostate cancer. Now, the man behind the hat is gone.

The somber news came on May 10, 2026. Jim Colbert passed away at the age of 85. Born on March 9, 1941, in Elizabeth, Jim Colbert did not begin his sporting life on a golf course. He arrived at Kansas State University on a football scholarship, but a series of injuries changed the course of his career.

Eventually, Colbert walked into the athletic director’s office and asked whether there was a golf scholarship available if he gave up football. That decision marked the beginning of his journey in the sport. Colbert went on to finish his collegiate career at Kansas State in 1964 as the runner-up at the NCAA Championship before turning professional the following year.

His first season on the PGA Tour in 1966 was far from easy. He earned just $1,898 across 13 events and came close to losing his playing privileges altogether. But by 1967, he had steadied his game and found his footing on Tour once again.

 

He earned his first PGA Tour victory at the 1969 Monsanto Open in Pensacola. Wins at the Greater Milwaukee Open, the Greater Jacksonville Open, and the American Golf Classic soon followed. By 1983, Colbert was at the peak, capturing both the Texas Open and the Colonial National Invitation in the same season. He finished 15th on the PGA Tour money list that year, the highest ranking of his career.

Deane Beman, the PGA Tour’s transformational second commissioner who served from 1974 to 1994, credited Colbert as the best player director he ever worked with.

“He was the best player-director that ever served with me. He was interested in the entire Tour, not just himself, and that’s how he made decisions as a board member for the benefit of the Tour. There’s no telling where the Tour would be if Jim hadn’t been there.”

Back problems eventually ended his PGA Tour career in 1987, but Colbert was far from finished with the game. He spent three years as an analyst with ESPN, where his straightforward style quickly made him a fan favorite on television. Then, in 1991, after turning 50, he joined the PGA Tour Champions and made an immediate impact. Colbert won three times in his debut season and earned Rookie of the Year honors.

His biggest health scare arrived in 1996. While receiving the Arnold Palmer Award as the Tour’s Player of the Year, Arnold Palmer privately revealed his own prostate cancer diagnosis to Colbert. Colbert later described the conversation as a wake-up call. Months later, he received the same diagnosis himself. After undergoing surgery and recovering, he returned to competition and was back winning on Tour by 1998.

Away from competition, Colbert also built a successful business career in golf real estate. At its peak, Colbert Golf Inc. owned 23 golf courses, employed nearly 700 people, and generated close to $50 million in annual revenue. He remained deeply connected to Kansas State University, helping design Colbert Hills Golf Club, which later became the home course for the Wildcats’ men’s and women’s golf programs. His contributions to the sport earned him induction into five halls of fame, including the Kansas State Athletic Hall of Fame and the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame.

The news of Jim Colbert’s passing quickly brought an emotional response from across the golf world. Players, broadcasters, journalists, and fans all shared heartfelt tributes on social media.

The Golf World Reacts to Jim Colbert’s Passing

Kevin Kietzman, a Kansas City broadcaster, had a close personal friendship with Colbert. Kietzman, known for hosting “Between the Lines” on Sports Radio 810 WHB and later the podcast Kevin Kietzman Has Issues, shared a photo of two Colbert Hills caps while paying tribute to his longtime friend.

“We lost a very dear friend Sunday with the passing of Jim Colbert. Our thoughts are with Marcia and the entire family as we honor his legacy wearing these. He made a major impact on thousands of people’s lives in many, many ways. A life well lived by a great man,” Kietzman wrote.

The caps in the photo featured the logo of Colbert Hills Golf Club, the golf course Colbert helped design and fund. The course, located in Manhattan, serves as the home venue for Kansas State University’s men’s and women’s golf teams and is widely regarded as one of the best public courses in the state.

A similar reaction came from another fan account, which posted: “@PGATOUR terrible news. Jim Colbert has passed away.” In a follow-up message, the account added: “Condolences to Marcia and the entire family. Sad day for golf and the @PGATOUR.”

Jim was married to his high school sweetheart, Marcia Colbert. They married when Jim was 17, and Marcia was a homecoming queen. Together, they had three daughters: Debbie, Christy, and Kelly.

Jim Colbert won the PGA Tour Champions Player of the Year award twice, in 1995 and 1996. His fellow players voted for him both times, showing the amount of respect he had earned throughout his career.

“Damn, man. Legend,” Gates posted.

Riley Gates, a Kansas State University alumnus and Associate Managing Editor at On3 Sports, also reacted to the news. Gates studied journalism at Kansas State, the same university where Colbert Hills Golf Club is located, and has spent more than a decade covering sports for 247Sports and On3. That strong Kansas State connection made his tribute even more meaningful.

Another fan pointed to what made Colbert stand out beyond his wins.

“Oh nooo! He told great golf stories on your shows. He will be sadly missed,” he wrote.

Colbert spent three years as a golf analyst for ESPN after retiring from the PGA Tour in 1987. His candid, no-nonsense style made him a recognizable voice in the sport well beyond his playing days.

Taken together, these reactions show that Colbert’s absence is felt across every layer of the sport, from broadcasters and journalists to fans who simply loved listening to him talk about the game. They underscore just how much he gave to golf, long after he had stopped competing.

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