POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A three-time PGA Tour winner was killed in Polk County Tuesday when his vehicle was rear-ended by a pickup, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office said the crash happened in unincorporated Polk City around 12:20 p.m. in the area of State Road 33 and Flanders Station Drive.
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Deputies said Barton Bryant, 59, was stopped in the southbound lane on SR-33 due to construction when a pickup truck failed to slow down and crashed into the back of the vehicle.
The sheriff’s office said Bryant was taken to the hospital, where he later died. His wife, who was a passenger in the car, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, deputies said.
The PGA TOUR family mourns the tragic loss of 3-time TOUR winner Bart Bryant.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 1, 2022
Officials said the pickup driver, identified as 21-year-old Mark Farkas, was uninjured.
“The PGA TOUR is saddened by the tragic passing of Bart Bryant and our hearts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time,” PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement. “The Bryants have been a part of the PGA TOUR family for over four decades and we are grateful for the impact and legacy he made on our organization and countless communities. Bart will be dearly missed.”
The sheriff’s office said Bryant lived in nearby Auburndale.
An investigation is ongoing.