PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Orville Moody, who won the 1969 U.S. Open for his only PGA Tour title, died Friday, Tour officials said. He was 74.

The Tour said he died in Texas and did not give a cause of death.

Often called "Sarge" because of his 14 years in the U.S. Army, Moody was the last player to win the U.S. Open after going through local and sectional qualifying. He shot 72 in the final round at Champions Golf Club in Houston for a one-shot victory over Deane Beman, Al Geiberger and Bob Rosburg.

In his career, Moody, a part Choctaw Indian, was a runner-up at five PGA Tour tournaments. He also won international titles in Hong Kong, Morocco and Australia.

After turning 50, Moody's career took off at the same time he solved many of his putting woes when he began using a long putter. The native of Chickasha, Okla., won 11 Champions Tour tournaments and finished in the top five four times, including his second-place finish on the earnings chart in 1989.

Besides his U.S. Senior Open title, he also won the Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship. That year he made $647,985. Overall, Moody played 513 Champions Tour events, with his final appearance coming at the 2003 Constellation Energy Classic. He last played in the unofficial Demaret Division for players 70 and older at the 2007 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf with long-time partner Jimmy Powell.

"We are all going to miss 'Sarge,' who was a patriot first and a professional golfer second," said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem. "He embodied a bit of golf's everyman whom we all could identify with, having risen from his Oklahoma roots as part Native American and serving his country in a 14-year Army career.

"He will always be remembered for winning the 1969 U.S. Open, the last player to win after being in local and sectional qualifying. Orville later added a U.S. Senior Open to his resume in a successful Champions Tour career. Our thoughts go out to his family and our membership mourns his loss, yet we take solace that his legacy will inspire generations to come."

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