John Davis, who was inducted into the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame for 2019 and a sports journalist for almost 36 years, passed away early on Monday morning after a long fight with cancer.
Davis, who is 73 years old, has been a fixture in the Arizona golfing scene for over 20 years. He witnessed the Phoenix Open’s rise first-hand. Phil Mickelson was a San Diego native but an Arizona State hero. He became the face and leader of the event.
Davis was there to help. Over time, the writer and golfer formed a close friendship. Mickelson would sign autographs at TPC Scottsdale for up to 30 minutes after each tournament round. He and Davis would often engage in small talk after a tournament round, smiling, laughing, and catching up as if they were old friends.
Davis retired in 2019 but clearly missed the action. Davis had many golfing friends and could easily get a media credential. He would also swing by to say hello to everyone.
The two met again in 2021 at the Charles Schwab Cup, when Mickelson became eligible for the PGA Tour Champions. Davis was still fighting cancer. As Mickelson answered questions from the media the day before the event, Davis stood to the side, waiting, with his face covered, a sign that he wasn’t just going to stay at home all day.
Lefty finished and turned to see Davis. The two then spent 20 minutes catching-up, Mickelson telling Davis to keep going and fight.
Bob Young, Davis’ longtime Suns reporter at the Republic and a colleague, said: “John fought cancer for several years. His friends were amazed by how much he endured, and how often he recovered from bad news.” But we knew he’d be a tough guy. He was able to survive a stroke after dragging himself across the living room for two hours to reach a telephone, which he had to drag off a table in order to dial 9-1-1.
“When I covered the Suns beat I went into the press room and found John typing on his laptop with his right-hand while holding his left-hand in the air. When I asked what the problem was, he told me that a scorpion stung his hand while he was working in the yard. Holding his hand up eased the pain. He said that the pain would continue to throb whether he went home or worked. He filed sidebars and notes the next night.”
Davis had a heart bypass but never complained.
Kent Somers recalled that during the summer dog days, when there was not much happening in sports, four sportswriters (John, Bob Young and Dale Hajek) would sneak out of their offices early to play a quick game at Encanto. Somers worked at the Republic, while Davis worked at the Phoenix Gazette. In 1997, the two papers merged and Davis joined the Republic. “Well, for me, this was a fast round. John, a good player, probably did not think it was so fast. He never complained about playing golf with someone like me.”
Davis moved to Phoenix around the middle of the 1980s. This was before the city’s population boomed and there was only one professional team in Phoenix, the Suns.
Kim Ewing is Davis’ niece. She said that his grandma had taken a photo of him in an U-Haul in August 1986. Davis began working at the Phoenix Gazette after his arrival.
He was a wise, witty, and humble man who worked tirelessly for WM Phoenix Opens and Masters. Bill Huffman who succeeded Davis as the golf reporter at the Republic said that Davis was always able to deliver the most entertaining, accurate and witty stories to his readers. “And John delivered every time, which is why the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame inducted him.”
Davis, as luck would have had it, was one of the lucky media players to be selected to play Augusta National the Monday following the Masters Tournament. This is a longstanding tradition.
John Davis, former golf writer for the Arizona Republic. Wes Johnson/The Arizona Republic, photo.
Davis was a journalist who wore many different hats. It was often as a mentor.
Paul Coro was a young reporter at the Republic in 1997. “JD began as one of my standards in the industry and ended up becoming a friend who remained inspiringly positive despite his health problems,” said Coro. “He was a great mentor. He always encouraged and complimented me, but made me feel like a friend by sharing stories and laughter. He earned respect from professionals for his work, whether it was a long-standing relationship with Dan Majerle or a quick connection with Charles Barkley, or Phil Mickelson always picking up his phone. “For a man who loved to talk, I will treasure his kind words about my daughters as they grew.”
Davis covered the professional game for a long time, but he also made an effort at amateur events.
Ed Gowan was the executive director of Arizona Golf Association from 1977 until his retirement in 2022. He described him as an All-Star. “To get national recognition, you sometimes have to draw attention to yourself. He never did this. He never wanted roses. “It was all about the topic.”
Davis, born in Adrian, Michigan on February 23, 1950, was drafted into the Army and enlisted during Vietnam. He served for two years. He bought a second house in Traverse City in Michigan and spent his retirement years there, away from the heat of Phoenix. In recent weeks, he talked a lot to friends about his cabin in Traverse City, Michigan. He hoped to visit it one last time.
Somers said, “Last weekend he told me that he wished to go back there for another season.” It wasn’t meant to be but man, did that guy live a life.”
Pat Williams, the Big Chief of The Thunderbirds who organize the Phoenix Open each year, said: “We’re saddened by the news of the death of John Davis, the legendary golf writer. John Davis covered the Phoenix Open and golf in Arizona for over 40 years. He was a friend to the tournament as well as the Thunderbirds organization. John continued to attend the Open, do what he enjoyed, and chat with Thunderbirds, players, media and anyone else who was interested in golf, even after he retired.
John was one of a kind. He will be truly missed.”
