Mark Carnevale, who was the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 1992, moved to the First Coast shortly thereafter and then charmed a generation of golf fans on PGA Tour Radio, died suddenly on July 22 at the age of 64.
PGATour.com first reported his passing. There was no cause of death immediately given.
“Mark was a cheerful, fun-loving guy,” said Duke Butler III, a former Tour player and tournament director who played golf frequently with Carnevale as part of “The Munchkins,” a group at the TPC Sawgrass that includes former players and Tour executives. “He had a great attitude about life and golf. He was happy to be out there.”
Carnevale also frequently played in charity golf tournaments on the First Coast and the Henry Tuten Gator Bowl Pro-Am.
Reaction was swift from PGA Tour players on social media.
“Very sad news. Carney was a great guy,” Billy Horschel posted on X. “Loved chatting with him at the back of range at TPC Sawgrass. He loved the game of golf. He will be missed.”
“RIP Mark Carnevale,” posted Colt Knost on X. “@SiriusXMPGATOUR won’t be the same without him! One of the best in the business.”
“So sad. He was always kind and thoughtful. Worked hard to paint the picture for the golf audience,” added Jim Gallagher Jr. on X.
Carnevale’s father Ben coached Tar Heels, Navy
Carnevale was a native of Annapolis, Md., where his father Ben was the basketball coach at Navy from 1947-1966, going 257-160 (61.6) and remains the all-time winningest coach in school history.
Ben Carnevale also coached North Carolina to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 1946 and they lost to Oklahoma A&M 43-40 in the championship game, finishing 30-5. Carnevale coached the Tar Heels for two years, going 52-11, before going to Navy.
Mark Carnevale was raised in Williamsburg, Va., where his father served as the athletic director from 1972-1981. Carnevale played college golf at nearby James Madison before turning professional in 1983. He is a member of the JMU Athletic Hall of Fame and was the first Dukes player to compete in the Open Championship.
Carnevale qualified for PGA Tour on his seventh attempt
It took him nearly a decade to get to the Tour, on his seventh attempt at the national qualifying tournament. Carnevale tied for 18th in 1991 and after making five of his first 10 cuts his game began rounding into form with a tie for 13th at the BellSouth Classic and a tie for 19th at the Western Open.
Carnevale then won his only PGA Tour title at the Chattanooga Classic, posting a 64 in the final round to beat Ed Dougherty and Dan Forsman by two strokes.
Carnevale lost in a playoff for the 1994 Byron Nelson Classic and lost his card by 1996. He returned to the Tour after winning the Korn Ferry Tour’s 1997 Inland Empire Open, leading to a second-place finish on the money list.
Carnevale last played on the Tour in 1998 but remained in the game first as an administrator when he was the tournament director for the Korn Ferry Tour’s Virginia Beach Open.
Carnevale forged a second career with PGA Tour Radio
Most golf fans knew Carnevale as an on-course commentator for PGA Tour Radio on Sirius XM, where his insights, knowledge of Tour players and humor endeared him to listeners. He worked on the network for 19 years, with his latest assignment coming at the Scottish Open two weeks ago.
Carnevale was scheduled to work at this week’s 3M Open in Blaine, Minn.
In addition to his work on PGA Tour Radio, Carnevale was a frequent guest on 1010-XL and a valued source on PGA Tour issues for other local media.
Carnevale began doing local radio with David Lamm and Joe Cowart on 930-AM, and was then a regular on Cowart’s afternoon shows on 1010-XL.
“Mark was a big 1010 fan and a big Jaguars fan,” Cowart said, noting that Carnevale was a season-ticket holder. “He loved sports on the First Coast more than just the golf. He loved to talk about golf but he also wanted to talk about the Jags.”
My interaction with him he seemed to love life more than any time before. He was in a good place, really enjoying himself, his work, those he was with, traveling everything.
“Mark Carnevale was an integral part of live coverage on our streaming platforms and PGA Tour Radio coverage,” said said Greg Hopfe, PGA Tour Entertainment senior vice president and executive producer, in a statement. “He was a consummate professional, who was respected by the PGA Tour players he covered, and his insightful analysis and humor will be greatly missed,”
Commissioner praises Carnevale for his versatility
“Mark was a beloved part of the Tour family for a long time,” said Commissioner Jay Monahan.
“He was a member of that elite club, a PGA Tour winner, and then he held numerous roles within the industry, most recently as a significant voice in PGA Tour Radio’s coverage,” Monahan continued. “Mark knew the game and did a terrific job of conveying insights from his unique point of view – and with an engaging wit and sense of humor – to fans from countless Tour events through the years. We will miss Mark and send our condolences to his loved ones.”
RIP Mark Carnevale. @SiriusXMPGATOUR won’t be the same without him! One of the best in the business 💔
— Colt Knost (@ColtKnost) July 22, 2024
Carnevale played in 212 PGA Tour events…
