A staple on the PGA Tour since his son, Matt, turned professional in 2000, Peter Kuchar died Tuesday. He was 73.

In a statement provided to GolfChannel.com, Matt Kuchar said his father “passed away unexpectedly,” but the nine-time Tour winner didn’t provide any details.

“My Pop was a huge fan of sport and passed on his love of competition to me,” Matt Kuchar said in a statement. “He was a wonderful person — an incredible grandfather, a loving husband and best friend to my mother, and the best father I could have ever hoped for. An avid pickleball player and outdoorsman, Pop was a man of great character and a character in his own right.

“He is the person that introduced me to the game of golf, a tie that will always remain between us. Those memories, and so many more, will be with me and our family forever. He will be missed more than words can express. We appreciate the support and privacy while we grieve as a family.”

Peter Kuchar, who was prominent as his son’s caddie when Matt won the 1997 U.S. Amateur, was a regular in his son’s galleries on Tour and he teamed with Matt in 2018 at the PNC Championship, where they tied for ninth place.