Gene Sauers receives the Francis D Ouimet trophy from USGA president Dina Murphy at the 2016 US Senior Open at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

2. Sauers triumphs at U.S. Senior Open

Gene Sauers, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, was diagnosed late the previous decade with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a rare, serious skin disorder that was burning him from the inside. Given a 25 percent chance of survival, Sauers had multiple skin graphs and eventually recovered. He went on to finish runner-up six times on the PGA Tour Champions this decade before winning 2016 U.S. Senior Open.