Golfer who won five Open Championships

Born: august 23, 1929

Died: June 20, 2018

THE Australian golfer Peter Thomson, who has died aged 88, was a globally revered figure in the sport and one of the world’s top players, best remembered here for his five Open Championship successes.

He won 89 tournaments worldwide including 26 in Europe, 19 in Australia, 11 in Asia and Japan and several in the US. With compatriot Kel Nagle he twice won the Canada Cup [later the World Cup] in which he represented Australia 11 times.

When his competitive playing career began to wind down, he concentrated on course design and construction, becoming involved in building 180 courses in 30 countries. President of the Australian Professional Golfers’ Association for 32 years between 1962 and 1994, his leadership was highly valued and he was inducted as an Immortal of the Association in their Hall of Fame. Awarded the CBE for services to golf and the community in 1979, he was furthered honoured in 2001 by being appointed AO, ‘Officer of the Order of Australia.’

A distinguished honorary member of the Royal and Ancient Club at St Andrews, he was awarded an honorary degree from the town’s university in 2005 along with Peter Alliss and Sir Nick Faldo. After designing the nearby Duke’s Course he bought a property in the town close to the R and A clubhouse and enjoyed spending time there.

As the Australasian pro golf circuit was only developing in the early ‘50’s, ambitious young players made their way to Britain for better competition. After his first pro. win in the New Zealand Open in 1950,Thomson came to the U.K. in 1951, making his debut in the Open at Portrush, finishing 6th. He improved to runner up in the next two editions at Royal Lytham and Carnoustie respectively.

The year 1954 at Royal Birkdale saw the start of his three consecutive wins, the others being over the Old Course at St. Andrews and Hoylake respectively. Runner-up in 1957 over the Old Course, his fourth win was secured in 1958 at Royal Lytham after a play off with Dave Thomas, while his fifth and last was at Royal Birkdale in 1965. His feat of three consecutive successes was the only time this was achieved in the 20th century and the first since Bob Ferguson’s in 1880-82. And only two other players have won the title five times in the 20th century, James Braid and Tom Watson.

Of his five wins there is no doubt his final success was the most prestigious as it featured the strongest field. All the top Americans were present including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Doug Sanders, Phil Rodgers, defending champion Tony Lema, South Africa’s Gary Player and many top international players. There had been some criticism of his earlier victories as leading Americans had been absent but this win saw that argument put to bed.

After a disappointing first round six behind Lema, Thomson gradually improved to being one ahead of the American in the final round with two holes to play, both 500 yards plus and needing two 4’s to win. In the wind Lema finished 5,6 while Thomson kept his cool to notch the required 4’s for his fifth Claret Jug.

Although he played a few seasons in America, he was less successful there as his game was more suited to British links golf while big hitting, never his forte, was more of an asset Stateside. That said, in 1956 he did win the Texas Open and finished 4th in U.S Open and in ’57, 5th in the Masters. However he had more conspicuous success there as a senior golfer when in 1985 he won an unprecedented nine tournaments and finished as the leading money winner.

Born Peter William Thomson in the Brunswick suburb of Melbourne, he was gifted a golf club aged 12 and began sneaking on to play a few holes at the local Royal Park course where, after showing promise, a membership was arranged for him.

Aged 15 he won the club championship before enjoying success in the Victoria amateur championship. He also showed promise as a cricketer once scoring 150 n.o. but cricket’s loss was to be golf’s gain. Increasing success as an amateur led to his abandoning industrial chemistry as a career and turning professional aged 19 as assistant to George Naismith at Melbourne’s Riversdale Club before establishing himself as full professional at the city’s Victoria club.

Throughout his career, he believed that golf was essentially a simple game which required a good understanding of and implementation of the basics to attain success. He was noted for the simplicity of his graceful swing and apparent effortlessness in ball striking.

A steely competitor, he acknowledged the importance of the mental element in the game and thought self reliance was essential to get to the top. Interested in the sport’s history, he was president of the James Braid Society which led him to play at Brora, a Braid course, which he thought the most natural links course of the world.

Other interests included opera, art, reading and writing columns on golf and in 1982 he stood for election to the Victoria Parliament but narrowly lost.

He married Lois Brauer with whom he had a daughter Deirdre and after that ended, married Mary Kelly in 1960 with whom he had Andrew, Peta-Ann and Fiona.

Acknowledged universally as a great ambassador for golf, he was one of the game’s giants. He is survived by his wife and children, 11 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

JACK DAVIDSON