Bob Charles (golfer)

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Bob Charles
Personal Information
Birth March 14, 1936 (1936-03-14) (age 71)
Carterton, New Zealand
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight 175 lb (80 kg)
Nationality Flag of New Zealand New Zealand
College None
Career
Turned Pro 1960
Current tour Champions Tour
Professional wins 66
Best Results in Major Championships
Wins: 1
Masters T15: 1963
U.S. Open 3rd/T3: 1964, 1970
British Open Won 1963
PGA Championship T2: 1968

Sir Robert James "Bob" Charles, KNZM, CBE, (born March 14, 1936), is a New Zealand professional golfer whose achievements over five decades rank him among the most successful left handed golfers of all time, being the first lefty to win a golf major, winning more than 70 titles, and beating his age twice during a tournament as a 71-year- old.

Born in Carterton, a small town in the Wairarapa district on New Zealand’s North Island, Charles lived in Masterton where he worked as a bank teller and demonstrated great golfing potential.

He caused a sensation on November 8, 1954 when as an 18 year old amateur he beat a top international field to win the New Zealand Open at Heretaunga. The media was full of praise for this slight young man who equalled the open record of 280, and there were many predictions for an imminent venture in the professional ranks and a lucrative career.

Charles decided to hone his skills as an amateur first, and remained in his bank employment for a further six years, but all the while continued to show exceptional putting prowess which helped immensely later on the professional circuits. He represented New Zealand several times in international amateur tournaments during this period.

Contents

He turned professional in 1960 and the next year won the New Zealand PGA Championship and soon after ventured overseas to the European and North American circuits.

In 1963, he really came to notice when he won his first PGA Tour event in the United States, the Houston Classic. His greatest moment came later that year when he won the British Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. After four rounds (68,72,66,71) his 277 was level with American Phil Rodgers. Demonstrating unerring putting, Charles won the 36-hole playoff by eight shots.

Charles has won about 80 tournaments around the world, and has finished in the top five countless times. As well as his important PGA victories, his win in the 1969 World Matchplay Championship was considered one of his best. He was also thrilled when in 1993 he won the Senior British Open 30 years after winning his British Open title.

In 2007 Charles became the oldest golfer to make a cut on the European Tour at the Michael Hill New Zealand Open. Charles shot a 68 in the second round, beating his age by three strokes.[1] He would go on to finish in a tie for 23rd place.

His move to the Senior PGA Tour (now called Champions Tour) was very lucrative and successful with 23 titles and in three years 1988, 1989 and 1993, he recorded lowest scoring average. He finished second on the European Seniors Tour's 2007 Wentworth Senior Masters at the age of 71.

Charles is a sporting hero in New Zealand, not only for his achievements but also for his demeanour and philanthropy regarding junior golfers. He was also a role model worldwide for left-handed golfers. Until Canadian Mike Weir won the U.S. Masters title in 2003, Charles was the only golfer with a left-handed swing to have won a major.

Charles was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) from Queen Elizabeth in 1972 and advanced to Commander in the same Order in 1992. He became Sir Bob Charles in 1999 when made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Charles married his wife Verity in 1962 and they have two children, Beverly and David. David is a golf director in the U.S.. Charles is a successful golf course designer having had major input into the Formosa Country Club in North Shore City, Millbrook at the resort town of Queenstown, and the nine-hole course at Matarangi on the Coromandel Peninsula.

Major championship is shown in bold.

Year Championship Winning Score Margin Runner Up
1963 The Open Championship -7 (68-72-66-71=277) Playoff1 Flag of the United States Phil Rodgers

1Defeated Phil Rodgers in a 36 hole playoff (Charles 69-71=140, Rodgers 72-76=148).

Tournament 1958 1959
The Masters CUT DNP
U.S. Open DNP DNP
The Open Championship CUT DNP
PGA Championship DNP DNP
Tournament 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
The Masters DNP DNP T25 T15 T40 T45 CUT CUT 19 T29
U.S. Open DNP DNP DNP T19 3 CUT CUT CUT T7 CUT
The Open Championship DNP CUT 5 1 T17 CUT T37 CUT T2 2
PGA Championship DNP DNP DNP T13 T19 T41 DNP DNP T2 T35
Tournament 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
The Masters 17 CUT T22 T29 CUT CUT DNP DNP DNP DNP
U.S. Open T3 T13 CUT 11 CUT DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
The Open Championship T13 T18 T15 T7 CUT T12 CUT T43 T48 T10
PGA Championship T26 T13 T58 DNP T73 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
The Masters DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
U.S. Open DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
The Open Championship T60 T35 CUT DNP T47 WD T19 DNP T20 DNP
PGA Championship DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Tournament 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
The Masters DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
U.S. Open DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
The Open Championship CUT DNP DNP DNP CUT CUT 71 DNP DNP CUT
PGA Championship DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Tournament 2000 2001
The Masters DNP DNP
U.S. Open DNP DNP
The Open Championship CUT CUT
PGA Championship DNP DNP

DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10

  1. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/sport/2007/12/01/sgeuro101.xml

v • d • e
The Open champions

1860 Willie Park, Snr. · 1861 Tom Morris, Sr. · 1862 Tom Morris, Sr. · 1863 Willie Park, Snr. · 1864 Tom Morris, Sr. · 1865 Andrew Strath · 1866 Willie Park, Snr. · 1867 Tom Morris, Sr. · 1868 Tom Morris, Jr. · 1869 Tom Morris, Jr. · 1870 Tom Morris, Jr. · 1871 No championship · 1872 Tom Morris, Jr. · 1873 Tom Kidd · 1874 Mungo Park · 1875 Willie Park, Snr. · 1876 Bob Martin · 1877 Jamie Anderson · 1878 Jamie Anderson · 1879 Jamie Anderson · 1880 Bob Ferguson · 1881 Bob Ferguson · 1882 Bob Ferguson · 1883 Willie Fernie · 1884 Jack Simpson · 1885 Bob Martin · 1886 David Brown · 1887 Willie Park, Jnr. · 1888 Jack Burns · 1889 Willie Park, Jnr. · 1890 John Ball · 1891 Hugh Kirkaldy · 1892 Harold Hilton · 1893 William Auchterlonie · 1894 John Henry Taylor · 1895 John Henry Taylor · 1896 Harry Vardon · 1897 Harold Hilton · 1898 Harry Vardon · 1899 Harry Vardon · 1900 John Henry Taylor · 1901 James Braid · 1902 Sandy Herd · 1903 Harry Vardon · 1904 Jack White · 1905 James Braid · 1906 James Braid · 1907 Arnaud Massy · 1908 James Braid · 1909 John Henry Taylor · 1910 James Braid · 1911 Harry Vardon · 1912 Edward Ray · 1913 John Henry Taylor · 1914 Harry Vardon · 1915-19 No Championships due to World War I · 1920 George Duncan · 1921 Jock Hutchison · 1922 Walter Hagen · 1923 Arthur Havers · 1924 Walter Hagen · 1925 Jim Barnes · 1926 Bobby Jones · 1927 Bobby Jones · 1928 Walter Hagen · 1929 Walter Hagen · 1930 Bobby Jones· 1931 Tommy Armour · 1932 Gene Sarazen · 1933 Denny Shute · 1934 Henry Cotton · 1935 Alf Perry · 1936 Alf Padgham · 1937 Henry Cotton · 1939 Richard Burton · 1940-45 No Championships due to World War II · 1946 Sam Snead · 1947 Fred Daly · 1948 Henry Cotton · 1949 Bobby Locke · 1950 Bobby Locke · 1951 Max Faulkner · 1952 Bobby Locke · 1953 Ben Hogan · 1954 Peter Thomson · 1955 Peter Thomson · 1956 Peter Thomson · 1957 Bobby Locke · 1958 Peter Thomson · 1959 Gary Player · 1960 Kel Nagle · 1961 Arnold Palmer · 1962 Arnold Palmer · 1963 Bob Charles · 1964 Tony Lema · 1965 Peter Thomson · 1966 Jack Nicklaus · 1967 Roberto DeVicenzo · 1968 Gary Player · 1969 Tony Jacklin · 1970 Jack Nicklaus · 1971 Lee Trevino · 1972 Lee Trevino · 1973 Tom Weiskopf · 1974 Gary Player · 1975 Tom Watson · 1976 Johnny Miller · 1977 Tom Watson · 1978 Jack Nicklaus · 1979 Severiano Ballesteros · 1980 Tom Watson · 1981 Bill Rogers · 1982 Tom Watson · 1983 Tom Watson · 1984 Severiano Ballesteros · 1985 Sandy Lyle · 1986 Greg Norman · 1987 Nick Faldo · 1988 Severiano Ballesteros · 1989 Mark Calcavecchia · 1990 Nick Faldo · 1991 Ian Baker-Finch · 1992 Nick Faldo · 1993 Greg Norman · 1994 Nick Price · 1995 John Daly · 1996 Tom Lehman · 1997 Justin Leonard · 1998 Mark O'Meara · 1999 Paul Lawrie · 2000 Tiger Woods · 2001 David Duval · 2002 Ernie Els · 2003 Ben Curtis · 2004 Todd Hamilton · 2005 Tiger Woods · 2006 Tiger Woods · 2007 Pádraig Harrington
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Charles_%28golfer%29"
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