Bob Charles

Sir Robert James Charles (born 14 March 1936) is a New Zealand professional golfer who won the 1963 Open Championship, the first left-handed player to win a major championship. He won the 1954 New Zealand Open as an 18-year-old amateur and made the cut in the same event in 2007, at the age of 71. His achievements over that period, in which he won 80 tournaments, rank him as one of the most successful New Zealand golfers of all time. Along with Michael Campbell and Ryan Fox, he is one of only three New Zealanders to win a men's major golf championship.

Charles turned professional in late 1960 and for the next two years had some success in tournaments around the world. From 1963 until the mid-1970s he played mostly on the PGA Tour. He won five times on the tour and finished in the top-60 on the money list each year from 1963 to 1971, except 1966, and again in 1974. Later he played more on the European Tour before joining the Senior PGA Tour when he reached 50. He was very successful on the Senior PGA Tour with 23 titles between 1987 and 1996, and winning over $9 million between 1986 and 2008. In Britain, Charles won the 1963 Open Championship and the Senior British Open twice, in 1989 and 1993. These were later added as official wins on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour. In addition to his PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour wins, Charles won nine times in Europe, including the 1969 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship, and 25 times in domestic New Zealand tournaments. He also won a number of other seniors events around the world, including in South Africa, Japan and Australia.

Early life Born in Carterton, a small town in the Wairarapa district in New Zealand's North Island, Charles lived in Masterton, where he worked as a bank teller, before moving to Christchurch in mid-1956.

Amateur career Charles came to prominence when he won the New Zealand Open at Wellington Golf Club in November 1954, as an 18-year-old amateur, finishing two strokes ahead of Bruce Crampton and four ahead of Peter Thomson. Charles also reached the final of the New Zealand Amateur in October 1956 at Christchurch Golf Club, but lost again, 3&2 to the Tasmanian Peter Toogood. In September 1956 Charles had been a member of the 4-man New Zealand team in the Sloan Morpeth Trophy match against Australia at Wanganui. Australia won the contest but Charles won his singles match. He also played in the 1958 Open Championship at Royal Lytham where he qualified after rounds of 74 and 73. He started well in the Championship with a 71 but missed the cut after a second round 79.

Charles was selected for the 4-man New Zealand team for the inaugural Eisenhower Trophy competition on the Old Course at St Andrews in October 1958. New Zealand led by three strokes after 3 of the 4 rounds. However a poor last day left then in fourth place. John Durry took 83, including a 10 at the 14th hole. Charles took 81 and with three of the four scores counting, New Zealand finished three strokes behind the leaders. Despite his poor last round Charles had the best four-round aggregate among the New Zealand team.

Charles played in the 1959 Commonwealth Tournament in Johannesburg. New Zealand finished third of the five teams. Charles also played in the 1960 Eisenhower Trophy in the United States. The contest was dominated by the Americans who won by 42 strokes. New Zealand finished fifth, with Charles again the best of the team. Soon after turning professional, Charles won a 36-hole event at Queens Park, Invercargill, eight strokes ahead of Kel Nagle. In early 1961, Charles played on the South African circuit. Had a number of good finishes and was runner-up in the Dunlop South African Masters behind Denis Hutchinson. Charles then travelled to Europe. He won the 36-hole Bowmaker Tournament, two strokes ahead of Hutchinson and Nagle, and had a number of top finishes including a tied for 4th place in the Martini International. He led the qualifiers for the 1961 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale after rounds of 66 and 70. He started with a 72 but missed the cut after a second round 84, played in difficult conditions. Returning to New Zealand, in October he won the Caltex Tournament, by 4 strokes from Nagle, and then the New Zealand PGA Championship. He received an invitation for the 1962 Masters Tournament in April. He made the cut and tied for 25th place. Returning to the continent he won the Engadine Open in Switzerland, lost a playoff to Max Faulkner in the Woodlawn International Invitational in West Germany, and won the Swiss Open in successive weeks. He had three other top-5 finishes and finished the year 27th in the money list with $23,636. In late June he travelled to Britain and was third in the Dunlop Masters. Two weeks later, he won The Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. After four rounds (68-72-66-71) his 277 was level with American Phil Rodgers. Charles won the 36-hole playoff by eight shots. Later in the year he played on the New Zealand Golf Circuit, winning the Wattie's Tournament, and competing in the 1963 Canada Cup in Paris. Charles had a very poor season on the 1966 PGA Tour. His only top-10 finish came towards the end of the season and he only won $8,472, to finish 87th in the official money list.

Charles showed a return to form in 1967, with eight top-10 finishes on the 1967 PGA Tour, including winning the Atlanta Classic. Charles had another successful season on the 1968 PGA Tour, with a win in the Canadian Open, and six other top-10s in official events. He played in the 1968 World Cup in Italy, where the New Zealand pair finished seventh. Despite his lack of success in America, he won a number of tournaments around the world. He won the John Player Classic and the Dunlop Masters on the 1972 European Tour and the Scandinavian Enterprise Open on the tour in 1973. Charles also won three events on the New Zealand Golf Circuit, the Air New Zealand Shell Open in late 1978 and the New Zealand PGA Championship in early 1979 and in early 1980. He had a final round 70 to finish in a tie for 23rd place.

Senior golf Charles's played on the Senior PGA Tour (now called PGA Tour Champions) after turning 50.

Charles was a regular competitor in the Senior British Open from its founding in 1987. As well as winning twice, he was a runner-up 6 times between 1987 and 2001. During this period he rarely played in European Seniors Tour events but as he had less success in America he played more in European tournaments. Apart from his Senior British Open wins he never won a European senior event, although he finished runner-up in the 2007 Wentworth Senior Masters at the age of 71.

Personal life In December 1962, Charles married Verity Joan Aldridge in Johannesburg, South Africa. They met three years previously at the Commonwealth Golf tournament when it was held in South Africa. The golfers Denis Hutchinson and Bobby Verwey served as groomsmen. They had two children, Beverly and David.

Awards and honors In the 1971 Queen's Birthday Honours, Charles was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to sport. In the 1992 New Year Honours, he was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to golf. In the 1999 New Year Honours, Charles was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to golf. In the 2011 New Year Honours, Charles was appointed as a Member of the Order of New Zealand, New Zealand's highest civilian honour, for services to New Zealand.

Professional wins (80) PGA Tour wins (6) LegendMajor championships (1)Other PGA Tour (5)

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PGA Tour playoff record (1–2)

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European Tour wins (4)

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European Tour playoff record (0–1)

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Southern Africa Tour wins (1) Source:

New Zealand Golf Circuit wins (20)

New Zealand Golf Circuit playoff record (0–1) Sources:

Tournament Players Series wins (1)

Tournament Players Series playoff record (1–0) Source:

Other European wins (6)

Other New Zealand wins (5)

Senior PGA Tour wins (25) LegendSenior major championships (2)Other Senior PGA Tour (23)

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Other senior wins (13) 1986 Mazda Champions (with Amy Alcott) 1987 Mauna Lani Seniors Challenge 1988 First National Bank Seniors Classic, Fuji Electric Grand Slam 1989 Fuji Electric Grand Slam 1990 Fuji Electric Grand Slam, Kintetsu Home Senior, Daikyo Legends of Golf 1991 Kintetsu Home Senior 1998 Office Depot Father/Son Challenge (with son David) 2004 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Raphael Division (with Stewart Ginn) 2009 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Gary Player) 2010 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Gary Player)

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Playoff record PGA Tour of Australia playoff record (0–1)

Major championships

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

Results timeline Amateur

Professional

CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1976 Open Championship) WD = withdrew QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play "T" indicates a tie for a place.

Summary Most consecutive cuts made – 11 (1962 Masters – 1965 Masters)

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Senior major championships Wins (2) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunner(s)-up 1989 Volvo Seniors' British Open−11 (70-68-65-66=269)7 strokes Billy Casper 1993 Senior British Open (2) +3 (73-73-71-74=291)1 stroke Tommy Horton, Gary Player

Team appearances Amateur Eisenhower Trophy (representing New Zealand): 1958, 1960 Commonwealth Tournament (representing New Zealand): 1959 Sloan Morpeth Trophy (representing New Zealand): 1956

Professional World Cup (representing New Zealand): 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1972 Hennessy Cognac Cup (representing the Rest of the World): 1982 Dunhill Cup (representing New Zealand): 1985, 1986