Mike Ferguson

Mike Ferguson (born 26 January 1952) is an Australian professional golfer. Ferguson was one of Australia's top golfers during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1977 he won the Western Australian Open for his breakthrough victory. Two years later he won back-to-back events, the Illawarra Open and Gold Coast Classic. In 1981, "his most successful year," In November 1974, he was in joint third place after the first round of the City of Auckland Classic, only behind Stewart Ginn and Tom Kite, tied with, among others, Hubert Green.

In the mid-1970s Ferguson started playing on the international scene. He would play on foreign circuits for the remainder of his career. As of February 1975, he was playing events on the Asia Golf Circuit. In 1975 Ferguson also started playing some events on the European Tour. Ferguson also played in Japan during this stage of his career. Ferguson finished in solo 5th, four behind champion Kel Nagle. Two weeks later he played the Western Australian Open. Ferguson started slowly, failing to break par the first two rounds. He got a new putter before the third round which changed his attitude. He shot a 67 (−5) on Saturday to put him in contention, two out of the lead jointly held by Chris Tickner, Vaughan Somers, and Barry Burgess. On Sunday, Ferguson birdied Mount Lawley's 2nd and 3rd holes to quickly tie the lead. The overnight leaders struggled and Ferguson held a two stroke lead at the turn. Ferguson, however, bogeyed the 10th to fall back to field. The remainder of the tournament would be "a tense affair." Ferguson parred the next three holes. He birdied the 14th but bogeyed the 15th. At the 16th, he drove the par-4 creating an easy birdie and clinching the win. He shot his second straight 67 (−5) to finish at 281 (−7). He defeated joint runner-ups Burgess and Somers by three and Tickner by four. It was Ferguson's first win. "I didn't think I was ever going to break through," he said immediately after the round.

Much later in the year Ferguson recorded two top-3 finishes. During the final round of the Queensland Open, Ferguson led "a charge" against leader Hal Underwood with eagles on the 9th and 11th. However, he "faltered on the back nine" and finished in a tie for third, two back of Underwood. A month and a half later, in November, he seriously competed at the Australian PGA Championship. During the second round, he played erratically, hitting three tee shots into the woods and bogeying the par-5 ninth hole. However, good recovery shots and an excellent short game helped him shoot a 67 (−5) to take the lead at 138 (−6). He did not play particularly well on the weekend but finished with an eagle and a birdie on the 70th and 72nd holes, respectively, to achieve solo second. Around this time he was regarded as "one of the talented young lions of Australian golf." He intended to try out for the PGA Tour later in the year at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. Late in the year he won two minor tournaments in the Australasian region. In September he won the Papua New Guinea Open, defeating Englishman Guy Wolstenholme by six shots. Shortly thereafter he won the Mount Isa tournament in Mount Isa, Queensland.

The following year Ferguson attempted to qualify for the 1979 Open Championship. Among the 19 Australians who attempted to qualify at the Lancashire courses, he was one of eight to succeed. It was the first major championship he qualified for. He missed the cut.

Late in 1979, he returned to the Australasian region and won back-to-back events. At the Illawarra Open he briefly took the first round lead on the front nine but double-bogeyed the 11th and bogeyed the next two holes. He was several shots behind Tom Linksey at this point. Starting the fourth round, he remained behind Linksey. Against "blustery conditions" the leaders fell apart, however, and Ferguson's 73 (+1) was enough to win by one. Linksey and Chris Tickner finished in second place. The following week, on September 27, he began play at the Gold Coast Classic. Aided by Stewart Ginn's triple bogey on the 15th hole of the third round, Ferguson took a three stroke lead entering Sunday. The lead expanded to five strokes after nine holes. However, Ferguson "frittered away" this lead over the course of the back nine and was tied with Ginn at the end of regulation. Ferguson, however, birdied the third sudden-death playoff hole to win. These were his first two official wins on the PGA Tour of Australia.

Late in 1979 had a number of other opportunities to win. In mid-October, Ferguson played the Garden State Victorian PGA Championship. He shot a third round 72 to place himself at 215 (−1), one back of joint lead between Ginn and Ian Stanley. He shot a disappointing 77 (+5) on Sunday, however, to finish in solo sixth, six out of a playoff. Two weeks after that, he played at the West Lakes Classic. He opened well with a 70 (−2), two back of the lead. He fell six behind entering the third round, however. On Saturday, Ferguson "headed the challenge" against leader Glen McCully. Playing against "chilling south-easterly winds," his third round 71 (−1) was among the best of the day. It included a 12-foot birdie on the 18th hole. He was at 213 (−3), in solo second, one behind McCully. He ultimately finished in a tie for fourth at 288 (E), three behind champion David Graham. In December, he played the South Seas Classic. Ferguson shot three consecutive rounds of 71 (−1) to position himself in third place, two back of Wayne Grady and one back of Greg Norman. In the final round, he shot a 73 and finished at 286 (−2), one behind champion Rick Mallicoat, tied with Grady for second.

In 1980, he once again qualified for the Open Championship. He shot a first round 78 (+7) but followed with a 70 (−1) to make the cut by a shot. He shot a third round 73 (+2) and missed the third round cut by two strokes. During the European summer he also won the Rolex Open, an unofficial event in Geneva, Switzerland. During the third round, he shot a 72 to finish at 213 (E), remaining within four of the lead. In the final round, he shot over par but still finished in the top five. In October, he played the Gold Coast Classic, defending his championship. He shot an opening round 67 (−5) to put him one back of Ian Baker-Finch's lead. After a second round 70 he remained in second place, one back. After another 70 he remained in contention, one back of leader Chris Tickner. He shot a disappointing final round 74, however, to finish in a tie for sixth, two back.

In the middle of 1981 he would have his best performance at a major championship. At the 1981 Open Championship he shot a 72 (+2) to make the second round cut. He was at 147 (+7). He shot a third round 71 (+1) to make the third round cut. Ferguson shot a final round 79 (+9) and finished at 297 (+17), in a tie for 52nd place. This was the only time he made the cut at a major championship.

Late in the year he won two state PGA championships in Australia. In October 1981, he played the New South Wales PGA Championship. He opened with a 66 (−6) to take the lead. Early in the third round, he made bogeys at the fourth and sixth to briefly lose the lead. However, he began to turn this around with a birdie at the 7th. At the 8th he made a 20-metre-chip for birdie. He later stated this was the "turning point" in the round. He would continue to play well on the back nine, shooting a 34 (−2), for a two shot lead over Brian Jones and John Kelly. In the final round, he shot a 33 (−3) on the front nine to create a four shot lead. He came back to the field after a double-bogey on the 11th. His lead was only one near the end of the tournament. However, his lead challenger Brian Jones sliced his 72nd hole tee shot in the water and made bogey. Ferguson won by two at 278 (−10). It was a wire-to-wire win.

In November he played the Australian Open. He opened poorly with a 74 and 76 to put himself six-over-par. He played much better during the final two rounds, shooting 71-69. His aggregate total was at 290 (+2) and he finished solo seventh. Among the players that made the cut, including champion Bill Rogers and runner-up Greg Norman, none scored better than Ferguson on the weekend.

In December 1981, he played at the Queensland PGA Championship. After opening with a 73 (+1) he shot a second round 68 (−4) to take a one stroke lead over Bob Shaw. In the third round, Ferguson extended his lead after a birdie-bogey exchange with Shaw on the second hole. He chipped in on the fourth for another birdie. Ferguson ultimately shot a 71 (−1), the second best round of the day on a "soggy course," to take a five shot lead entering the final round. This differential immediately tightened on Sunday's front nine as Ferguson shot a 38 (+2) and Shaw had gotten within two. Ferguson settled down with a four-metre birdie putt at the 10th. He then birdied the 16th and "cruised home" thereafter. He finished with a 73 (+1) to win by three over Shaw. At 285 (−3) he was the only player to finish under par. Late in the year he also won the Mount Isa tournament again. 1981 was later described as his "most successful year."

Ferguson then spent "several years in the golfing wilderness" failing to advance on his 1981 successes. Later in life Ferguson cited a "lack of maturity" and poor practice habits as reasons why he did not advance. 1983 Singapore Open, 1983 Scandinavian Enterprise Open, 1983 Queensland PGA Championship, 1984 Australian Masters, and 1986 Pocari Sweat Open. He also won an unofficial team event in Japan in 1985, the Acom Doubles with partner Brian Jones.

In the late 1980s Ferguson had more continuous success as a touring professional. In February 1987 he played the Rich River Classic. During the final round he shot a "brilliant" 65 (−7) to finish in solo second place, two behind Peter Senior. The following month, in January 1988, he recorded consecutive top tens at Sanctuary Cove Classic and Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup. In February he recorded a T-5 at the ESP Open at Royal Canberra Golf Club, shooting a 67 (−5) in the final round. In November, his aggregate 287 (−1) at the Tasmanian Open was good enough for solo fourth place.

The early 1990s were the final years Ferguson had highlights on the regular tours. In January, he played excellently at the Sanctuary Cove Classic held in his home state of Queensland. He shot a second round 67 (−5) to get into contention. On Sunday, with the struggles of the leaders Frank Nobilo and Rodger Davis, Ferguson took the solo lead by the 14th hole. He double-bogeyed the par-5 17th, however, "to blow his chances." He finished in a tie for third, two behind Davis. A year and half later, in November 1992, he achieved consecutive top-10s at the Ford Australian PGA Championship and Heineken Australian Open. The following year, 1993, would be the last full-time season during his regular tour career. His best finish overall that year was a tie for 14th at the Heineken Australian Open.

For the remainder of the 1990s Ferguson usually only played in a handful of events a year, if at all. Ferguson largely focused on his work at business during this era. "I pretty much gave up golf for a while and got tied up in a few business ventures," he stated later in life. Ferguson received some media attention in 1999 when his brother-in-law Payne Stewart died in a plane crash. Hours after his death he was interviewed by the Australian radio program "The World Today." He spoke to mourners at the funeral.

Senior career In January 2002 he turned 50. The previous year he had already earned with European Senior Tour's card at Qualifying School, finishing in 11th place. In 2002 he recorded two top-tens on the European Senior Tour. Later in the year he won the 2002 Australian PGA Seniors Championship.

Later in the year he intended to try to join the PGA Senior Tour in the United States.

In 2006 he played the New Zealand Senior PGA Championship. He entered the final round five shots behind leader Richard Beer. Playing against 40-60kmh winds, Ferguson shot a "brilliant" 68 to win the tournament by 5 shots. Several observers stated it was the best round they had ever seen at the Wairaki Golf Course. Ferguson stated after the round, "It's probably as good a round as I have ever played." He was one of only three players to break 80. The following year he largely stopped playing on the European Senior Tour.

As of 2017, he was still playing in some golf tournaments. That year he played in the Ladbrokes PGA Series Pro-Am.

Personal life Ferguson has lived in Queensland for most of his life. In 1952 he was born in Brisbane. Tracey met Stewart in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She was there to see Ferguson play in a golf tournament. SA PGA Senior Foursomes Championship (with Terry Price)

Other senior wins (2)

2003 Malaysian Senior Open 2006 New Zealand Senior PGA Championship

Results in major championships CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1980 and 1983 Open Championships) "T" = Tied Note: Ferguson only played in The Open Championship.

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