News

Australian Golf Legend Peter Thomson Dies At 88; Tributes Pour In

Australian golf icon Peter Thomson died at age 88 in Melbourne on Wednesday.

Australian Golf Icon Peter Thomson Dies

Golf Australia, the sport’s governing body in the nation, said in a statement that Thomson had been treated for Parkinson’s disease for the last four years. Thomson won five British Opens between 1954 and 1965, and was the only golfer last century to have won that tournament three years in a row.

Thomson also played in the U.S., although not for many seasons, as he was not accustomed to American courses.

SLIDESHOW: 30 Best Sports Instagrams!

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

In 1985, Thomson won a record nine times on the American Senior Tour. Thomson reportedly played a large role in promoting professional golf in the Far East during the 1960s.

Thomson’s first pro title came in 1950, when he won his first New Zealand Open championship. According to the New York Times, he also once ran for political office. In 1982, Thomson lost a race for a seat in Australia’s Victoria State Parliament.

In 1988, Thomas was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and also into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985. He retired from pro golf in the 1970s.

Thomson also served as president of the Australian PGA from 1962 to 1994. In old age, he spent more time designing international golf courses.

SLIDESHOW: 10 Highest-Paid Athletes

Thomson is survived by his wife Mary, his son Andrew, his daughters Pan Prendergast, Deirdre Baker, and Fiona Stanway, 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, according to the Times. 

Here are some tributes to Thomson posted to social media on Wednesday:

 

Pablo Mena

Writer and assistant editor for usports.org. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.

Recent Posts

Paul George Exits With Knee Injury As 76ers Fall To 2-12 In Loss To Grizzlies

With their big three finally back in action Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers suffered another setback…

3 hours ago

VIDEO: Nike Pays Tribute to Rafael Nadal With 30-Foot Projection In Front of Eiffel Tower

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tny--EWynOQ Nike paid tribute to Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal with a 10-meter-tall animated display…

21 hours ago

VIDEO: Rafael Nadal Gets Emotional Tribute as He Retires From Tennis

https://youtu.be/dtJoJz9hC48 Tennis legend Rafael Nadal bid a heartfelt goodbye to his devoted Spanish fans as he brought…

21 hours ago

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Fencer Eli Dershwitz Explains The Art Of Fencing

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DQ9Rxhnuer4 U.S. Olympic fencer Eli Dershwitz shed light on the critical skills necessary in fencing…

2 days ago

Two Bears Offensive Linemen Return To Practice, Caleb Williams Desperate For Blocking

Two offensive linemen for the Chicago Bears returned to practice, a massive step in the…

3 days ago

VIDEO: UFC Heavyweight Champion Performs Viral Trump Dance In New York

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s2g9t_33Myw President-elect Donald Trump received a warm welcome from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Jon…

4 days ago