Sir Bob Prevails

Twenty-eight-year-old, British golfer Richard Finch won the New Zealand open on Sunday, his first professional win, but it was 71-year-old Bob Charles that grabbed the tournament spotlight. Sir Bob (he was knighted in his native New Zealand in 1999) was the oldest man to ever make the cut on a major non-seniors tour, and finished a very respectable 23rd at 4 under par. 

Ironically, the New Zealand Open was also the occasion for Charles’ first tournament win, in 1954 as an 18-year-old amateur. Since that time, Charles has won six PGA tournaments, eight European tourneys, and 23 events on the Champions Tour. The highlight of his career was his 1963 win at the British Open.