Australia’s five-time British Open winner Peter Thomson has died aged 88.
The first Australian to win the major died at his home in Melbourne at 9am on Wednesday (Midnight BST Tuesday), his family told PGA Australia (PGAA).
Thomson had suffered from Parkinson’s disease for more than four years, the body said.
Vale Peter Thomson AO CBE, a legend of Australian sport and an Immortal of the PGA of Australia
Our thoughts are with his family at this timehttps://t.co/6v0RjOnp5l pic.twitter.com/JdbKmgdxgc
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) June 20, 2018
Fellow star of Australian golf Karrie Webb said he was an “Aussie legend and true gentleman of the game”.
Aged 24, Thomson became one of the youngest winners of the British Open Championship with a victory at Royal Birkdale in 1954.
He went on to win the Claret Jug a further four times over the next decade, a record only matched by the US’s Tom Watson and Scotsman James Braid in the 20th century.
Born Vale Peter Thomson on August 23 1929 in Brunswick, Victoria, he began playing professionally at 19 and won his first open in New Zealand in 1950, a competition he would win on a further eight occasions.
His British Open victories in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958 and 1965 were among 89 professional tournament wins during his career.
I’m am so saddened to hear of the passing of our Aussie legend and true gentleman of the game, Peter Thomson. My heart goes out to his wife Mary and the rest of the Thompson family. So honoured to have been able to call Peter my friend. RIP Peter
— Karrie Webb (@Karrie_Webb) June 20, 2018
Thomson played only a few seasons in the US, which saw one victory at the 1956 Texas Open.
Made Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his service to golf in 1979, in 2001 he became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
He was awarded an honorary degree from St Andrews University in 2005 alongside British stars Peter Alliss and Nick Faldo.
He is survived by his wife Mary, son Andrew and daughters Deirdre Baker, Pan Prendergast and Fiona Stanway, his 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
