Peter Thomson

Born: August 23, 1929

Height: 5 ft 10 in

Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia

Turned Pro: 1947

Australian Peter Thomson won all over the globe during a professional career that lasted more than four decades. He won 88 tournaments in all, including the national championships in ten different countries. More importantly, he won the Open Championship five times during his career, a run that included three consecutive championships from 1954-1956.

By and large, Thomson eschewed the American PGA Tour. Thomson preferred flat, fast conditions as opposed to the longer, well-watered courses common in the U.S. He played on the PGA in 1953 and 1954 where he finished 44th and 25th on the money list. After that, Thomson played sparingly in the states. Thomson did find success in the U.S. in 1956 however, winning the purse-rich Texas International and finishing 4th at the U.S. Open. He also finished 5th at the 1957 Masters. Thomson never competed in the PGA Championship.

Seven years after his 4th Open Championship win, Thomson collected a 5th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

After turning 50, Thomson took a second crack at golf in the United States where he completed on the Senior (now called the Champions Tour) Tour. Thomson won 11 times on the Senior Tour, including nine victories in a single year (1985) and the 1984 PGA Seniors Championship.

Thomson began playing as a young boy at Royal Park in Melbourne. By 15, he won the club championship. After that he served a two-year apprenticeship and then became a professional.

Thomson also has been a lifelong golf writer – penning columns for the Melbourne Age for more than 50 years. Thomson also was active in golf course design. Thomson was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988.