Tributes have begun pouring in from around the world after the passing of five-times Open Championship winner and Australian golf legend Peter Thomson who died on Wednesday. He was 88.

Golf Australia reported Thomson had been suffering from Parkinson’s for more than four years and lost his “brave battle” with the disease at 9am (Australian time) on Wednesday. He was at home in Melbourne surrounded by family.

Born on 23 August 1929, Thomson was two months short of his 89th birthday. He won the Open five times between 1954 and 1965, a record equalled in the 20th and 21st Centuries only by American Tom Watson. He won the New Zealand Open a record nine times.

On the American senior circuit he won nine times in 1985, setting a record that may never be broken. As well as legendary deeds on the course, Golf Australia paid tribute to Thomson as an “an outstanding contributor to the game”, having served as president of the Australian PGA for 32 years, designing and building courses in Australia and around the world, helping establish the Asian Tour and working behind the scenes for the Odyssey House drug rehabilitation organisation where he was chairman for five years. He also wrote for newspapers and magazines for more than 60 years and was patron of the Australian Golf Writers Association.

In 1979 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his service to golf and in 2001 became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his contributions as a player and administrator and for community service.

Thomson  is survived by his wife Mary, son Andrew and daughters Deirdre Baker, Pan Prendergast and Fiona Stanway, their spouses, 11 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

More to follow…