Former Open champion passes away

Former Open winner and Honorary Member of The PGA Kel Nagle has passed away aged 94 in his native Sydney.

The North Sydney-born club professional turned tour ace won 81 professional titles during a glittering career in the game, including the centenary Open at St Andrews in 1960 where he defeated Arnold Palmer by one shot.

He is one of only four Australians to have won British golf’s biggest event, his victory marking the first of seven top 10 finishes at the Open during the 60s.

He returned to Britain in the early 70s to scoop three PGA Seniors Championship titles.

Nagle, who turned pro in 1946, was famed for winning a tournament every year from 1949 to 1975, a golden period spanning 26 years which ultimately led to him being elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2007.

One of Australia’s most popular golfers, his record of 61 wins on the Australasian PGA Tour remains to this day.

Many of these were achieved while also working as PGA Professional at Pymble Golf Club in Sydney.

His first win came in the Australian PGA Championship, an event he would go on to win a record five times.

Nagle would then move to the States, playing in more than 200 events across the USPGA Tour and the Champions Tour.

PGA of Australia chief executive Brian Thorburn said: “It’s a sad day for golf. We’ve lost a champion of our game.”