1960-67. His greatest moment at 1963 Open.
Bob Charles won the 1954 New Zealand Open whilst still an Amateur,but it
was a further six years before he left his job as a bank clerk to join
the paid ranks. The following year Bob won the New Zealand PGA
Championship but with the lack of opportunities in his home country he
played much of that year on the European Tour. His first victory in
Europe came in the 1961 Bowmaker Tournament and in 1962 he finished in a
creditable fifth place in the Open at Troon,albeit 14 shots back on the
winner Arnold Palmer. Charles played most of his golf on the US Tour
during 1962 and the following year he won his first event in America
when capturing the Houston Open.
That same year came his greatest moment
with victory in the Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
His rounds of 68,72,66 & 71 saw him level with Phil Rodgers, which
meant a 36 hole play-off the following day. Charles was not to be denied
and cantered home by eight clear shots,mainly thanks to his exquisite
putting. In the morning round he needed a mere 26 putts and in the
afternoon a further 31 to give him his first and only major title. There
was a third place finish the following year at the US Open in a
tournament won by Ken Venturi but there was to be no further challenge
for a major until 1968. In between times there were victories in the
1965 Tucson Open and the 1967 Atlantic Classic on the US Tour whilst in
his homeland Bob triumphed in the Watties Open and New Zealand Open of
1966 and the Caltex Open of 1967. (David Scranage)
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1968 onwards. So close to second major in '68 Open.
The year of 1968 saw Bob Charles go close on two occasions to adding to
that one major that he had won back in the 1963 Open at Troon. The Open
Championship at Carnoustie was particularly frustrating for the
left-handed New Zealander as he could manage only a disappointing
closing round 76 to finish two strokes behind Gary Player. He had gone
into that final round one shot to the good on the South African after
opening efforts of 72,72 & 71 but that 76 was to prove his undoing
and he had to settle for a share of second place. Later that year in the
US PGA he was pipped by just one stroke by Julius Boros in what was his
best performance in a major on American soil. Going into the final
round the pair were all-square but Boros shot 69 to Charles' 70 and the
title was his.
The following year there was Open Championship heartbreak
as he lost out to Tony Jacklin,once more by two strokes. Bob had opened
the tournament in quite magnificent fashion with rounds of 66 and 69
but paid the price for his third round 75. Both men shot 72's on the
last day to give Jacklin the title and that proved to be the nearest
that Charles would get to that elusive second major. He was third in the
US Open the following year,once more behind that man Jacklin,but was
never really a threat and finished the tournament eight strokes back on
the Englishman. Charles continued to win on a fairly regular basis
during the 1970's with his last tournament victory coming in the 1983
Tallahassee Open. Bob Charles is,without doubt,the finest player that
New Zealand has produced and to this day he is a highly successful
performer on the US Seniors Tour. (David Scranage)
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PGA TOUR VICTORIES.
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of victory Runner(s)-up
1 21 Apr 1963 Houston Classic −12 (67-66-66-69=268) 1 stroke Fred Hawkins
2 13 Jul 1963 The Open Championship −7 (68-72-66-71=277) Playoff Phil Rodgers
3 21 Feb 1965 Tucson Open Invitational −17 (65-69-67-70=271) 4 strokes Al Geiberger
4 1 Oct 1967 Atlanta Classic −6 (72-71-69-70=282) 2 strokes Tommy Bolt, Dick Crawford, Gardner Dickinson
5 23 Jun 1968 Canadian Open −10 (70-68-70-66=274) 2 strokes Jack Nicklaus
6 7 Apr 1974 Greater Greensboro Open - 14 (65-70-67-68=270) 1 stroke Raymond Floyd, Lee Trevino.
European Tour wins (4)
1972 John Player Classic, Dunlop Masters
1973 Scandinavian Enterprise Open
1974 Swiss Open
Australasian wins (8)
1954 New Zealand Open (as an amateur)
1961 New Zealand PGA Championship
1966 New Zealand Open
1970 New Zealand Open
1973 New Zealand Open
1978 Air New Zealand/Shell Open
1979 New Zealand PGA Championship
1980 New Zealand PGA Championship
Other wins (12)
1961 Bowmaker Tournament, Caltex Open
1962 Daks Tournament (tie with Dai Rees), Caltex Open, Swiss Open
1963 Watties Open
1966 Watties Open, Caltex Open
1968 Watties Open
1969 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship
1973 South African Open
1983 Tallahassee Open