Former Ryder Cup player Malcolm Gregson passes away – Golf News

Malcolm Gregson, a member of the 1967 Nice Britain Ryder Cup staff, and a stalwart of the early years of the European Tour, has handed away on the age of 80.

Born in Leicester, and educated at Millfield Faculty in Somerset, Gregson confirmed nice promise as a golfer in his early teenagers when, per week after his 14th  birthday, he reached the final 16 of the Boys’ Beginner Championship. He adopted up by twice representing England Boys of their annual encounter with Scotland and, on turning skilled in 1961, joined Pat Keene as an assistant at Moor Park Golf Membership in Hertfordshire.

Attachments with Dyrham Park, West Sussex, Moor Allerton, Badgemore Park and Almaina Park Golf Golf equipment adopted, however not earlier than Malcolm had confirmed that early promise in 1964. He received the Gor-Ray-sponsored PGA Assistants’ Championship at Hartsbourne after which delivered what proved to be his greatest Open Championship efficiency by ending nineteenth at St Andrews. He performed his last two rounds of the championship in tandem with Gary Participant.

In 1967 he received the Schweppes-sponsored PGA Championship at Hunstanton and in doing so turned solely the third participant after Dai Rees and Peter Alliss to finish the PGA Assistants’ and PGA Championship double, a trio that later changed into a quintet with the additions of Tony Jacklin and Neil Coles.

Gregson went into it buoyed by two extra event successes – the Daks at Wentworth and Martini Worldwide at Fulford – and being awarded the Harry Vardon trophy for profitable the event gamers’ Order of Advantage.

The journey to Texas for the 1967 Ryder Cup, against this, proved to be a chastening expertise for Gregson and his Nice Britain teammates. The previous misplaced all 4 of his matches and Nice Britain, captained by Dan Rees, completed 15 factors adrift of their hosts on the Champions Golf Membership in Houston, with the rating ending 23.5-8.5 – a report defeat. Ben Hogan captained the 10-man US staff that included Arnold Palmer, Homosexual Brewer, Doug Sanders, Julian Boros and Al Geiberger.

Regardless of the disappointing consequence, Gregson retained fond recollections of the expertise, not least overhearing Ben Hogan, the American captain’s staff discuss. “We watched and listened to as greatest we might in our locker room to Ben Hogan’s opening staff discuss,” he recalled. “You’d have thought that Messrs. Palmer, Boros, Casper, Sanders, Littler, Brewer, Dickinson, Geiberger, Pott and Nichols had been all naughty faculty boys being instructed by their headmaster. Then, when it was time to heat up on the vary, the Individuals needed to watch Mr Hogan practise first … Little question to realize inspiration!”

By way of heading in the right direction success, Gregson fared considerably higher whereas representing England with Alliss within the World Cup which was performed a number of weeks later Mexico Metropolis. He completed tied sixth within the particular person standings and his scorching streak in home tournaments continued seven months later when he received the Daks for the second 12 months operating. That turned out to be his final event victory in what turned the European Tour in 1974 and, having certified for the PGA Tour in October 1968, success within the USA proved equally elusive.

He made his debut on the European Senior Tour in 1993 and went on to play in additional than 200 occasions, profitable 5 of them earlier than making his last look in 2008. His final victory got here in 2004 when he received the De Vere Northumberland Seniors Basic at Slaley Corridor together with his 13-year-old son Matthew on the bag.