Christy O'Connor Snr
| Christy O'Connor Snr | |
|---|---|
| — Golfer — | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Patrick Christopher O'Connor |
| Born |
21 December 1924 Knocknacarra, Galway |
| Died | 14 May 2016 (aged 91) Dublin, Ireland |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 203 lb (92 kg; 14.5 st) |
| Nationality |
 Ireland
|
| Residence | Clontarf, Dublin |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1951 |
| Former tour(s) |
European Tour European Seniors Tour |
| Professional wins | 63 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| European Tour | 1 |
| Best results in major championships |
|
| Masters Tournament | DNP |
| U.S. Open | DNP |
| The Open Championship | T2: 1965 |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 2009 (member page) |
| Harry Vardon Trophy | 1961, 1962 |
Patrick Christopher "Christy" O'Connor (21 December 1924 – 14 May 2016) was an Irish professional golfer. He was one of the leading golfers on the British and Irish circuit from the mid-1950s.
O'Connor won over 20 important British and Irish tournaments and finished in the top 10 in the Open Championship on 10 occasions. Later he had considerable success in seniors events, twice winning the World Senior Championship. In team events he played in 10 successive Ryder Cup matches and played in 15 Canada Cup/World Cup matches for Ireland, winning the Canada Cup in 1958 in partnership with Harry Bradshaw.
Born in Knocknacarra, Galway in 1924, O'Connor caught his first glimpse of golf at the nearby Galway Golf Club, and from the age of 10 spent most of his spare time there. His foray into professional golf began with caddying, first at Galway and then over at Tuam Golf Club. He turned professional in 1951, with Tuam members funding his first tournament at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Antrim that same year. His 19th-place finish garnered an membership invitation from Bundoran Golf Club in Donegal, which he accepted.
O'Connor first professional win was at the Swallow-Penfold Tournament held in 1955, the first £1,000 prize to be offered in British golf. He went on to win the 1956 and 1959 British Masters. In 1958, he helped Ireland to win the Canada Cup in Mexico City playing with Harry Bradshaw. A year later, he moved to Dublin and joined the The Royal Dublin Golf Club. Throughout the 1960s he won at least one professional event during each year on the British Tour, a level of consistent success matched by very few other players. O'Connor rarely played professional tournaments outside Britain or Ireland, at one stage saying he forgoed playing at the US Masters in Augusta because he couldn't afford to participate.
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Wikipedia