Charles back in Britain

Press, 9 July 1986, Page 31

Charles back in Britain

By

ROBIN CHARTERIS

in London Bob Charles is back in Britain for his twenty-sixth British Open golf championship. He returned on Monday from the United States with SUSIOI,OOO ($186,000) earned from nine tournaments on the Seniors circuit

Charles, British Open champion in 1963, is making his first appearance on the United States Seniors circuit after his fiftieth birthday last year and looks set to play most of his future golf there. However, the Open has always had a special appeal for him.

Charles said before last year’s British Open at Sandwich that it would probably be his last, but a three-round score of 215 and sixth-equal place with seven holes to play helped change his mind. Muscle spasms forced him to withdraw then for the first time in his career, but he was so pleassed with his game he vowed to play in the 1986 Open at Turnberry, a course he has always liked.

Charles won an invitation pro-am there last year against some of the world’s top players with two par rounds of 70. The New Zealand lefthander first played in the Open in 1958 as an amateur. He returned in 1961 as a professional and has played every year but one since. Only Gary Player, now entered for the thirtieth time, and perhaps Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle and Neil Coles, have competed in more Opens than Charles. After further Seniors tournaments in the United States, Charles will return to New Zealand in November.