12. 10.2012
for all the oomph of golf’s youth movement, veterans
continue to have days when the numbers on a birth
certificate have nothing to do with those on a score-
card. few occasions have been sweeter for an elder
golfer than the one enjoyed yesterday by peter senior,
who at 53 scored an age-defying victory over a field
of young bucks in the australian open at the lakes
in sydney. on a day when play was suspended for
three hours because of winds gusting up to 50 miles
per hour, the crafty senior outclassed the field with
an even-par 72 to win his second australian open 23
years after his first and become—by far—the oldest
golfer to win his venerable championship, surpass-
ing peter thomson, who was 43 when he won in
1972. “it doesn’t get any better than this,” said senior,
the broomstick-putter wielding player who has lost
three playoffs on the champions tour. always known
as a sound ball-striker, the affable senior, with son
mitch as his caddie, was steady as others struggled
in the strong winds including third-round leader
John senden (82), adam scott (76), geoff ogilvy
(77) and Justin rose (76). Just two years ago, when
he was 51, senior proved his game still had some
horsepower when he won the australian pga. senior
is five months older than sam snead was when he
triumphed at the 1965 greater greensboro open, set-
ting a pga tour record of 52 years, 10 months and 8
days. —Bill Fields (@BillFields1)
senior sets
oz open age mark 01
ryan pierse/getty images
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