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| Kel Nagle, Who Staved Off Palmer to Win ’60 British Open, Dies at 94 | |
| (2 days later) | |
| Kel Nagle, one of Australia’s greatest golfers, who quashed Arnold Palmer’s attempt to win his third straight major tournament when he staved off Palmer’s rally to capture the 1960 British Open, has died in Sydney. He was 94. | Kel Nagle, one of Australia’s greatest golfers, who quashed Arnold Palmer’s attempt to win his third straight major tournament when he staved off Palmer’s rally to capture the 1960 British Open, has died in Sydney. He was 94. |
| The Professional Golfers Association of Australia reported the death on its website on Thursday, saying Nagle had died overnight. | The Professional Golfers Association of Australia reported the death on its website on Thursday, saying Nagle had died overnight. |
| A latecomer to competitive golf, especially by today’s standards, Nagle did not take up the game until he was in his midteens and did not play seriously until his mid-20s. Still, he went on to be the most prolific winner in the history of the South Pacific circuit, now known as the PGA Tour of Australasia. He won 61 tournaments, including an Australian Open, six Australian PGA tournaments, seven New Zealand Opens and seven New Zealand PGAs. | A latecomer to competitive golf, especially by today’s standards, Nagle did not take up the game until he was in his midteens and did not play seriously until his mid-20s. Still, he went on to be the most prolific winner in the history of the South Pacific circuit, now known as the PGA Tour of Australasia. He won 61 tournaments, including an Australian Open, six Australian PGA tournaments, seven New Zealand Opens and seven New Zealand PGAs. |
| He was 39 and largely unknown among golf fans in the Western Hemisphere when he seized the lead in the third round of the 1960 British Open — known officially as the Open Championship — at the St. Andrews course in Scotland. He barely held on. | He was 39 and largely unknown among golf fans in the Western Hemisphere when he seized the lead in the third round of the 1960 British Open — known officially as the Open Championship — at the St. Andrews course in Scotland. He barely held on. |
| Palmer, then the sport’s biggest star, was making his first trip to the Open for its 100th anniversary; he had already won six tournaments in 1960, including two majors, the Masters and the United States Open, but he started slowly, and as the final round began, he was four strokes behind Nagle. | Palmer, then the sport’s biggest star, was making his first trip to the Open for its 100th anniversary; he had already won six tournaments in 1960, including two majors, the Masters and the United States Open, but he started slowly, and as the final round began, he was four strokes behind Nagle. |
| Mounting a furious charge, Palmer nearly pulled even after scoring birdies on the final two holes. Nagle was on the 17th green, facing a difficult 10-foot putt, when a roar went up at the 18th green: Palmer had made his birdie. If Nagle missed his putt, the score would be tied, but he coolly drained it and finished the round with a par on 18, winning the championship by a single stroke. | Mounting a furious charge, Palmer nearly pulled even after scoring birdies on the final two holes. Nagle was on the 17th green, facing a difficult 10-foot putt, when a roar went up at the 18th green: Palmer had made his birdie. If Nagle missed his putt, the score would be tied, but he coolly drained it and finished the round with a par on 18, winning the championship by a single stroke. |
| In 1965, after four rounds of the U.S. Open, played that year in St. Louis, at the Bellerive Country Club, he was tied with the South African star Gary Player. Player won the 18-hole playoff the following day, but only after one of the oddest occurrences in golf history. | In 1965, after four rounds of the U.S. Open, played that year in St. Louis, at the Bellerive Country Club, he was tied with the South African star Gary Player. Player won the 18-hole playoff the following day, but only after one of the oddest occurrences in golf history. |
| On the fifth hole, Nagle, who was known for his mild and gentlemanly manner — his nickname in Australia was Mr. Modesty — hit a tee shot that veered toward the rough and struck a female spectator on the head, leaving her bleeding and in the care of two nurses, who had cut across the fairway in a golf cart to her rescue. The woman was still lying on the course just a few feet from Nagle as he lined up his next shot. Unnerved, he hit another woman in the ankle. | On the fifth hole, Nagle, who was known for his mild and gentlemanly manner — his nickname in Australia was Mr. Modesty — hit a tee shot that veered toward the rough and struck a female spectator on the head, leaving her bleeding and in the care of two nurses, who had cut across the fairway in a golf cart to her rescue. The woman was still lying on the course just a few feet from Nagle as he lined up his next shot. Unnerved, he hit another woman in the ankle. |
| “Of course it upset me,” Nagle said afterward. “When you see a ball go down a fairway, and then you see a woman with blood all over her, it hurts. And especially when your next shot does the same thing.” | “Of course it upset me,” Nagle said afterward. “When you see a ball go down a fairway, and then you see a woman with blood all over her, it hurts. And especially when your next shot does the same thing.” |
| Neither woman was seriously hurt. The woman with the head injury was taken to the hospital and received eight stitches and returned to the course in time to speak to Nagle, telling him not to worry, that the injury was not so bad. He reached into his bag and gave her three golf balls. | Neither woman was seriously hurt. The woman with the head injury was taken to the hospital and received eight stitches and returned to the course in time to speak to Nagle, telling him not to worry, that the injury was not so bad. He reached into his bag and gave her three golf balls. |
| “I’m sorry that is all I have to give you,” he said, “but I’m so glad you are all right.” | “I’m sorry that is all I have to give you,” he said, “but I’m so glad you are all right.” |
| Player was asked afterward whether he thought the episode had been the turning point of the round, which he won by three strokes. | Player was asked afterward whether he thought the episode had been the turning point of the round, which he won by three strokes. |
| “I don’t know,” Player said. | “I don’t know,” Player said. |
| Kelvin Nagle (some sources say his full name was Kelvin David George Nagle) was born in the Sydney area on Dec. 21, 1920. He began golfing when he was 15 or 16 after working as a caddy and in the shop at a golf course near his home. At 19, he entered military service and served during World War II. | Kelvin Nagle (some sources say his full name was Kelvin David George Nagle) was born in the Sydney area on Dec. 21, 1920. He began golfing when he was 15 or 16 after working as a caddy and in the shop at a golf course near his home. At 19, he entered military service and served during World War II. |
| He took up golf again in earnest and, by 1949 he had won his first Australian PGA title. Even so, early in his career he was a long hitter with little control over his shots, and after a trip to the United States in 1951 (during which, he recalled years later, “I was in the boonies all the time — the rough”), he modified his approach, working on a shorter swing and polishing his chipping and putting until he became known for his short game. | He took up golf again in earnest and, by 1949 he had won his first Australian PGA title. Even so, early in his career he was a long hitter with little control over his shots, and after a trip to the United States in 1951 (during which, he recalled years later, “I was in the boonies all the time — the rough”), he modified his approach, working on a shorter swing and polishing his chipping and putting until he became known for his short game. |
| During the best stretch of his career, from 1960 to ’66, he finished in the top five at the British Open every year but one, won the French and Swiss Opens in 1961, and the Canadian Open in 1964, edging out Palmer again. | During the best stretch of his career, from 1960 to ’66, he finished in the top five at the British Open every year but one, won the French and Swiss Opens in 1961, and the Canadian Open in 1964, edging out Palmer again. |
| He played in professional competition as a senior into the 1980s. In 2007, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. | He played in professional competition as a senior into the 1980s. In 2007, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. |
| Information about survivors was not available. | Information about survivors was not available. |