PGA of Australia launch centenary celebrations
The PGA of Australia launched their centenary celebrations yesterday, with two of the world’s greatest golfers in attendance.
The PGA of Australia was formed 100 years ago and they are celebrating this milestone with a series of events and the intention to launch a PGA Hall of Fame in the next 12 months.
On hand to kick off celebrations at The Mint in Sydney yesterday were living legends of the game, Kel Nagle and Peter Thomson. Nagle won The Open Championship in 1960 at St.Andrews with five other top-5 finishes. Thomson won The Open Championship five times and finished runner-up on two occasions.
The PGA announced a series of Member Days to be held at Royal venues in each state including Royal Sydney and Royal Melbourne where awards will be handed out to honour 100 of the PGA’s most outstanding Members.
The PGA of Australia also launched a new logo and website to commemorate the centenary year (http://www.pga.org.au/centenary) and named a host of Centenary ambassadors including Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Charlie Earp, Matt Jager, Mat Goggin, Col Swatton, Lisa Newling, Kevin Conlong, Peter Ormsby and Bruce Green.
PGA Member Greg Norman will take on the role of the PGA’s Centenary Patron for the next 12 months.
Like any organisation, there were signs that not all has been rosy in the history of PGA of Australia. Peter Stone wrote a largely cynical piece in the SHM today on the launch. He highlighted past PGA President Peter Thomson’s dig when looking at images of past PGA Championship winners.
“The pictures should be those of people at their work benches and in the [pro] shop because that, to me, is what the PGA of Australia is all about.” Thomson remarked.
On the surface, it appears the PGA of Australia have been doing all they can to repair old wounds and mistakes of the past and they can only be commended for commemorating the past and pushing Australian golf forward.
