Fifty years ago on the PGA Tour, the average total prize money was between $150 000 and $250 000. The first prize Jack Nicklaus received for winning the Heritage Classic was $40 000. The same tournament that was played this year was won by Justin Thomas, who received $3.6-million.

On the European Tour, events like the 1975 French Open had a total prize fund of £18 000, and the Spanish Open, which was won by Arnold Palmer had a total prize fund of £30 000. He won £3 731.

Jack Nicklaus led the World Money List (no surprise) with $298 149 for the year, which is less than 10% of what Justin Thomas got for his win at the RBC Heritage. That year I was the 55th Leading Money Winner and I led the European Tour Order of Merit, which earned me £20 507. For the year I had a total of four wins and 12 top-three finishes. Only three players won more than I did – Jack Nicklaus (6), Takashi Murakami (5) and Johnny Miller (5).

Murakami also had 14 top-three finishes. Gary Player had three wins and seven top-three finishes. Other South African players in the top 50 were John Fourie, Hugh Baiocchi and Allan Henning.

SA WINNERS AT THE OMEGA EUROPEAN MASTERS

Thriston Lawrence (2022)
Ernie Els (2003)
Jeff Hawkes (1991)
Dale Hayes (1975)
Hugh Baiocchi (1973, 1979)

Johnny Miller was at the height of his career and won three of the first five tournaments. He won the Phoenix Open by 14 shots, scoring 260, an average of 65s, and the Tucson Open, where he shot 263 and won by nine shots. At both these tournaments he shot rounds of 61. At the Bob Hope Classic he only won by three shots and had his first round in the 70s.

Andries Oosthuizen had just converted from being SA’s No 1 amateur to the professional ranks and, in addition to a third-place finish at the General Motors, he had a fabulous Open Championship at Carnoustie. He was tied for the lead after two rounds with the eventual winner, Tom Watson, as well as Peter Oosterhuis and Bobby Cole, who finished third. Oosthuizen was still in the hunt after a 70 in the third round, but he unfortunately shot 78 in the final round to finish 12th.

We had tons of International golfers playing in South Africa. At the PGA Championship, 27 international players made the cut. Names like John O’Leary, Roddy Carr, Peter Townsend, Tony Jacklin, Ian Mosey, Noel Hunt and Andrew Chandler – all from Britain. From the US we had Lee Trevino and Art Silverstone. It was also good to see names like Sewsunker (Papwa) Sewgolam, Solly Sepeng, Reggie Mamasela, Vincent Tshabalala and Richard Mogoerane all making cuts on the Sunshine Tour. Another regular on the Sunshine Tour was Baldovino Dassu, from Italy, who had a steady Tour.

It is also 50 years since that I won the Swiss Open, which is now known as the Omega European Masters.

Although I had won the Spanish Open in 1971, for some reason the DP World Tour didn’t count any events won before 1972 when the European Tour was officially launched. I think this is crazy because you get players like Peter Allis who won the Italian Open, Spanish Open and Portuguese Open in 1958, and these tournaments don’t count. Allis won a total of 31 tournaments, 15 of them on the British PGA circuit and four on the Continental European circuit. Another is Harold Henning who won over 40 professional tournaments, but is only credited with his Dutch Open win in 1981. He also won the Italian Open in 1957 and three Swiss Opens in 1960, 1964 and 1965. Crazy.

Crans-sur-Sierre is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. It is high up in the mountains, with golf being played in summer, and skiing taking place in winter

THE CHAMPION

See how Max Faulkner won the first Open Championship to be played in Northern Ireland, at Royal Portrush.

RBC HERITAGE/DP WORLD TOUR/OMEGA EUROPEAN MASTERS/X/JACK NICKLAUS MUSEUM