It was Peter Thomson’s 80th birthday yesterday, Sunday August 23rd, and Peter celebrated with family and friends in Melbourne. We have received many messages and birthday greetings from around the world, wishing Peter well on his special day. Here are just a few of the tributes…

Jack Nicklaus
“Peter Thomson has been a great ambassador for Australia and a global ambassador for the game of golf.

“I remember when I was 17 years old playing in my first US Open and my first major championship. It was at Inverness and although I missed the cut, I went out the next day and crawled on my hands and knees up the back of one tee to watch Peter Thomson and Roberto DeVicenzo tee off. At that age, when you watched the swings of great players, you could not help but go out the next day or so and emulate them. I know I did.

“Peter was a terrific player and he had a game wonderfully tailored to links and seaside golf. He was very good in the wind, able to land the ball short and run it into the greens. Anyone who wins five British Opens obviously loves and understands seaside golf.

“I had an opportunity to captain against Peter in the 1998 Presidents Cup. It was my first Presidents Cup and was held at Royal Melbourne in Peter’s home country. He not only represented the International team well, he was such a gentleman and sportsman, and he embodied what the matches were all about. We had a great time at Royal Melbourne and it was an honour to captain against him. Unfortunately for me, Peter did a better job than I did!”

Arnold Palmer
“Peter and I have had some wonderful experiences on and off the golf courses over the years, like when we were the captains in the Presidents Cup back in 1996. That was a memorable week.

“Of course I knew how fine a player Peter was all along, but, since he didn’t play over here a great deal during his best years, a lot of American golf followers didn’t know just how good he was. Peter certainly showed them when he came here several years to play the Senior Tour and had that remarkable 1985 season when he won nine times. Happy 80th.”

Gary Player
“Peter Thomson is arguably the finest golfer Australia has ever produced. Frankly, he deserves much more recognition of his achievements, not the least of which are his five British Open Championship victories.

“He is a prolific reader, articulate, intelligent and I have the utmost respect for him. Vivienne and I send him our best wishes for a very happy birthday.”

WRITTEN ON August 5th, 2009 BY TPL AND STORED IN Peter Thomson