Christy O’Connor Senior has died at 91

Ryder Cup legend Christy O’Connor Senior died peacefully in hospital in the early hours of Saturday morning, aged 91.

Affectionately known as “Himself”, Christy was a native of Galway. He won 24 times on the European Tour, including two British Masters, and topped the tour’s Order of Merit on two occasions. He also played on 10 Ryder Cup teams.

He was inducted into the “World Golf Hall of Fame” in 2009.

O’Connor won the first four-digit cheque on the European Tour, when he collected £1,000 for winning the Swallow Penfold in 1955. He then claimed the biggest ever first prize in golf when success in the 1970 John Plauer Classic brought with it a prize of £24,375.

That he never won a major was always a regret. He only actually competed in The Open, and never played The Masters, US Open, or the US PGA.

He played in the Open 26 times, and had ten top 10 finishes, which included a tie for second at Royal Birkdale in 1965.

Commenting on The Open O’Connor said: “Perhaps I tried too hard in the Open. I wanted to win it so badly, and it is really the only disappointment in my career in professional golf.”

Richard Hills, Ryder Cup Director, said: “Today we have lost not only one of the greatest Ryder Cup players the game has even seen, but an incredible man.

“My abiding memory of Christy is phoning him with George O’Grady to break the news that he’d been elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2009, and he wouldn’t believe us. He said he’d only believe it if he saw it in writing, so I was dispatched to Royal Dublin to present him with a letter. As he read it, his face broke into a huge grin and he gave me a massive bear hug.

“The other thing that sticks out for me is how Seve used to watch him. When Seve, who as we all know was a genius of a player, first came out on Tour in 1976, he would seek out Christy to watch him practise and watch his hands. Christy was built like a bull but he had incredible hands for golf.

“Christy did so much for the game of golf and his legacy will long live on. After the tragic, sudden death of his nephew, Christy O’Connor Jnr, in January, golf has lost two of its greatest men. 

“On behalf of everyone at the European Tour, our condolences go to the O’Connor family.”

His death comes four months after that of his nephew, Christy O’Connor Jnr, who was also one of golf’s greats. Christy Jnr died suddenly while on holiday in Tenerife, aged 67.

Related:

R.I.P Christy O'Connor Junior.