Sir Bob Charles earns NZ's highest honour

Sir Bob Charles once told his father he didn't want a career in golf if it meant he had to make speeches.
Quickly he got over his hesitancy and launched a career which today earned him the country's highest honour, the Order Of New Zealand, which is open to just 20 living New Zealanders.
Sir Bob became a trailblazer for both New Zealand golf and for left-handed golfers, becoming the first of each to win a golf major when he took out the British Open in 1963.
He first came to attention when he won the New Zealand Open as an 18-year-old amateur in 1954, a victory which captured the imagination of the sporting public -- and which led to him having to make a speech after being named New Zealand sportsman of the year.
``I am not an articulate person and don't talk fluently -- I've got to think about what I'm saying -- and I said to my dad at the time `if this is what winning a golf tournament's all about I don't want any part of it','' he told NZPA.
``Even today I have trouble putting the words together, but I never let it get the better of me. It was just something that you've got to do and you make the most of it and you accept it.''
Sir Bob waited some time after his NZ Open victory before turning professional, gaining what he considers was seven valuable years of experience as an amateur and in the workforce at the National Bank before hitting the world golfing stage.
He finished fifth in the 1962 British Open a year before the highlight of his career, in the Open at Royal St Annes.
Sir Bob led by two shots going into the final round but American Phil Rogers caught him up and Charles needed to sink a tricky four-foot putt at the last hole to earn a 36-hole playoff the next day. He made the putt and won the playoff by by eight shots.
``Back then we played 18 holes on the Wednesday, 18 on the Thursday and 36 on the Friday, and the playoff was then another 36 on the Saturday.
``It was a little bit of an endurance contest and I think that was the end of the 36 hole playoffs.''
Unlike New Zealand's other golf major winner Michael Campbell, Sir Bob had few slumps and his consistency in an era which included Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player was notable.
Despite his 1963 Open win, Sir Bob's best year was arguably 1968, when he finished second in both the British Open and the PGA Championship and seventh in the US Open. He also out-duelled Jack Nicklaus to win the Canadian Open.
The next year he was again second in the British Open and won the World Matchplay, and in 1970 he was third in the US Open.
In the late 1980s he turned to the senior tours with great success. He won the Senior British Open twice and his total of 23 US Champions Tour victories has been surpassed by only four players.
He earned his way when equipment was not as readily available for left-handers, and proved that left-handers were not at any disadvantage in the game.
Among left-handers only American Phil Mickelson, winner of four majors, could be said to have surpassed him, though he's still 20 wins away from Sir Bob's total of 66 professional victories.
Sir Bob, who was knighted in 1999, did not retire from professional golf until the middle of this year. He said he plans to spend the next few years focusing on looking after his properties.
Though he said golf was ``just a game'', Sir Bob is a firm believer in the wider benefits of participation in sport and he said he hoped his appointment would inspire young New Zealanders, and their parents, to become involved.
``When I grew up there was maybe one murder a year. Now somebody gets murdered every other day virtually, and it saddens me and sickens me,'' he said.
``The youth of the world would be far less troubled if they got involved in some sport or other; have an interest, get them off the streets, get them away from television, get them away from video games, get them out in the fresh air. They'd be a lot healthier and more productive and more law-abiding if they did that.
``I think that maybe the adults are a bit to blame, and I don't think there's enough sport in the curriculum today. Sport should be right up there with reading, writing and arithmetic.''
Sir Bob lives with Verity, his wife of 48 years, and has two children, Beverley and David.
He said today he felt humbled to be included in the Order of New Zealand. ``I'm very proud, humble and thankful. Proud to be recognised by New Zealand for my achievements and contribution to New Zealand golf; humble to be joining such an illustrious group of New Zealanders; and thankful for the opportunity the sport of golf has given me.''
His elevation to the ONZ makes him the 18th ordinary member. Olympic athlete Sir Murray Halberg is also on the list, which also includes six additional members and one honorary member to mark special occasions. Former All Blacks captain Sir Brian Lochore is one of the additional members.