Golf legend Sir Bob scores New Year Honour

Wairarapa born golfing legend Sir Bob Charles has received yet another accolade in the New Year Honours.
Sir Bob has been made a member of the Order of New Zealand (ONZ), having previously been knighted and also having been made a Knight Companion of the NZ Order of Merit.
Born in Carterton in 1936, Charles -the son of schoolteacher Ivor Charles and his wife Phil (nee Bull) - left Wairarapa College to start work in Masterton as a bank teller.
His father was a two handicapper at golf and tutored the young Bob Charles, along with close friend Merv Brown, in the finer points of the game.
Ivor Charles was a left-hander and his son - although a natural right hander at all other things - followed in his father's footsteps and played left handed.
Bob Charles shot to sporting fame in 1954 when, as an 18-year-old amateur, he downed a top international field of golfers to win the New Zealand Open at Heretaunga.
From there Charles went from strength to strength in his endeavour to become a leading world golfer. He turned professional in 1960 and over the past 50 years has put together a string of impressive wins in major tournaments, winning more than 60 international titles.
These include the British Open in 1963 when he became the first left-handed golfer to win the tournament.
Charles has five Professional Golfers Association Tour wins to his name, eight European Tour titles and 17 other international victories including four New Zealand Open wins.
As a senior golfer he won two Senior British Open championships, 23 Champions Tours titles and 10 other senior tournaments.
Although now in his 70s Sir Bob, who shares his time between homes in Canterbury and in Florida in the United States, is far from hanging up his golf shoes.
He plays in many charitable golf events in New Zealand and has played several times in the Gary Player Invitational, a tournament that raises money for children's organisations.
Two years ago Sir Bob became the first New Zealander, and first left hander, to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Merv Brown, who remains a close friend of Sir Bob's to this day, said he was delighted with the latest accolade bestowed on his "great mate".
Charles and Brown have played "hundreds of rounds" together and are planning another very soon.
Apart from the honour bestowed on Sir Bob, the other Wairarapa connection in the New Year's honours is the awarding of a Queen's Service Order (QSO) to former Tararua mayor Maureen Reynolds.
Mrs Reynolds receives the honour for services to local body affairs.
She was Tararua mayor for 12 years and before that was six years a member of the Dannevirke Community Board.
She has been a member of the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs core group for 10 years and was on the management team of the Employment Catalyst Fund, established by the Tindall Foundation.