Celebrated New Zealand golfer Sir Bob Charles will wave goodbye to open competition in Auckland next month.
Charles yesterday confirmed the 2004 New Zealand Open, which coincidentally falls 50 years after he won the first of four Open titles, will be his last competitive appearance outside of the seniors ranks.
"It will
be the last occasion I play with the young players competitively," Charles, 67, said.
"All I will play in future is seniors golf and social golf."
Charles said he intended to return to the United States next year for his 18th season on the Champions Tour circuit for over-50 players.
He has declined an invitation to contest the relaunched New Zealand PGA Championship, being staged at Clearwater in Christchurch in February.
"I declined because it is time for me to step aside and give some 18-year-old or 19-year-old kid the opportunity of tasting some competition.
"I'm far better off giving someone else an opportunity than trying to prolong a career that has to come to an end some time.
"I've been talking about it for the past four or five years and now it is time to move on."
Charles remains the only New Zealander to win a major title, the 1963 British Open, and was knighted for his services to the sport in 1999.
"When Peter Thomson of Australia gave it away he said he ceased to play competitive golf for fear of embarrassing himself or the paying public. They're my sentiments, too.
"I can still get around in even par and on a given day under par but when you are missing cuts like I have in the past few New Zealand Opens ... when you are hitting your head against a brick wall ... it is time to try something different."
- NZPA
