Australian professional golfer
Norman Guy Von Nida OAM (14 February 1914 – 20 May 2007) was an Australian professional golfer.
Early life and amateur career
Von Nida was born in Strathfield and grew up in Brisbane. He won the 1932 Queensland Amateur aged just 18.[1]
Professional career
In 1933, Von Nida turned professional. He became one of Australia's finest professional golfers and the first Australian to win regularly on the British PGA circuit. In 1946, he travelled to Britain for the first time and finished second on the Order of Merit; in 1947, he returned and won seven tournaments and topped the Order of Merit.[2] He was renowned for his short temper – at a tournament in 1948 he became involved in an argument with future U.S. Ryder Cup player Henry Ransom that resulted in the local sheriff having to pull them apart, and he was also known to hurl his putter into the undergrowth after missing putts, on occasions breaking or even losing them mid-round.[3]
The PGA Tour of Australasia's developmental tour is named the Von Nida Tour after him.
Personal life
Von Nida died in a Gold Coast, Queensland nursing home, aged 93.[4]
Awards and honors
Von Nida was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 1985 Australia Day Honours for "service to the sport of golf."[5]
Amateur wins
- 1932 Queensland Amateur[6]
Professional wins (48)
- 1935 Queensland Open
- 1936 Queensland Open, New South Wales PGA
- 1937 Queensland Open
- 1938 Philippine Open, Lakes Open
- 1939 Philippine Open, New South Wales Close, Lakes Open
- 1940 Queensland Open
- 1946 Australian PGA Championship, New South Wales Close, New South Wales PGA, News Chronicle Tournament
- 1947 New South Wales Close, Dunlop-Southport Tournament, The Star Tournament, North British-Harrogate Tournament, Lotus Tournament, Penfold Tournament (tie with Dai Rees and Reg Whitcombe), Yorkshire Evening News Tournament (tie with Henry Cotton), Brand-Lochryn Tournament
- 1948 Daily Mail Tournament, Spalding Tournament, Manchester Evening Chronicle Tournament, Lotus Tournament, Dunlop Masters, Australian PGA Championship, New South Wales Close, New South Wales PGA
- 1949 Queensland Open, McWilliam's Wines Tournament, Adelaide Advertiser Tournament
- 1950 Australian Open, Australian PGA Championship
- 1951 Australian PGA Championship, New South Wales PGA, McWilliam's Wines Tournament, Yorkshire Evening News Tournament (tie with Dai Rees)
- 1952 Australian Open, McWilliam's Wines Tournament, Ampol Tournament (Oct)
- 1953 Australian Open, Queensland Open, New South Wales Close
- 1954 New South Wales Close
- 1961 Queensland Open
- 1965 North Coast Open
Results in major championships
Note: Von Nida never played in the PGA Championship.
Top 10
Did not play
NT = no tournament
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Team appearances
- Canada Cup (representing Australia): 1956
- Lakes International Cup (representing Australia): 1952, 1954 (winners)
- Slazenger Trophy (representing British Commonwealth and Empire): 1956
- Vicars Shield (representing New South Wales): 1937 (winners), 1938 (winners), 1939, 1949 (winners), 1950 (winners), 1951, 1952, 1954 (winners), 1955 (winners)
References
- ^ "Von Nida wins". The Brisbane Courier. No. 23, 189. Queensland, Australia. 26 May 1932. p. 7. Retrieved 18 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Golfing great dies at 93". Herald Sun. 21 May 2007.
- ^ "Australian golf great Norman Von Nida dies at age 93". The Hindu. 21 May 2007.
- ^ "Legendary Von Nida passes away at 93". iseekgolf.com.
- ^ "Von Nida, Norman Guy". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ^ "Queensland Amateur Championship". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 29451. New South Wales, Australia. 26 May 1932. p. 14. Retrieved 12 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
External links
- Life membership on PGA Tour of Australasia
- Bio on Malaysian Golf Assoc. website
- Farewell to the Von - obituary
