Norman Von Nida
Name:
Norman Guy Von NidaCountry:
AustraliaLived:
[1914-2007]. Born on Feb 14, 1914 in Strathfield, Sydney, NSW. Died on May 20, 2007 in Gold Coast, Queensland, aged 93.Original/Home Club:
Occupation:
Professional golferTurned Pro:
1933Total professional wins (46), including Australasian Tour (30) including three Australian Opens and four Australian PGA Championships. Also 14 European circuit wins and two Philippine Opens. British PGA Order of Merit winner (1947). The PGA Tour of Australasia's developmental tour is named the Von Nida Tour after him.
Measuring just 5ft 6in (1.67m), and weighing in at around 9st 6lb (60kg), Von Nida was never going to be the biggest golfer produced by Australia, but he was one of the country's most successful. In addition to his 30 wins on the Australasian circuit, he became the first Australian to regularly win on the British tour.
World War II (1939-45) denied Von Nida the chance to compete in what might have been his best years. He travelled to Britain for the first time in 1946, finishing second on the British PGA Order of Merit. He returned for the 1947 season and won seven tournaments, this time topping the Order of Merit for the season. Short in stature and also short in temper, Von Nida had a reputation for occasionally hurling his putter into the bushes after missing makeable putts.
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Australian Open (Oct 22-24). Second-placed Peter Thomson (Aus) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Von Nida (Aus), who recorded the last of his three Australian Open wins. [East course, Royal Melbourne GC, Victoria, Aus].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Australian Open (Aug 29-31). Second-placed Ossie Pickworth (Aus) finished 5 shots behind Von Nida (Aus), who posted the second of his three Australian Open wins. [Lake Karrinyup CC, Perth, WA, Aus].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Australian PGA Ch'ship. Von Nida (Aus) beat Ossie Pickworth (Aus) 6 and 5 in the final.
Europe
Yorkshire Eve. News
Played as the Yorkshire Evening News £1450 Tournament (June 6-8). Norman Von Nida (Aus) and defending champion Dai Rees (Wales) finished in a tie for first place. Ken Bousfield (Eng) finished 1 shot back in third place. [Moortown GC, nr Leeds, W Yorks, England].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Australian Open (Aug 24-26). Second-placed Peter Thomson (Aus) finished 1 shot behind Von Nida (Aus), who recorded the first of his three Australian Open wins. [Kooyonga GC, Lockleys, Adelaide, SA].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Australian PGA Ch'ship. Von Nida (Aus) beat Eric Cremin (Aus) 6 and 5 in the final. [The Lakes GC, Sydney, Aus].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Australian PGA Ch'ship. Von Nida (Aus) beat Eric Cremin (Aus) 2 and 1 in the final. [Royal Hobart GC, Seven Mile Beach, Tasmania].
Europe
Manchester EC
Played as the Manchester Evening Chronicle £1,500 Tournament. Second-placed Dick Burton (Eng) finished 4 shots behind Von Nida (Aus). [The Mere Resort, Mere, Knutsford, Cheshire].
Europe
Lotus
Played as the Lotus £1,500 Tournament (Sept 1-3). Second-placed Dai Rees (Wales) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Norman Von Nida (Aus), who fired a pair of 66s in the final two rounds to clinch victory. [Outer course, Royal Mid-Surrey GC, Richmond, Surrey. Now called the J.H. Taylor course.].
Europe
Dunlop
Played as the Dunlop Masters (Oct 5-7). Second-placed Fred Daly (N.Ire) finished 2 shots behind Von Nida (Aus), who shot a course record final round 63, "the greatest round of my life" he later commented. [Old course, Sunningdale GC, Sunningdale, Berks].
Europe
Daily Mail
Played as the Daily Mail £2500 Tournament. Second-placed Reg Whitcombe (Eng) finished 5 shots behind Von Nida (Aus). [Sunningdale GC, Sunningdale, Berks].
Europe
Spalding
Played as the Spalding £1,250 Tournament (June 2-4). Second-placed Fred Bullock (Eng) and Reg Whitcombe (Eng) finished 2 shots behind Norman Von Nida (Aus). [The Old Course, St Andrews, Fife].
Europe
The Star
Played as The Star £1,500 Professional Tournament (June 18-21; 36-hole strokeplay followed by match play for the top 32 players). Norman Von Nida (Aus) beat Flory Van Donck (Belg) 6 and 5 in the 36-hole final. [West course, Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey].
Europe
Dunlop
Played as the Dunlop-Southport £2000 Tournament. Second-placed Charlie Ward (Eng) finished 5 shots behind Von Nida (Aus). [Hesketh GC, Southport, Merseyside].
Europe
x
Played as the inaugural North British-Harrogate 2000 Guineas Tournament. Second-placed Charlie Ward (Eng) finished 2 shots behind Von Nida (Aus). [Harrogate GC, North Yorkshire - also known as Starbeck].
Europe
Penfold
Played as the Penfold Tournament. The competiton ended in a three-way tie between Dai Rees (Wales), Reg Whitcombe (Eng) and Norman Von Nida (Aus), who were all declared winners. [Stoke Park CC, Stoke Poges, Bucks].
Europe
Yorkshire Eve. News
Played as the Yorkshire Evening News 1000 Guineas Professional Tournament (June 11-13). Norman Von Nida (Aus) and Henry Cotton (Eng) finished in a tie for first place. Bill Shankland (Aus) finished 6 shots further back in third place. [Moortown GC, nr Leeds, W Yorks, England].
Awards
British PGA
Von Nida (Aus) won the Harry Vardon Trophy as the British PGA Tour 1947 Order of Merit winner. Award based on lowest scoring average in the season's top professional events. Von Nida's 71.25 was based on 52 rounds played.
Europe
Lotus
Played as the Lotus £1,500 Tournament (Aug 6-8). Second-placed Dai Rees (Wales) finished 5 shots behind Norman Von Nida (Aus). [Notts GC, Hollinwell, nr Mansfield, England].
Europe
R.A. Brand
Played as the Brand-Lochryn £1,500 Tournament (April 23-25). Second-placed Max Faulkner (Eng) finished 1 shot behind Norman Von Nida (Aus). [Outer course, Royal Mid-Surrey GC, Richmond, Surrey. Now called the J.H. Taylor course.].
Europe
News Chronicle
Played as the News Chronicle £1,500 Tournament. Second-placed John Burton (Eng) finished 1 shot behind Von Nida (Aus), who recorded his first professional win in Britain. [Hollingbury Park GC, Brighton, East Sussex].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Australian PGA Ch'ship. Von Nida (Aus) beat Eric Cremin (Aus) by 1 hole in the final. [Manly GC, Manly, nr Sydney, Aus].
Asia
x
Played as the Philippine Open. Second-placed Seisui Chin (Jpn) and Rokuzo Asami (Jpn) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Norman Von Nida (Aus). [East course, Wack Wack G&CC, Manila, Philippines].
Asia
x
Played as the Philippine Open. Defending champion Larry Montes (Phil) finished second behind Norman Von Nida (Aus). [East course, Wack Wack G&CC, Manila, Philippines].
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