Malcolm Gregson, the former Ryder Cup player and Harry Vardon Trophy winner, has passed away at the age of 80.
The Englishman won five times between 1964 and 1968 and represented Great Britain & Ireland in the 1967 Ryder Cup – the same year he won the Harry Vardon Trophy. He also went on to win five times on the European Senior Tour between 1994 and 2004.
Born in Leicester, England on August 15, 1943, and educated at Millfield School in Somerset from 1957 to 1960, he was a talented amateur golfer, reaching the last 16 of the Boys’ Amateur Championship a week after his 14th birthday.
In 1959 he represented England boys in their annual match against Scotland, and in 1960 he again played for England boys against Scotland. He was also selected for a combined England and Scotland team to play a Continental Europe team.
He turned professional in 1961, becoming an assistant professional to Pat Keene at Moor Park Golf Club in Hertfordshire, and won his first title at the Gor-Ray PGA Assistants’ Championship in 1964. That same year he recorded his best finish at The Open, with a 19th-placed result at St Andrews.
Gregson then won three times in 1967 – the Schweppes PGA Championship in April, the Daks Tournament at Wentworth Club in June and the Martini International later the same month. He became the third player after Dai Rees and Peter Alliss to complete the PGA Assistants’ and PGA Championship double – with Tony Jacklin and Neil Coles also later achieving that feat.
He also claimed the Harry Vardon Trophy that year and represented Great Britian & Ireland in the 1967 Ryder Cup at Champions Golf Club in Houston as the United States Team, Captained by Ben Hogan recorded a record 23½ - 8½ victory.
He also represented England in the 1967 World Cup in Mexico City, alongside Peter Alliss to finish tied 13th in the team event. He finished tied for 6th in the individual standings.
Gregson won the Daks Tournament at Wentworth again in 1968 and claimed a Safari Tour win in the Cock o’ the North in Zambia in 1974 when he defeated Australian Jack Newton in a play-off.
After turning 50 in 1993, he competed on the European Senior Tour – now known as the Legends Tour – winning five times in a decade and going on to make more than 200 appearances. He won the Tandem Stockley Park Seniors Opens (1994), Lawrence Batley Seniors (1996), Is Molas Senior Open (1998), Irvine Whitlock Jersey Seniors Classic (2003) and the De Vere Northumberland Seniors Classic (2004).
He was made a PGA Honorary Member in 1994.
His son Matthew later worked as part of the European Tour group’s Scoring Services team from 2011-2021, and he is also survived by his wife Jackie.
The thoughts of everyone at the European Tour group are with Malcolm’s family.
Malcolm’s funeral will be held on Thursday 29th Feb at 11:15am. It will be held at St. Peter’s Church, Green Lane, Formby, L37 7DL.
The wake will be held at Hesketh Golf Club in Southport from 12:45pm. Cockle Dicks Lane, PR9 9QQ.
