Simon Hobday

Early life

Hobday was born in the British Embassy in Mafikeng, South Africa. Both of his parents were from England.

Amateur career

Hobday lived part of his life in Zambia and represented the country in the 1966 Eisenhower Trophy. In early 1969, he was still an amateur golfer and still represented Zambia. At the time, he worked as a car salesman in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.

In April 1969, while still an amateur, Hobday played the Kenya Open. In the final round he broke the course record at the Muthaiga Golf Course with a 66 (−6) to leap into second place. At 284 (−4) he finished joint runner-up with Scotland's Bernard Gallacher, five behind champion Maurice Bembridge. He defeated several notable professionals including Christy O'Connor Snr and Australia's Bob Tuohy.

Professional career

In 1969, Hobday turned professional. He spent his regular career mainly on the Southern Africa Tour, where he won six times and the European Tour, where he won the 1976 German Open and the 1979 Madrid Open.

In 1977, the British government froze his earnings on the British PGA because London had "political and sporting sanctions with Rhodesia." As a response, Hobday changed his sporting nationality from Rhodesia to South Africa. In 1981, he "quit the European tour." That year, he also moved from Zimbabwe to South Africa. He began work at Wingate Park Club in Pretoria, South Africa.

As a senior, he played mainly in the United States on the Senior PGA Tour (now Champions Tour), where he claimed five titles between 1993 and 1995 including one senior major, the 1994 U.S. Senior Open.

Professional wins (17)

European Tour wins (2)

Southern Africa Tour wins (5)

Southern Africa Tour playoff record (1–0)

Other wins (1)

• 1971 South African Open

Senior PGA Tour wins (5)

Senior PGA Tour playoff record (1–0)

Other senior wins (4)

• 1997/98 Vodacom Senior Classic (South Africa)
• 2001 Nelson Mandela Invitational (with Martin Maritz), Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf - Legendary Division (with Jim Albus)
• 2003 Nelson Mandela Invitational (with Lee Westwood)

Results in major championships

Note: Hobday never played in the Masters Tournament or the PGA Championship.

WD = withdrew

CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1977 and 1984 Open Championships)

"T" indicates a tie for a place

Champions Tour major championships

Wins (1)

Team appearances

Amateur

• Eisenhower Trophy (representing Zambia): 1966

Professional

• Double Diamond International (representing the Rest of the World): 1976, 1977

References

References

1. Green Sr., Ron. (25 July 2011). "'Scruffy' Hobday went with the flow, pleasing fans, sportswriters". News Observer.
2. "Simon Hobday". Who's Who South Africa.
3. (2 March 2017). "Simon Hobday, former US Senior Open champion, passes away aged 76". Sky Sports.
4. Havenga, Barry. (2 March 2017). "Simon Hobday owned a fantastic swing and an even more remarkable personality".
5. "The Guardian 23 Jun 1977, page 21".
6. "World Amateur Team Championship Record Books – Eisenhower Trophy – Championship Results – 1966".
7. (1969-04-15). "Bembridge Keeps Kenya Open Golf Title". The Canberra Times.
8. "The Guardian 23 Jun 1977, page 21".
9. "The Daily Telegraph 28 Nov 1981, page 30".
10. "The Daily Telegraph 27 Nov 1981, page 30".