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Golfing legend Kel Nagle has died at the age of 94, according to multiple reports coming out of his native Australia.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. He Suffered No Pain
Nagle in action in 1961. (Getty)
In a statement, his family said that he passed away in Sydney’s Mona Vale hospital early on the morning of January 29. The Nagle family said that the golfing great suffered no pain. The Courier Mail in Australia had reported that Nagle was in “poor health.” Speaking to ABC, Australian PGA chief Brian Thorburn said “It’s a sad day for golf, we’ve lost a champion of our game.”
2. Throughout His Career, He Won More Than 80 Tournaments
Throughout his career, Nagle won more than 80 professional tournaments. Between 1949 and 1975, he won a tournament every year. He was inducted into golf’s hall of fame in 2007. Nagle turned professional in 1946. Golf Australia reports that his close friend and teammate, Peter Thomson, had flown to Sydney to be with Nagle at the end.
3. It’s the 50th Anniversary Since Nagle Lost a Playoff to Gary Player in the U.S. Open
In the U.S., he finished second in the 1965 U.S. Open. Famously, he lost that open in a playoff to fellow Southern Hemisphere great, Gary Player. His only major win came at the centenary British Open in 1960 when he was 39.
4. His Career Was Based Primarily Down Under
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According to his PGA profile, he made just $134,979 during his career in the U.S. His career in Australia and New Zealand was far more fruitful.
5. His Full Name Was Kelvin Nagle
He was a native of North Sydney, Australia, where he was born in December 1920 as Kelvin Nagle.
