Frank Phillips (golfer)

Frank Stafford Phillips OAM (24 July 1932 – 2 May 2023) was an Australian professional golfer. He was rated one of the best ball strikers of his era winning the 1957 and 1961 Australian Opens. He was a Life Member of the PGA of Australia from 2002.[1]

Frank Phillips
OAM
Personal information
Full nameFrank Stafford Phillips
Born(1932-07-24)24 July 1932
Moss Vale, New South Wales, Australia
Died2 May 2023(2023-05-02) (aged 90)
Bowral, New South Wales, Australia
Sporting nationality Australia
Career
StatusProfessional
Former tour(s)PGA Tour of Australasia
Asia Golf Circuit
Professional wins35
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentCUT: 1958, 1962
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenCUT: 1962
The Open Championship12th: 1964

Phillips was born in Moss Vale, New South Wales on 24 July 1932.[2] In Jack Pollard's book, Australian Golf: The Game and the Players, Phillips is described as "a tall Sydney professional who built an outstanding record in Australian golf in the 1950s and 1960s".[citation needed]

Phillips was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours for service to golf.[3]

Phillips died at a nursing home in Bowral on 2 May 2023, at the age of 90.[4]

Professional wins (35)

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Asia Golf Circuit wins (5)

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No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1 25 Feb 1962 Malayan Open −20 (71-71-64-70=276) 1 stroke   Bob Charles,   Peter Thomson
2 7 Mar 1965 Singapore Open −13 (72-70-71-66=279) 2 strokes   Tadashi Kitta
3 4 Apr 1965 Yomiuri International E (72-73-74-69=288) 1 stroke   Chen Ching-Po
4 27 Mar 1966 Hong Kong Open −5 (69-66-68-72=275) 2 strokes   Hideyo Sugimoto
5 4 Mar 1973 Hong Kong Open (2) −6 (74-69-68-67=278) 1 stroke   Ben Arda

Australia and New Zealand wins (26)

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European circuit wins (1)

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Other wins (3)

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Results in major championships

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Tournament 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968
Masters Tournament CUT CUT
U.S. Open CUT
The Open Championship CUT T41 T18 12 CUT

Note: Phillips never played in the PGA Championship.

  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1968 Open Championship)
"T" = tied

Team appearances

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References

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  1. ^ "PGA Life Member awarded an OAM". PGA Australia.
  2. ^ "Oral History Project". Australian Golf Heritage. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  3. ^ "2017 Queen's Birthday honours list". The Roar. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Two-time Australian Open golf champion Frank Phillips dies". AP News. 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Frank Phillips Wins N.Z. Golf". The Age. 13 October 1955. p. 12 – via Google News Archive.
  6. ^ Ryan, Les (23 September 1956). "Phillips streaks away in N.S.W. close golf". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 39 – via Google News Archive.
  7. ^ "Professional Golf Title To Phillips". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 9 September 1957. p. 7. Retrieved 29 January 2020 – via Trove.
  8. ^ "Phillips Wins Australian Open By One". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 18 November 1957. p. 12. Retrieved 29 January 2020 – via Trove.
  9. ^ Lawrence, Don (28 September 1964). "Phillips' open win sounds warning to star players". The Age. p. 20 – via Google News Archive.
  10. ^ Wilkins, Phil (12 February 1967). "Leisurely win for Phillips". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 57. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Delayed win to Phillips". The Age. 17 February 1969. p. 20. Retrieved 31 October 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  12. ^ "Wolstenholme just pipped". The Glasgow Herald. 27 January 1976. p. 25 – via Google News Archive.
  13. ^ "Golf win to Phillips". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. AAP-Reuter. 7 August 1968. p. 30. Retrieved 9 April 2020 – via Trove.
  14. ^ "Phillips Wins Manila Golf". The Age. 25 January 1960. p. 22 – via Google News Archive.
  15. ^ "Easy victory for Phillips". The Straits Times. 6 February 1961. p. 15 – via National Library Board Singapore.
  16. ^ "One-stroke victory for Phillips". The Canberra Times. 27 January 1976. p. 18.