Tony Lema

Anthony David "Tony" Lema ( born February 25, 1934 in Oakland, California, † July 24, 1966 in Lansing, Illinois) was an American golfer. In the first half of the 1960s he was one next to Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Billy Casper at the dominant professional golfers in the world. In 1966 he died at the age of 32 in a plane crash near Chicago.

Origin and early days as a professional

Lema was born in Oakland in a family with Portuguese ancestors. His father died when he was three years old. The mother raised four children on their own.

As a child, he began to play golf. At the age of 17, he undertook for the Marines and participated in the Korean War. After his return in 1955 he worked as a golf instructor in a golf club in San Francisco.

From 1957 he played on the PGA Tour until 1962 but with rather mixed results. Then began a meteoric career.

Four years at the height of

Before the Orange County Open in Costa Mesa, California, in October 1962 Lema joked he would the press in case of victory following the press conference champagne served rather than the usual beer. Lema won the tournament and thus actually scored his first victory on the PGA TOUR. He kept his promise: for the journalists present there was champagne. The nickname " Champagne Tony" accompanied the fun-loving Californians from now on.

The following four years were marked by immense sporting success: Twelve tournament wins, including the British Open in 1964, eleven second places and three times the third place he recorded at this time. Prize money equivalent to 2.4 million Mark were the reward. In popularity Lema was surpassed only by the then superstar Arnold Palmer.

Because of his talent and his boldness was Lema extraordinary. His greatest triumph, the victory at the British Open in 1964, took place under unusual circumstances. Players like Jack Nicklaus traveled usually one to two weeks before the tournament starts. The time change, strongly fluctuating weather with lots of wind and often low temperatures, which at the time smaller ball on the U.S. tour and the other playing on the coastal links courses require a longer acclimation. Lema traveled only at 36 hours before the first tee and won superior with five strokes ahead Nicklaus. The special feature of this victory was also the fact that a player never to win the British Open at his first participation again.

Tragic death

Mid-1960s had his playboy image that clung to him persistently stored, Lema. He was married. He was trusted to threaten the dominant Nicklaus. His life ended suddenly and tragically, however: In July 1966 flew the small private plane, in which he sat with his wife Betty, the Lansing Sportsman's Club near Chicago. Because on this course his next tournament was to take place, is Lema did an impression of the place from the air. Due to lack of fuel, the aircraft crashed near the 17th green of the golf course. Except Lema and his wife, the pilot and co-pilot died.

PGA Tour victories (12 )

Major championships are shown in bold.

Major Tournaments

DNP = not started WD = Withdrawn CUT = cut at the failed "T " = split rank