Looking Back: Caltex Tournament in New Zealand
First played: 1955
Last played: 1972
The tournament was 72 holes, stroke play. It did not use playoffs, however, so the three times the tournament ended with a tie for first place, golfers shared the win. Title sponsor Caltex was (and is) a well-known gas station brand in New Zealand.
The tournament was always played at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club in Paraparaumu, New Zealand.
Winners of New Zealand Caltex Tournament
1955 — Peter Thomson, 2831956 — a-Bryan Silk, 299
1957 — Dave Thomas, 295
1958 — Dave Thomas, 290
1959 — Peter Thomson, 278
1960 — Kel Nagle, 277
1961 — Bob Charles, 289
1962 — Bob Charles, 277
1963 — Bruce Devlin, 274
1964 — Kel Nagle, 285
1965 — Peter Thomson, 282
1966 — (tie) Kel Nagle, Peter Thomson, 276
1967 — (tie) Bob Charles, Peter Thomson, 278
1968 — Bob Charles, 197 (shortened due to weather)
1969 — Kel Nagle, 275
1970 — (tie) Maurice Bembridge, Terry Kendall, 286
1971 — Bob Charles, 274
1972 — Bill Dunk, 273
Five-time British Open champ Peter Thomson also won the Caltex Tournament five times, the tournament record he shares with Bob Charles. Kel Nagle won it four times. And two of the three times the Caltex Tournament ended in a tie involved those golfers: In 1966, Nagle and Thomson tied for the win; in 1967, Charles and Thomson tied.
Thomson was the tournament's first winner in 1955, with Nagle as the runner-up. Nagle also finished second in 1961 and 1962, both times to Charles. Thomson was twice runner-up: to Dave Thomas in 1957 and to Nagle in 1960.
Nagle's win over Thomson in 1960 was by eight strokes, which was the tournament record until Charles won by 10 in 1968.
Thomas, from Wales, was one of just two golfers who were not Australian or Kiwi to win, the other being Englishman Maurice Bembridge. Thomas also won in 1958 (back-to-back) over runner-up Gary Player.
The 72-hole scoring record was the 273 recorded by Bill Dunk in the tournament's final year of 1972.
