Golf-Australian golfer Kel Nagle dies age 94

Reuters

(Refiles to add dropped word in para 13) SYDNEY, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Australia's former British Open winner Kel Nagle died on Thursday, aged 94. Tributes began flowing in after the PGA of Australia released a statement saying golf's oldest-living major winner had passed away at a Sydney hospital. "I heard the news this morning...and it's always very sad when one of the legends of the game passes away," world number one Rory McIlroy told Reuters at the Dubai Desert Classic. "I do know a little bit of his Open win at St. Andrews in 1960 when he beat Arnold Palmer so it will be sad occasion this year for everyone heading back to the Old Course," added McIlroy, who won last year's British Open at Hoylake. "But then I'm sure there will be a few glasses raised in Mr. Nagle's memory at the Former Champions Dinner." Brian Thorburn, chief executive officer of the PGA, said golf had lost a "champion of our game." Nagle was one of Australia's most successful and popular golfers, winning 81 professional titles in his long career, including at least one every year between 1949 and 1975. His finest moment came in 1960 when he won the Centenary British Open at age 39, beating Arnold Palmer by a stroke at St. Andrews. He also finished runner-up at the 1965 U.S. Open, beaten by Gary Player in an 18-hole playoff and was inducted into golf's Hall of Fame in 2007. "His name was one of the first I remember seeing when I was handed the Claret Jug in 2010 at St. Andrews," recalled South African Louis Oosthuizen. "Then when I had time to look more closely at all the names of those who won the trophy at St. Andrews there was Mr. Nagle's name, so it's kind of special to me, even though it is very sad, to know he and I both won on the Old Course." Double Open Champion Ernie Els also expressed his condolences. "I'm sorry to hear Kel passed away as he was one of the legends of the game and what he achieved at St. Andrews in 1960 was remarkable given Arnold's (Palmer) reputation at the time," he said in Dubai. "He was a great champion and I'm sure Australian golf, and golf in general, is poorer for his passing." (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Alan Baldwin)