Aussie brought humour and insight to golf

out of a total purse of $6000, one of the smallest in golf. ‘‘Golf Stars Play for Peanuts,’’ blared the headline of a story he wrote. ‘‘Never before has such a field of top golfers played for what $6000 is worth today. Canada offers 19 times that. I know 19 other countries who give more.’’

But he was always happy on the golf course. ‘‘I’ve had a very joyful life, playing a game that I loved to play for the sheer pleasure of it. I don’t think I did a real day’s work in the whole of my life.’’

Thomson served as president of the Australian PGA for 32 years and worked behind the scenes for the Odyssey House drug rehabilitation organisation, where he was chairman for five years.

In 1979, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his service to golf, and in 2001 became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his contributions as a player and administrator and for community service.

Thomson married first, in 1952, Lois Brauer; they had a son, who died in infancy, and a daughter. He married secondly, in 1960, Mary Kelly. He is survived by her, son Andrew and daughters Deirdre Baker, Pan Prendergast and Fiona Stanway, their spouses, 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. –

AP Peter Thomson in 2004 and with the British Open trophy in 1954. ‘‘I’ve had a very joyful life, playing a game that I loved to play . . . I don’t think I did a real day’s work in the whole of my life,’’ he said.