Tassie golf loses a genuine legend

TASMANIAN and Australian golf lost a genuine legend with Peter Toogood passing away peacefully, surrounded by his family, last week aged 89.

Amid a swag of tributes to his golf, Toogood was also remembered as one of life’s true gentlemen and among Tasmania’s great educators.

He was awarded an MBE for his services to education and golf in 1981, was an inaugural member of the Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame in 1987 and was later awarded an OAM at the same time as his brother, John.

Toogood’s resumé is almost beyond peer, winning the 1954 Australian Amateur Championship, eight Tasmanian Opens and 10 Tasmanian Amateur titles.

Toogood was also a member of Australia’s winning team at the original Eisenhower Trophy at St Andrews in 1958.

Toogood is survived by his wife Berenice, sons Christopher, Anthony and Bernard and five grandchildren.

Toogood’s funeral service will be conducted at St Mary’s Cathedral today from 11am with a memorial service at the Royal Hobart Golf Club from 1pm. A NEW-LOOK Australian team will contest the Toyota World Junior Teams Championship this month.

The three-woman Aussie team to play in Japan comprises rising Queenslander Cassie Porter and West Australian pair Maddison Hinson-Tolchard and Kirsten Rudgeley.

The four-strong men’s team features Newcastle’s Jye Pickin, the Gold Coast’s Elvis Smylie and another pair of Perth golfers, Josh Greer and Hayden Hopewell.

The tournament, to be played this year on the Ishino Course of the Chukyo Golf Club near Nagoya, is traditionally a great breeding ground for future champions.

It features 15 boys’ teams and nine girls’ teams from around the world and will be played from June 18-21.

Golf Australia’s Luke Mackey will also travel with the team as strength and conditioning coach and sports science manager. If you have a news item you would like to contribute, please forward to gtadmin@golf.org.au