Golf legend Sir Bob Charles has been given New Zealand's highest honour, membership of the Order of New Zealand, in the New Year Honours announced toda
Robert James Charles becomes the 18th member of an order that can have no more than 20 living Kiwis as members at any time.
Members include Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Helen Clark and Sir Murray Halberg.
Sir Bob Charles captured more than 60 international tournaments in his career starting with the 1954 New Zealand Open as an 18-year-old amateur and capping it with his 1963 British Open play-off triumph at Royal Lytham and St Annes - the first major championship win by a left-hander.
In 2007, aged 71, he became the oldest golfer to make a cut on the European Tour at the New Zealand Open at Queenstown.
The following year he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
He ended his international golf career in July this year with a double bogey six on the 18th hole at Carnoustie in Scotland, missing the British Seniors Open cut.
Knighted in 1999, Sir Bob lives on a farm in Oxford, Canterbury but splits his time living at Clearwater Golf Estate.
