Simon Forbes Newbold Hobday (23 June 1940 – 2 March 2017) was a South African professional golfer who won tournaments on three continents.
Early life Hobday was born in the British Embassy in Mafikeng, South Africa. Both of his parents were from England.
Amateur career Hobday lived part of his life in Zambia and represented the country in the 1966 Eisenhower Trophy. In early 1969, he was still an amateur golfer and still represented Zambia. At the time, he worked as a car salesman in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.
In April 1969, while still an amateur, Hobday played the Kenya Open. In the final round he broke the course record at the Muthaiga Golf Course with a 66 (−6) to leap into second place. At 284 (−4) he finished joint runner-up with Scotland's Bernard Gallacher, five behind champion Maurice Bembridge. He defeated several notable professionals including Christy O'Connor Snr and Australia's Bob Tuohy.
Professional career In 1969, Hobday turned professional. He spent his regular career mainly on the Southern Africa Tour, where he won six times and the European Tour, where he won the 1976 German Open and the 1979 Madrid Open.
In 1977, the British government froze his earnings on the British PGA because London had "political and sporting sanctions with Rhodesia." As a response, Hobday changed his sporting nationality from Rhodesia to South Africa. In 1981, he "quit the European tour." That year, he also moved from Zimbabwe to South Africa. He began work at Wingate Park Club in Pretoria, South Africa.
As a senior, he played mainly in the United States on the Senior PGA Tour (now Champions Tour), where he claimed five titles between 1993 and 1995 including one senior major, the 1994 U.S. Senior Open.
Professional wins (17) European Tour wins (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up115 Aug 1976German Open−18 (67-68-65-66=266)1 stroke Antonio Garrido229 Apr 1979Madrid Open−3 (67-73-71-74=285)2 strokes Francisco Abreu, Gordon J. Brand, Tienie Britz
Southern Africa Tour wins (5) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up14 Nov 1978Rhodesian Dunlop Masters−16 (68-69-69-66=272)4 strokes Tony Johnstone (a)211 Nov 1978Victoria Falls Classic−5 (74-73-73-69=287)1 stroke Phil Simmons311 Nov 1979Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Open−13 (69-71-65-70=275Playoff Denis Watson428 Nov 1981ICL International−16 (68-64-70-70=272)7 strokes John Bland52 Mar 1985Trustbank Tournament of Champions−10 (68-70-68-72=278)2 strokes Jack Ferenz
Southern Africa Tour playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11979Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Open Denis WatsonWon with par on second extra hole
Other wins (1) 1971 South African Open
Senior PGA Tour wins (5) Legend Senior major championships (1) Tour Championships (1) Other Senior PGA Tour (3) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up14 Jul 1993 Kroger Senior Classic −11 (67-69-66=202)1 stroke Gibby Gilbert, Mike Hill, Bob Reith 212 Dec 1993Hyatt Senior Tour Championship−17 (64-68-67=199)2 strokes Raymond Floyd, Larry Gilbert33 Jul 1994U.S. Senior Open−10 (66-67-66-75=274)1 stroke Jim Albus, Graham Marsh44 Sep 1994GTE Northwest Classic−7 (70-69-70=209)Playoff Jim Albus517 Sep 1995Brickyard Crossing Championship−12 (71-65-68=204)1 stroke Isao Aoki, Hale Irwin, Bob Murphy, Lee Trevino
Senior PGA Tour playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11994GTE Northwest Classic Jim AlbusWon with birdie on third extra hole
Other senior wins (4) 1997/98 Vodacom Senior Classic (South Africa) 2001 Nelson Mandela Invitational (with Martin Maritz), Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf - Legendary Division (with Jim Albus) 2003 Nelson Mandela Invitational (with Lee Westwood)
Results in major championships Tournament197119721973197419751976197719781979U.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipWDT28T21CUTT52T30 Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989U.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipT51T19CUTCUT Tournament199019911992199319941995U.S. OpenCUTThe Open Championship Note: Hobday never played in the Masters Tournament or the PGA Championship.
WD = withdrew CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1977 and 1984 Open Championships) "T" indicates a tie for a place
Champions Tour major championships Wins (1) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunners-up 1994 U.S. Senior Open −10 (66-67-66-75=274) 1 stroke Jim Albus, Graham Marsh
Team appearances Amateur Eisenhower Trophy (representing Zambia): 1966
Professional Double Diamond International (representing the Rest of the World): 1976, 1977
See also List of African golfers
References
External links