Vincent Tshabalala facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vincent Tshabalala |
|
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Vincent Vesele Tshabalala |
| Born | 16 March 1942 Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Died | 3 June 2017 (aged 75) |
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Nationality |  South Africa |
| Residence | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1963 |
| Former tour(s) | European Tour Southern Africa Tour European Seniors Tour |
| Professional wins | 9 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| European Tour | 1 |
| Other | 8 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
|
| The Masters Tournament | DNP |
| U.S. Open | DNP |
| The Open Championship | T56: 1977 |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
Vincent Vesele Tshabalala (born March 16, 1942 – died June 3, 2017) was a professional golfer from South Africa. He won many golf competitions organized by the Tournament Players Association for non-white players. In 1976, he achieved a big win at the French Open.
Contents
Early Life and Golf Journey
Vincent Tshabalala was born on March 16, 1942. His parents were Philip and Maria Tshabalala. He grew up in Rietvlei with his eight brothers and sisters.
He went to George Goch school. After school, he learned to be a mechanic. Vincent found his love for golf at Rietvlei Golf Club. He worked there as a caddie, carrying golf bags for players. He saved his money to buy his own golf clubs. Golf was mostly played by white people back then. But Vincent was determined to follow his dream. When he became a professional golfer, he had a mix of clubs he bought one by one. Vincent was part of the Zulu ethnic group.
Breaking Barriers in Golf
Vincent Tshabalala started playing golf professionally in the 1960s. He played on the Non-European Tour and won six times. He also finished second four times and third once.
During the 1970s, a system called apartheid kept black golfers from playing on the Southern African Tour. But with help from famous golfer Gary Player, Vincent was able to play in tournaments on the European Tour.
He played his first European Tour event in April 1976 at the Madrid Open. The next week, on May 9, 1976, he won the Open de France! He even carried his own golf bag during the tournament. He finished two strokes ahead of another player and won £3,570. This was a huge moment because he was the first black person to win on the European Tour. That year, he played in nine events and had other good finishes too.
Later Career and Achievements
Later in 1976, Vincent was asked to play for South Africa with Gary Player in the 1976 World Cup. However, he said no because of the political situation at the time.
After racial rules were removed in the early 1970s, Tshabalala also played on the Southern Africa Tour. He finished in the top 10 many times. In 1982, he joined the PGA (Professional Golfers' Association). In 1990, he became the president of the PGA. He played a key role in bringing together the Professional Golfers Association and the Tournament Players Association.
Vincent also played on the European Seniors Tour starting in 1992. He finished second twice in senior tournaments. He won the Nelson Mandela Invitational in both 2004 and 2005. He played with Ernie Els in 2004 and with Tim Clark in 2005.
Awards and Legacy
Vincent Tshabalala received several important awards for his contributions to golf:
- He received a Presidential Sports Award from President Thabo Mbeki.
- In 2010, he was added to the Southern Africa Golf Hall of Fame.
- He got a lifetime achievement award from the Union of Golf Societies in 2005.
- In 2003, the City of Johannesburg recognized him for helping to break down racial barriers in sports.
- SABC Sports gave him a golf award for his great work in promoting golf in South Africa.
After his playing career, Vincent became a dedicated golf teacher. He was more interested in helping people learn and improve than in earning money. For four summers, he worked as a golf pro in Sweden.
Vincent Tshabalala passed away on June 3, 2017, at 75 years old. He is buried in Avalon cemetery in Soweto.
Professional Wins
Vincent Tshabalala won 9 professional tournaments during his career.
European Tour Wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 May 1976 | French Open | −16 (69-70-66-67=272) | 2 strokes |  Salvador Balbuena |
Other Wins (8)
- 1965 South African Non-European Open
- 1971 South African Non-European Open
- 1972 Transvaal Non-European Open, Natal Non-European Open
- 1977 South African Non-European Open
- 1983 South African Non-European Open
- 2004 Nelson Mandela Invitational (with
Ernie Els) - 2005 Nelson Mandela Invitational (with Tim Clark)
Major Championship Results
Vincent Tshabalala only played in one major golf championship, The Open Championship.
| Tournament | 1976 | 1977 |
|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | CUT | T56 |
- CUT = missed the cut (did not play all rounds)
- "T" = tied for that position
