John Panton, the Grand

Old Man of Scottish

Golf, dies at age of 92

John Panton, one of the legends of post-war Scottish professional golf, has gied at the age of 92.
John Panton, MBE, was the oldest surviving Ryder Cup player from the era when only Great Britain & Ireland players were chosen to play the United States.
Gentleman John played in the matches of 1951, 1953 and 1961.
He was born at Pitlochry in 1916 and won the British professional match-play champion in 1956 and finished fifth in the Open championship the same year.
Panton and Eric Brown dominated the Northern Open championship in the post-war years when there were not nearly so many events for professionals to play in - i.e. before the formation of the European or even a British Tour - and the "Northern" was much more highly regarded in those days.
Panton was associated with Glenbervie Golf Club all his playing days. Latterly he moved to Sunningdale where his daughter Cathy Panton-Lewis, who won the Scottish girls match-play championship in 1969 and later became a successful ladies tour professional.