Royal and Ancient Golf Club

Memorial Service for Sir Michael Bonallack OBE in St Andrews

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The R&A
07 May 24
3 mins
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A Memorial Service to celebrate the life of Sir Michael Bonallack OBE, Britain’s most decorated amateur golfer, was held in St Andrews today.

The former Captain and Secretary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews sadly passed away at the age of 88 in September last year. The service in his memory was held at Holy Trinity Church in St Andrews with people attending to pay their respects from near and far. A winner of The Amateur Championship on five occasions and a member of nine Walker Cup teams, Bonallack was respected throughout the sport.

Defined amateur golf

During the 1960s and early 1970s, he simply defined amateur golf in Britain. Twice he won the Silver Medal as leading amateur at The Open in 1968 at Carnoustie and in 1971 at Royal Birkdale. His legacy lives on with the Bonallack Trophy which sees teams of 12 amateur golfers from Europe and the Asia-Pacific compete every two years. There were several contributions to the service at the home of golf, including from Neil Donaldson, Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, FRSE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor at the University of St Andrews, and Mr Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, also paid tribute to Bonallack’s illustrious career.