Australian golf legend Jack Newton, who tied for second place at the 1980 Masters, and whose career was curtailed when he lost his right arm when he stepped into a spinning airplane propeller, has died, his family said in a statement. He was 72.
Newton’s family released a statement on Friday announcing his death, News.com.au reported.
“On behalf of our family, it is with great sadness I announce that our courageous and loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, and mate ... has passed away overnight due to health complications,” the statement read. “Dad was a fearless competitor and iconic Australian, blazing a formidable trail during his professional golfing career between 1971 and 1983 before his career tragically ended.
“He fought back from tremendous adversity as only he could, and chose to selflessly invest his time, energy, and effort towards giving back to the community through his Jack Newton Junior Golf Foundation, sports commentary, golf course design, and raising significant funds for several charities, most notably, diabetes.”
Newton, from Sydney, turned professional when he was 19, The Age reported. His biggest wins were in the Australian Open at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne in 1979 and the British match play title in 1974, the newspaper reported.
According to the PGA Tour, Newton appeared in 10 major golf tournaments from 1977 to 1981. He finished four shots behind Seve Ballesteros to tie Gibby Gilbert at the 1980 Masters. His other top-10 finish in a major came the same year, when he tied for 10th place with Gil Morgan to finish 12 shots behind winner Tom Watson at Muirfield.
Newton’s career ended after an accident on July 24, 1983, when he walked into the propeller of an airplane, News.com.au reported.
Newton and five friends had flown to Sydney to watch a cricket event, The Age reported. After the match, they returned to the single-engine Cessna, and due to poor lighting, Newton did not see the revolving propeller, according to the newspaper.
Newton received an Order of Australia award in 2007 for services to golf and also worked as a television commentator and analyst, according to News.com.au.