ARGENTINA: GOLF - Eighty three year-old Argentine golfer Roberto de Vincenzo retires from the game

At eighty three years of age, Argentine golfer Roberto de Vicenzo decided it was finally time to call it quits and played his last round on Sunday (November 12, 2006). Known for his superior golfing throughout the 1950's, '60's and '70's, de Vincenzo won 230 tournaments throughout his career. Surrounded by adoring fans who came to cheer him on during his last golf game de Vincenzo waved amicably to his onlookers as he teed off for the last time at the San Eliseo Golf and Country Club in Buenos Aires during a farewell tournament. "I am so happy to have been so well supported, applauded, they have even applauded me when I made a bad swing. I don't know if it was because they all think they can beat me now. The times have changed. Before they used to say, one has to win against De Vicenzo, now they say if you don't win against me then you are bad," Vicenzo said. Vicenzo was born in Buenos Aires in 1923, and learnt to golf while working as a caddie. He turned professional when he was just 15 years old, and won his first tournament when he was 21 at the Argentine Open. He then went on to win the PGA tour four times and the British Open once in 1967. In 1970, the United States Golf Association and the Golf Writers Association of America presented Vicenzo with the highly respected Bob Jones and William Richardson awards for his contribution to the sport.

ITN Source | November 14, 2006

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