Brian Huggett, the Welsh golfer who played in six Ryder Cups and finished runner-up in the 1965 Open Championship, has died aged 87.
A statement released on behalf of Huggett’s family said the golf icon died in the early hours of Sunday morning after a short illness.
Born in Porthcawl, Huggett won 16 European Tour events during his career and was Europe’s leading golfer in 1968.
He captained the Great Britain and Ireland team in the 1977 Ryder Cup, the last before players from the rest of Europe took part.
Huggett was also part of the team that brought the Ryder Cup to Wales in 2010.
Although small in stature, Huggett made up for his lack of size in skill and tenacity.
He turned professional in 1951 and was one of the leading figures of the European Circuit – the precursor to the current European Tour – in the 1960s.
Huggett won 14 times on the tour and won two more after the European Tour was created in 1972.
He finished third in the 1962 Open Championship at Troon – 13 shots behind winner Arnold Palmer – but was only two shots behind winner Peter Thomson at Royal Birkdale in 1965.
Later in his career he was a founding member of the European Seniors Tour, winning 10 tournaments.
Huggett was never on the winning side of the Ryder Cup, but played in the tied match in 1969 when Jack Nicklaus conceded a putt to Tony Jacklin on the final green in what became known as “the concession”.
The Welshman was captain at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s in 1977 when the USA won by five points.
It was the last time Great Britain and Ireland played the United States, with the team expanding to become European by the time of the 1979 match.
But that wasn’t the end of Huggett’s Ryder Cup involvement. He was one of the ambassadors for the 2010 event, which saw the match played in Wales for the first time, with Europe beating the United States 14 1/2 to 13 1/2.
Huggett’s contribution to Welsh sport was recognised when he was inducted into the Welsh Sporting Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was made an MBE in 1978.
