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Flory Van Donck is watched by King George VI at Muirfield in 1948

Flory Van Donck

An early pioneer in European golf, Flory Van Donck was an unmistakable figure at The Open throughout the 1950s.

An early pioneer in European golf, Flory Van Donck was an unmistakable figure at The Open throughout the 1950s.

Among the greatest golfers to have emerged from Belgium, Van Donck was a silky putter with an unorthodox style that saw him keep the toe of his putter in the air.

Born in 1912, he was twice a runner-up at The Open.

He came closest in 1959 when he finished two strokes shy of Gary Player at Muirfield having missed out by three strokes three years earlier at Hoylake.

The Tervuren-born player reached the top five in every Championship from 1955 to 1960, and made the top ten eight times in the 50s.

It’s fair to say he enjoyed dominance of the Belgian domestic scene, winning the national title 12 times.

In 1960 he won the Trophee National du Merite Sportif, the highest honour available to a Belgian athlete, won by the likes of Eddy Merckx and Kim Clijsters, the only golfer to do so.

Venue
Finish
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
Par
Muirfield 1959
2
70
70
73
73
286
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1958
5
70
70
67
74
281
-
St Andrews 1957
5
72
68
74
72
286
-
Royal Liverpool 1956
2
71
74
70
74
289
-
St Andrews 1955
5
71
72
71
72
286
-
Royal Birkdale 1954
10
77
71
70
71
289
-
Carnoustie 1953
20
77
71
78
73
299
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1952
7
74
75
71
76
296
-
Royal Portrush 1951
24
72
76
76
76
300
-
Royal Troon 1950
9
73
71
72
70
286
-
Royal St George's 1949
M/C
70
80
-
-
-
M/C
Muirfield 1948
7
69
73
73
76
291
-
Royal Liverpool 1947
21
73
76
81
75
305
-
St Andrews 1946
28
76
78
83
78
315
-
Royal St George's 1938
M/C
79
73
-
-
-
M/C

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