Mike Clayton (golfer)

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Mike Clayton
021Edit.jpg
Personal information
Full nameMichael Andrew Clayton
Born (1957-05-30) 30 May 1957 (age 66)
Melbourne, Australia
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Sporting nationalityFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Residence Melbourne, Australia
Career
Turned professional1981
Former tour(s) European Tour
Asia Golf Circuit
PGA Tour of Australasia
European Senior Tour
Professional wins8
Number of wins by tour
European Tour1
PGA Tour of Australasia6
Other1
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament DNP
PGA Championship DNP
U.S. Open DNP
The Open Championship T46: 1986

Michael Andrew Clayton (born 30 May 1957) is an Australian professional golfer, golf course architect and commentator on the game. He won the 1984 Timex Open on the European Tour and won six times on the PGA Tour of Australasia between 1982 and 1994.

Contents

Amateur career

Clayton was born in Melbourne, Victoria. He had a very successful amateur career which included the 1978 Australian Amateur, and the Victorian Amateur in 1977 and 1981.

Professional career

Clayton turned professional in 1981, the same year he joined the Australian Tour. He won his first tour event one year later and would win six more times between then and 1994.

Clayton played on the European Tour from 1982 to 2000, winning the 1984 Timex Open in Biarritz. [1] He also won the 1984 Maekyung Open. His best finish on the Australian Order of Merit was 4th in 1994. He would never lose his playing status until he became eligible for the Australian Senior's Tour.

Clayton was famously brought to attention for his "Infamous Putt", of which resulted in a one stroke penalty. As his putt was traveling towards the hole, Clayton twirled his putter in the air, but it slipped from his hands - he then dived towards the putter to catch it and in doing so, moved the ball with the putter, after which the ball hit him as he lay on the green. [2]

Clayton played on the European Seniors Tour. He was runner-up in the 2009 Jersey Seniors Classic, losing at the third playoff hole to Delroy Cambridge.

Clayton is now a golf course architect, having partnered with Geoff Ogilvy until 2019. In 2020 Clayton formed the firm Clayton, DeVries & Pont with architects Mike DeVries and Frank Pont.

Clayton designed Barnbougle Dunes in Bridport, Tasmania with Tom Doak and the Ranfurlie course at Amstel Golf Club, along with consultancy work at a number of Australian golf courses.

Clayton also regularly appears on golfing podcasts to discuss the state of the game and golf course architecture.

Amateur wins

Professional wins (8)

European Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runners-up
117 Jun 1984 Timex Open −16 (67-65-61-67=260)3 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Peter Teravainen, Flag of Scotland.svg Sam Torrance

European Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
1 1990 Wang Four Stars Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rodger Davis, Flag of the United States.svg Bill Malley,
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Mark McNulty
Davis won with birdie on seventh extra hole
Malley and McNulty eliminated by par on first hole

Asia Golf Circuit wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runners-up
115 Apr 1984 Maekyung Open −5 (75-66-71-71=283)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg John Jacobs, Flag of the Republic of China.svg Lu Hsi-chuen

PGA Tour of Australasia wins (6)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
114 Feb 1982 Victorian Open −7 (67-72-74-68=281)3 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Shearer
25 Feb 1984 Tasmanian Open −13 (67-71-67-70=275)2 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Clifford, Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wayne Grady
35 Feb 1989 Victorian Open (2)−3 (69-67-75-74=285)2 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ossie Moore
49 Feb 1992 Mercedes-Benz Australian Match Play Championship 4 and 3 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McWhinney
530 Jan 1994 Heineken Classic −9 (67-71-71-70=279)3 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wayne Smith
618 Dec 1994 Schweppes Coolum Classic −11 (69-73-66-69=277)4 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Andre Stolz

Playoff record

European Senior Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
1 2009 Jersey Seniors Classic Flag of Jamaica.svg Delroy Cambridge Lost to par on third extra hole

Results in major championships

Tournament198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995
The Open Championship CUTCUTT46CUTT57T59CUTCUTCUT

Note: Clayton only played in The Open Championship.

  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

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References

  1. "Meanwhile a first for Clayton". Sydney Morning Herald. 19 June 1984. p. 30.
  2. Video of the putt on YouTube