Sir Bob Charles has agreed to play in a round of the NZPGA and PGA of Australia Legends Series at the St Clair club on February 8.
The 86-year-old former British Open champion had not played competitively since his remarkable 66 at a Seniors Tour event in Switzerland a decade ago, friend Richard Kahn said.
"He was 76 then, so he shot a 10-under in terms of his age, a world record.
"It’s quite a coup to get him out of retirement."
Kahn said Charles was still a regular social golfer and had recently shot rounds of 73 and 74 at Millbrook.
"His touch is still amazing. He’s still very competitive, and he wouldn’t be turning up if he wasn’t.
"He’s 87 in March. He first came to Dunedin in 1953 for the New Zealand Open, and to be coming back for a tournament 70 years later is quite incredible."
St Clair professional Patrick Moore was excited to have Charles coming to the club for the Legends Tournament.
The course would be shortened — the field playing off the white tees — as the great left-hander was an advocate of tournament-appropriate playing lengths and the need for golfers to utilise every club in the bag.
A visit from the left-handed immortal, who would run a putting clinic for juniors while in Dunedin, was special given it had been 70 years since his appearance as a teenager at the New Zealand Open at Balmacewen, and 60 years since his major heroics at Royal Lytham and St Annes, Moore said.
It would also bring back memories of the 1971 Charity Classic tournament won by Charles at St Clair.
The Legends Series, which has previously been to Balmacewen and Chisholm Links, returns to New Zealand for the first time since Covid.
St Clair is the start of an Otago road swing, followed by North Otago (February 9) and Tokarahi (February 11). All tournaments have a $12,500 purse.
