TODAY IN HISTORY: The Australian sports star struck down in his prime

On July 24, 1983, the career of Australian golfing star Jack Newton was tragically ended when he lost his right arm and eye when he accidentally walked into an aircraft propeller.

Newton was one of Australia’s most successful players in the 1970s and early 1980s, finishing runner-up at the British Open in 1975 and the US Masters in 1980.

While his career abruptly ended at the age of 33, Newton went onto become an inspiring figure in golf and the wider sporting world. His foundation helped nurture thousands of young Australian golfers and he became a respected golf commentator and course architect.

Jack Newton died in 2022 at the age of 72.

READ MORE: Why Jack Newton’s family didn’t see tragic aeroplane propeller accident as a ‘negative’