O’Meara is an American professional golfer who was a prolific tournament winner on the PGA Tour and around the world from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s.
Born on this day in North Carolina, he took up golf at the age of 13, turned professional in 1980 and went on to win 16 events on the PGA Tour.
The majors eluded him for 18 years but he ended that dry run in spectacular fashion winning the Augusta Masters, in his 15th attempt, and the British Open in 1998 to rise to World No2, his best ranking.
O’Meara is known for competing outside the US more often than most leading American golfers, and has won tournaments in Europe, Asia, Australia andSouth America, including the Dubai Desert Classic in 2004.
Twice Ryder Cup winner (1991 and 1999), he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in July 2015.
1969: Stephen Hendry, retired Scottish snooker legend and seven time world champion (47).
1972: Mark Bosnich, former Australian goalkeeper, who also played for Aston Villa, Manchester United (44).
1982: Guillermo Coria, retired Argentinian tennis player, a former World No3 and 2004 French Open finalist (34).
1982: Kamran Akmal, Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman who has played 53 Tests and 154 ODIs (34).
