John Panton

{{short description|Scottish golfer}}

{{other people}}

{{EngvarB|date=September 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}

{{Infobox golfer

| name = John Panton

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| fullname =

| nickname = Gentleman John

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1916|10|9}}

| birth_place = Pitlochry, Scotland

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2009|7|24|1916|10|9}}

| death_place = Windsor, Berkshire, England

| height =

| weight =

| nationality = {{SCO}}

| spouse =

| partner =

| children = Catherine, Joan

| college =

| yearpro = 1935

| retired =

| extour = European Tour

| prowins = 44

| majorwins =

| masters = DNP

| usopen = DNP

| open = 5th/T5: 1956, 1959

| pga = DNP

| wghofid =

| wghofyear =

| award1 = Member of the Order
of the British Empire

| year1 = 1980

| award2 = Harry Vardon Trophy

| year2 = 1951

| awardssection =

}}

John Panton, MBE (9 October 1916 – 24 July 2009) was a Scottish professional golfer, who represented Great Britain three times in the Ryder Cup.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/8168391.stm |title=Golf mourns Ryder veteran Panton |work=BBC Sport |date=24 July 2009 |access-date=28 July 2009}}{{cite book |title=The Who's Who of Golf |first=Peter |last=Alliss |author-link=Peter Alliss |publisher=Orbis Publishing |year=1983 |isbn=0-85613-520-8 |page=281}}

Panton was born in Pitlochry. He turned professional in 1935 and took up a job in the local golf club shop. After serving in the army during World War II, he went on to win many prestigious tournaments including the 1956 PGA Match Play Championship, the 1950 Silver King Tournament, the 1951 Daks Tournament and the 1952 North British-Harrogate Tournament. He also won the Woodlawn Invitation Open in Germany for three consecutive years from 1958. In Scotland, he dominated, with eight victories in the Scottish Professionals Championship and seven in the Northern Open between 1948 and 1966.{{cite news|url=http://sport.scotsman.com/golf/Panton-hid-the-sword-with.5494332.jp |title=Panton hid the sword with a smile |newspaper=The Scotsman |date=26 July 2009 |access-date=28 July 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://www.randa.org/node/12773 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003164251/http://www.randa.org/node/12773 |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 October 2009 |title=John Panton MBE has died at the age of 92 |publisher=The R&A |date=24 July 2009 |access-date=28 July 2009 }}

In addition to tournament golf, Panton also served as a club professional at Glenbervie Golf Club until 1984.{{cite web |url=http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/obituaries/display.var.2522419.0.John_Panton.php |title=John Panton |newspaper=The Herald |access-date=28 July 2009}}{{dead link |date=January 2016}} Later in his career, he won the PGA Seniors Championship twice, in 1967 and 1969, and the World Senior Championship in 1967, defeating Sam Snead 3 and 2 in the final.

Panton was appointed honorary professional to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 1988, a position he held until his retirement in 2006.{{cite news |url=http://news.scotsman.com/obituaries/John-Panton.5497934.jp |title=John Panton |newspaper=The Scotsman |date=28 July 2009 |access-date=28 July 2009 |location=Edinburgh |first=Mike |last=Aitken}} In 2005, he was made an honorary life member of the European Tour.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/4226575.stm |title=O'Connor and Panton are honoured |work=BBC Sport |date=1 February 2005 |access-date=28 July 2009}}

As well as his Ryder Cup appearances in 1951, 1953 and 1961, Panton also represented Scotland 13 times in the World Cup between 1955 and 1968.

Panton's daughter, Catherine Panton-Lewis, is a professional golfer and was a founding member of the Ladies European Tour.