The world of golf was saddened on Sunday by the sudden death of Aldo Casera at the age of 79. He had been attending the Fiat and Fila Italian Open – a tournament he won in 1948 – at CircoloGolf, Torino, when he took unwell. He died in hospital on Sunday.
In a long and successful career, he represented Italy in the Canada Cup (now the World Cup of Golf) in 1954 and again in 1958. He won the Italian Closed Professional title in 1948, 1949 and 1956; the Italian Open at his birthplace, San Remo in 1948, and the Swiss Open at Crans-sur-Sierre in 1950.
It was in the Swiss Open (now the Canon European Masters) that Casera set a European Tour record unlikely ever to be equalled when, last September, he made his 50th appearance in the tournament.
He made his debut in 1948 and only missed one event in Switzerland, in 1955. In 1997 he shot a 78 to equal his age – then went out and bettered that score by five shots the following day with a 73.
He said: “I come back every year to see all my friends.” Now he will be sadly missed by those many friends.
