In 1959, Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba, Alaska became the 49th US state, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India and Gary Player won the British Open at Muirfield.
Hong Kong had its own moment in history when Hong Kong Golf Club (HKGC) member Kim Hall enticed a number of Australian professionals to come to play at Fanling - for the princely sum of #1,000, sponsored by the South China Morning Post.
A tournament was born and it has since grown into one of the jewels on the Hong Kong sporting calendar and in Asian golf.
It has other claims to fame - being the oldest professional sporting event in Hong Kong and one of only a few major golf tournaments that have been played at the same course for such a long period of time.
Hugh Staunton, a member of the HKGC since 1958, recalls the early days: 'It was a small tournament to begin with, but it was still very exciting because it was the first professional sports event in Hong Kong. We were cut off from sporting events in other parts of the world, so to be able to watch great players like Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle was a wonderful experience. They were golfing heroes.
'I remember one particular round by Nagle on the New Course when he had five twos - he made a birdie at every par three, which was quite exceptional. It was also less formal back then. Some of the pros stayed at the clubhouse and spent quite a bit of time with the members. And there were more amateurs playing.'
