Mary Thomson said it was the first time she’d been handed a trophy in 20 years, “and the last time was when Peter and I won the B grade foursomes at Sorrento”.

Andrew Thomson told the now-famous story of his taking the claret jug from 1965 to school as a four-year-old, and coming home in tears because one boy said: “My dad’s got 12 of those”.

It was a moving occasion at the Australian Golf Media Association annual dinner on Saturday night at The Lakes when the R&A present the Thomson family with a special replica of the 1965 claret jug.

Thomson, arguably Australia’s greatest golfer, won five Open championships – in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958 and 1965. He died in June this year, aged 88.

The trophy is a sterling silver 90 percent scale replica of the iconic trophy and is engraved across two tiers with the names of Champion Golfers in the years up to and including 1965.

The presentation of the replica Claret Jug was made by Clive Brown, chairman of the R&A championship committee to his wife, Mary, and Andrew Thomson, Peter’s son. Clive also presented commemorative tee markers that were used during the first round of The 147th Open at Carnoustie.

Mary Thomson was delighted to accept the trophy. “It was his greatest honour to be part of the Royal and Ancient Club,’’ she said. “It was very, very special to him always. It’s why we bought our house in St Andrews.”

Thomson was patron of the AGMA and a longtime member, and Mary Thomson also thanked the media. “It’s terrific that the presentation has been made tonight on this occasion, because Peter felt very much one of you.’’

Peter Thomson was also a distinguished honorary member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. The plaque from his locker at St Andrews was also be presented to Peter’s family by Chris Hilton, captain of the club.

Peter Thomson was one of the most decorated and celebrated Champion Golfers in the history of The Open, winning the Championship five times in total and is the only golfer of the 20th century to lift the Claret Jug on three consecutive occasions between 1954 and 1956.

His two-shot victory in The Open at Royal Birkdale in 1965 saw him resist the challenge from many of the greatest names in golf including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Kel Nagle and Roberto de Vicenzo to lift the Claret Jug.

Brendan Moloney, from Golf Australia magazine, won the main AGMA gong, the Tom Ramsey Award.