Platts was runner-up in the 1960
Coombe Hill Assistants' Tournament and he returned to win the event in 1961. Two weeks later he won the
Gor-Ray Cup, the PGA Assistants' Championship, at Hartsbourne Country Club. Platts was 3 strokes behind leader
Ross Whitehead after three rounds but had a last round 64 to win by 5 strokes from Whitehead, who was a further 6 strokes ahead of third-placed
Alex Caygill. Platts, an assistant at Thorndon Park Golf Club near
Brentwood, Essex, became the professional there later in 1961. Platts was runner-up in the
Schweppes PGA Close Championship at Western Gailes Golf Club in 1964, two strokes behind
Tony Grubb. The event was played in April and was the first important event of the season. The PGA experimented with using the bigger ball, as used in America. The following month he was again a runner-up, in the
Martini International, six strokes behind
Christy O'Connor Snr. Later in 1964 Platts won the Braemar seven-club tournament at Turnberry by a stroke from
John Jacobs, winning £550. He played with a driver, 4, 6, 7 and 9 irons, a wedge and a putter. Platts finished the season 7th in the Order of Merit behind
Peter Alliss, who won the
Harry Vardon Trophy. In May 1965 he lost in a sudden-death playoff to
Ángel Miguel in the
Swallow-Penfold Tournament. Later in the year he lost to
Neil Coles at the 19th hole in the final of the
News of the World Match Play. The following week he again came close to success in the
Gallaher Ulster Open, losing to
Bernard Hunt at the sixth hole of sudden-death playoff. Platts finished 7th in the Order of Merit for the second successive season, behind
Bernard Hunt. Selection for the
1965 Ryder Cup was based on a points system, starting with the 1964
Carroll Sweet Afton Tournament and finishing with the 1965
Esso Golden Tournament in late July. Platts finished 6th in the list to gain a place in the team. Platts played two fourball matches on the second day with
Peter Butler, both against
Billy Casper and
Gene Littler, halving them both. He played in both singles sessions on the final day, losing to
Julius Boros but beating
Tommy Jacobs in the final match. Platts accepted an invitation to play in the
1966 Masters Tournament, scoring 80 and 79 and missing the cut. Playing with
Hedley Muscroft, Platts was runner-up in the inaugural
Sumrie Better-Ball in 1969. Platts won the 1971
Portuguese Open, a stroke ahead of
Antonio Garrido and
Paul Herbert. In 1972 he won the
Scottish Uniroyal Tournament, three strokes ahead of
Peter Oosterhuis. The event had insufficient prize money to be part of the inaugural
European Tour season. Platts played in the
Open Championship every year from 1961 to 1977. His best performance was when he was tied for 12th in 1965. He scored 68 in the first round of the
1967 Open Championship to lead the field, and eventually finished tied for 13th place. Platts made a
hole-in-one during the second round of the
1971 Open Championship, on the 212-yard 4th hole at
Royal Birkdale. Platts was 57 when the
European Senior Tour started in 1992 but he played a number of events, mostly between 1992 and 1994, making his final appearance in 2006. ==Personal life==