Welcome to April in St Andrews Golf Magazine.
Sandy Herd and Old Tom Morris. Robert Tyre Jones is not the only link between St Andrews and Augusta National. The Old Course was in many respects the inspiration for Alister Mackenzie’s design, with its wide fairways and penal bunkering.
Spring is in the air, the evenings are getting lighter and the temperature is getting warmer. It can only mean two things – The Masters is coming and the golf season in St Andrews is underway. The many thousands of golfers from across the world will soon make their pilgrimage to the home of golf just as Bobby Jones first did in 1921.
Augusta National, although exclusively private, is probably in a club of four courses throughout the world which receive such homage from the golfer in addition to Pinehurst, Pebble Beach and the Old Course.
Many a visitor will want to rip up their scorecard, like Bobby did after visiting “Hill” bunker on the 11th on the Old Course, but many will soak up the unique history and charm of St Andrews. Bobby came to love the place and eventually succeeded in both The Open and the Amateur Championships in 1927 and 1930 respectively.
Bobby was later given the freedom of the Royal Burgh of Fife in 1958 and is an honorary member of the New Golf Club of St Andrews along with Arnold Palmer,
This month in St Andrews Golf Magazine we extensively preview The Masters and have features on Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros and Sir Nick Faldo. All four are synonymous with both Augusta and St Andrews. We also have an exclusive interview with Sky Sports’ commentator Ewen Murray and preview the season ahead at the home of golf.
We have columns from rising stars on the tours of golf including Stefanie Kenoyer and Michael Buttavacoli, and we get to know Teresa Lu.
We hope you will enjoy the second edition of St Andrews Golf Magazine, you can log on to our newly redesigned website standrewsgolfmagazine.com, follow us on twitter, like us on Facebook and join us on Google plus.
Editors: Matt Hooper Colin Donaldson
Scottish Golf Show photography: © Recounter
Image credits: Front cover – Boston Public Library Page 5 – Brett Chisum Pages 10 – TravelingMamas.com Page 11, 12 – RareNewspapers.com Page 16 – cliff1066™ Pages 18, 19, 20, 22 – Augusta Chronicle Page 23 – Jonjamdar Page 28 – Steven Newton Page 33 – Ewen Murray Pages 34, 35 – www.tvnewsroom.co.uk Page 36 – Sky Sports Golf Twitter page Page 44 – Corn Farmer Page 59 – © Recounter Page 62 – John Boyne, © Recounter Page 63 – PinehurstMedia.com
The 2014 Masters Tournament is set to be the most open and competitive in the modern era and a huge opportunity for a former world number one to exorcise the demons of his 2011 meltdown. With Tiger Woods missing the Masters for the first time in his entire career due to back surgery, Phil Mickelson struggling for form and fitness, Rory McIlroy has the chance to add a green jacket to a Wanamaker Trophy and US Open Championship. Following the worst period of his short career the Ulsterman has strung together a strong run of tournaments including a win over 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott in the Emirates Australian Open last November. McIlroy began 2014 with a second place finish at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and has followed that with a runner-up at the Honda Classic and a top 25 finish at Doral.
in the absence of Tiger Woods and his form is some justification for that, as well as his previous strong record in the major championships. Phil Mickelson’s focus obviously is on completing the career grand slam at Pinehurst but you can never discount a man who has three wins around Augusta. Adam Scott seems to have run out of steam following a superb 2013, but his first 3 rounds at Bay Hill show what a talent he is. Here is a rundown of the contenders for the first men’s major of the year. (Odds courtesy of OddsChecker.com on 4/4/2014)
In all the 2-time Major Champion has posted 8 top ten finishes from the PGA Championship last August and his last missed cut was The Open Championship last July. His high ball flight, wondrous short game and proven championship pedigree make him a potential champion at Augusta. The bookmakers have McIlroy as the favourite
ADAM SCOTT Odds: 8/1 Major wins: 2013 Masters Best Masters finish: Champion, 2013
PHIL MICKELSON RORY MCILROY Odds: 7/1
Odds: 11/1
Major wins: 2011 US Open, 2012 PGA
Major wins: 2004 Masters, 2005 PGA, 2006 Masters, 2010 Masters, 2013 Open
Best Masters finish: 15th, 2011
Best Masters finish: Champion 2004, 06, 10
JASON DAY
MATT KUCHAR
JUSTIN ROSE
Odds: 14/1
Odds: 20/1
Odds: 25/1
Major wins: none
Major wins: none
Major wins: 2013 US Open
Best Masters finish: 2nd, 2011
Best Masters finish: 3rd, 2012
Best Masters finish: 5th,2007
HENRIK STENSON Odds: 16/1 Major wins: none th
Best Masters finish: 17 , 2007, 2008
DUSTIN JOHNSON
GRAEME MCDOWELL
Odds: 25/1
Odds: 45/1
Major wins: none
Major wins: 2010 US Open
Best Masters finish: 13th, 2013
Best Masters finish: 12th, 2012
Bobby Jones achieved all he could achieve in life and in golf, he was synonymous with excellence and class in all he did and was known the world over but in the whole world only two places remain synonymous with him – St Andrews and Augusta. Born in Atlanta, Georgia on March 17, 1902 Robert Tyre Jones Junior was born into a family of relative wealth, his father was a Lawyer. Despite this it didn’t mean he had an easy childhood or life, suffering from health issues for most of his life. He was diagnosed with Syringomyelia at the age of 46. Jones was clearly a talented golfer at a very young age and indeed proved this by winning the Georgia State Amateur Championship at the age of 14, as well as qualifying for the quarter-finals of the US Amateur in the same year. He qualified for the US Open at the age of 18 in 1920 and would make his first visit to the home of golf, St Andrews in 1921 for The Open Championship. The 1921 Open was the 12th to be played over the Old Course at St Andrews and was won by Naturalized American Jock Hutchison, who was born in St Andrews. But it was infamous for “an act which would have quickly been forgotten if committed by an ordinary player”, in the words of
legendary golf writer Henry Longhurst. Jones, having played the front nine in 46 strokes reached the short par three 11th hole and found Hill Bunker, which guards the left side of the green, with his tee shot. After taking multiple swipes at the ball without extricating himself from it the prodigy picked up and ripped his scorecard up. He continued to play but was no longer part of the competition.
of margins, 6-5, but this was the week that Jones mastered the subtleties of links golf. He won a singles match over 36-hole by 12 & 11, and he was part of a victorious foursomes game too. When Jones next returned to St Andrews he would demonstrate a mastery of links golf unlike any ever seen before, by an American or any other golfer for that matter.
Jones was renowned for his flashes of bad temper on the golf course, a burning passion within him and he could not accept playing so badly. Myth has it that he said he would never return to St Andrews, but indeed he did and when he did so he would leave an indelible mark on the Old Course and the town. Jones won his first major championship at Inwood Country Club in the 1923 US Open, victorious in an 18-hole playoff over Scotland’s Bobby Cruickshank. He then won the US Amateur championships of 1924 and 1925, and won his first Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s Golf Club in 1926. He followed that up by winning the US Open of that year at Scioto Country Club in Ohio. The scene was set for his return to St Andrews in the 1926 Walker Cup. The Americans were victorious by the narrowest
Truly great sporting performances can be counted using very few fingers, one of these such performances came from Robert Tyre Jones Jr. at the 1927 Open in St Andrews. Rounds of 68, 72, 73 and 72 over the then par 73 layout saw Jones win by six clear strokes and record the lowest four rounds ever played at any Major Championship at the time.
The Amateur Championship at St Andrews was the first step along the path to immortality. As destiny would have it Jones would sweep all before him and conquer the oldest Amateur championship in the game, beating fellow American Eugene V Homans in the final by the score of 8&7. He would go on to win The Open at Royal Liverpool, the US Open at Interlachen and the US Amateur at Merion. The called it the “Impregnable Quadrilateral”. The closest thing to it since? Tiger Woods winning four in a row, concluding at Bobby Jones’ Augusta National in the 2001 Masters – but it was over two years, not in one calendar year.
Aged 25 Jones returned home to a hero’s welcome and the media called him “Golf’s Wonder Man”. Three years later he would return to St Andrews in a bid to win the one major title that had eluded him in his career – The Amateur Championship. He set out in 1930 to do the impossible, win the complete set of major titles. The US Open and Open Championship, along with the US Amateur and Amateur Championship.
With all that he could achieve in the game achieved Jones honoured his commitment to his family to retire, at the tender age of 28. Following his retirement from tournament golf Jones needed something other than his work as a lawyer to occupy him and put his passion into, that something was Augusta National Golf Club. Bobby met Dr Alister Mackenzie at the 1927 Open in St Andrews and when the time came to find a designer for his course there was only one man Bobby wanted. The architect of Cypress Point and Pasatiempo Golf Clubs on the California coast, Mackenzie shared many thoughts in common with Jones as to how a golf course should look and play. Bobby wanted Augusta National to be his homage to St Andrews, a strategic course with room off the tee to enable all level of golfer to enjoy their round. But the course would make the golfer think, just like the Old Course. It is a well-used phrase by the Old Course caddies to American visitors that “Left is Right and Right is Wrong”, but for a talented golfer to succeed at St Andrews they must challenge this theory and challenge the trouble in order to have the best angle of attack into the greens. Bobby Jones’ and Alister Mackenzie’s goal was to “reward the good shot by making the
second shot simpler in proportion to the excellence of the first.” "A course which is constructed with these principles in view must be interesting, because it will offer problems which a man may attempt, according to his ability." "It will never become hopeless for duffer, nor fail to concern and interest expert. And it will be found, like old Andrews, to become more delightful more it is studied and played."
the the St. the
This is so true of both the Old Course and Augusta National for different reasons. At Augusta the golfer is wowed by its beauty but in general with few exceptions it takes a few attempts for a player to succeed in The Masters because they have to learn the best way to attack the golf course. On the Old Course many players have taken several attempts to appreciate the qualities of the course, Lee Westwood once famously said that it wouldn’t be in his top 200 in the world. Westwood then won the 2003 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and came second at the 2010 Open Championship. There are some six holes at Augusta which bare huge similarities to holes on the Old Course at St Andrews. The 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 14th and 17th along with others where if you
took the trees away you may feel as though you were on the east coast of Scotland, not on the site of the former Fruitland’s Nursery in Georgia.
second shot to a two-tier green. Original plans for Augusta even included their version of the valley of sin, this was removed after the 1938 Masters.
The 3rd hole at Augusta is likened to the 12th at the Old Course and Jones’ long term journalist sidekick OB Keeler said "You remember that perilous little plateau green on the twelfth at St. Andrews? Well, this green will be quite similar; and you know it's not so simple, even after a big drive on the twelfth at St. Andrews to get the ball anywhere near the flag."
The original idea for the club was to have a national membership of invited friends of Bobby and his founding partner Clifford Roberts, of course this has now been expanded to include several high profile members from around the world. The club initially approached the USGA about hosting a US Open but the governing body decided that the extreme summer heat would make this impossible.
Nothing could be truer, the 12th hole, for its short length on the Old, is one of the most difficult on the course dependent upon the location of the pin. Even with a short club in your hand making birdie is extremely difficult. The 3rd at Augusta embodies this. The par three fourth hole is said to pay direct homage to the 11th at the Old Course. Jones’ once said that none of the par three’s at Augusta should require a wood from the tee, if only he had left a letter for Hootie Johnson and Billy Payne. The fourth now plays an eye watering 240 yards from the tips. The fifth hole was said to be mimicking the key aspects of the road hole at St Andrews, featuring a semi-blind drive and demanding
So Jones and Clifford devised their own plan to stage an invitational for the best golfers around and the Augusta National Invitational Tournament was born. First played in 1934 with a field of 72 players the tournament quickly rose to prominence in the golfing calendar. Now the only thing as special in golf as The Masters is an Open Championship at St Andrews. 6 years following Jones’ Amateur Championship win at the home of golf he made an impromptu return to St Andrews in 1936 for a social round on the Old Course. Word quickly spread and thousands gathered around the first tee to welcome Bobby back. Shops shut spontaneously
and as many as 6,000 people followed his every shot around the links. There is no doubt that Bobby Jones is still the most popular overseas golfer every to step foot in St Andrews. And this was confirmed in 1958 when he returned with the United States team for the World Amateur Championship. Unknown to him on arrival Jones was to receive the highest honour he could outside of his native America, Freedom of the Burgh of Fife. The ceremony took place in Younger Graduation Hall in St Andrews on 9 October 1958. It was at the ceremony that Jones uttered the famous words "I could take out of my life everything except my experiences at St. Andrews, and I would still have had a rich and full life.” Three cheers for Bobby were sung out by the 1700 people in attendance that day, they had a mutual love and admiration for each other and Jones became one of theirs. In 2004 a movie depicting the life of Bobby Jones was produced and much of it is set in St Andrews. “Bobby Jones Stroke of Genius” ends with Jones and OB Keeler at the site of what would become Augusta National and Jones saying that it was to be
his homage to St Andrews. In 1958, the same year of his Freedom of the town, Jones was awarded the status as Honorary Member of the New Golf Club, following Old Tom Morris and Sandy Herd, preceding Arnold Palmer.
So the links between Augusta National and St Andrews run deep, Jones left his remarkable prints on both the home of golf and the home of what has become the greatest golf tournament in the world.
Written by Matt Hooper
For 38 years Tiger Woods has been on a quest to break the records of one man; the man who has won more majors than anyone else, the man who has won the joint most US Open championships ever, the man who has won the joint most PGA Championships and won the third most Open Championships by an American. He is the man though who has won clearly the most green jackets, six Masters titles two more than the next best of four by Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods, The Masters Tournament is Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus is The Masters Tournament. Six wins over three decades at Augusta National, culminating with his iconic come from behind win at the 1986 tournament, his first Major for six years and first Masters for eleven. While it is fair to say that Arnold Palmer was more glamorous and universally more popular than Nicklaus, Gary Player was more globally appreciated and Seve was more revered and idolized, there can be no doubt that the most respected golfer in the history of the game is Jack Nicklaus. The wins and the records, the appreciation for golfers of all levels and from all parts of the world made Nicklaus a commanding figure within the game, being more modest than Palmer, Player or Seve has earned
him a level of respect and admiration from golfers of all levels and especially within the professional game as youngsters seek out the most successful golfer of all-time for advice and encouragement. Each generation has its legendary golfer or golfers who the next generation look up to and take attributes from to improve and aspire to. Rory McIlroy looked up to Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods chased Jack Nicklaus's records and for Nicklaus it was Bobby Jones who was the idol, the icon he looked up to and chased his records which makes his success at Augusta more relevant in that it is Bobby Jones who founded the club in the 1930's. Born in Atlanta, Georgia Bobby Jones had a short but immensely successful career at the top of the world of golf despite remaining amateur for his entire career. Competing in the same era as Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen Jones won four U.S. Open and three Open Championships in addition to five U.S. Amateur and one Amateur championship, 13 major championships (7 professional) in 8 amazing years culminating in the “Impregnable quadrilateral” or “Grand Slam” of 1930. Jones and his friend Clifford Roberts hired Alister Mackenzie to build a golf course in Augusta, Georgia in 1933
initially intending to bring the U.S. Open down to the South, but when the USGA declined on the grounds of the extreme heat during June in Georgia Jones and Roberts came up with an idea to host their own tournament. And The Masters Tournament was born. Jones was for Nicklaus what Nicklaus is for Tiger Woods today. His record of 13 Major championships was the record which Jack hunted down from the start and he is noted for saying that he considers himself to have won 20 Majors as he counts his two U.S. Amateur titles as Major championships and his similarities with Jones make it absolutely no surprise that Nicklaus had the most success at Augusta National. Because Jones valued the amateur golfer he invited amateurs to compete in The Masters Tournament and gave them special accommodation and status within the tournament, giving Jack Nicklaus, and later Tiger Woods, the opportunity to play at Augusta and compete in a Major prior to turning professional. Nicklaus won the 1959 U.S. Amateur championship at the Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado and the 1961 championship at Pebble Beach, these wins in addition to other amateur achievements enabled Nicklaus to compete in the 1959, 1960 and
1961 Master Tournaments, finishing 13th and 7th in 1960 and 1961 respectively. He turned professional in late 1961 and went on to finish in 15th place at the 1962 Masters before his major breakthrough at Oakmont in the U.S. Open, Nicklaus defeated the man who would become a rival, colleague and friend in an 18-hole play-off by 3 shots. Arnold Palmer was the leading figure in golf following the end of the Ben Hogan era and had won 30 tournaments including 4 Majors prior to Jack Nicklaus turning professional and in April 1962 won his fifth major and third green jacket in the first major Nicklaus competed in as a professional. In the same period Gary Player won over 30 tournaments worldwide including 2 Majors and they would soon be joined by Nicklaus in arguably the greatest triumvirate of golfers or sportsmen ever seen and “The Big Three� would dominate Augusta National for a decade. With Palmer winning in '60 and '62 and Gary Player winning in '61 they were the guys Nicklaus knew he had to beat and in 1963 it was time for the youngster to break through and fulfill the potential he showed as an Amateur. With four Masters appearances under his belt playing in The Masters at Augusta under the watchful eye
of Bobby Jones was not daunting for the 23-year-old, and despite starting with a 2over-par round of 74 he showed his immense talent by bouncing back with a six-under-par 66 which formed the basis for his first Masters win and second career Major win. The conditions were blustery and difficult all week at Augusta but were near perfect on Friday and it was then Nicklaus took advantage and made his power count with birdies at 7, 8, 12, 13, 15 and 17, his lowest round of his fledgling career at Augusta. However he was still trailing Mike Souchak by a shot. Following wind on Thursday, sun on Friday the weather turned decidedly murky on the weekend, making the course play long and scoring was at a premium, but playing with the confidence of a U.S. Open win under his belt Nicklaus didn't let the conditions affect his focus and minimized the damage on Saturday to post 74 and sit three shots clear of Tony Lema on 2-under-par. On the final day Lema shot a 2-under-par 70 and Nicklaus came to the 72nd hole requiring par to win outright, 2 putts from 35 feet secured the title. Nicklaus had won for the first time at Augusta in just his second start as a professional in the tournament and had announced to the world, and to Palmer and
Player, that he was a major force in the world of golf.
With each of the big three having won once or more in the last four Masters tournaments and Palmer dominating the field in 1964, winning by 6, the scene was set for the 1965 Masters and the pinnacle of this great global golfing rivalry.
Coming into the 1965 Masters Tournament Arnold Palmer had won 7 Majors, Gary Player had lifted 3 and Jack Nicklaus had also been victorious 3 times on the grandest stage in golf, 11 of these wins had come in the 16 matches preceding the 1965 Masters establishing the trio as without question golf's greatest of the time. Of course so often in sport when you build something up you are left disappointed, but the 1965 Masters did not leave us wanting more, it was arguably one of the greatest majors ever played and it is somewhat surprising that it doesn't get referred to that often as such. Gary Player surged into a two-stroke with a sensational 7-under-par 65 Nicklaus posted a 5-under-par 67, Arnold Palmer starting off slowly with under-par 70.
lead and with a 2-
In round two Player stumbled to a 1-overpar 73, Nicklaus added a 1-under-par 71 and Palmer moved into the picture with a 4under-par 68 and the 50,000 fans who came to Augusta that week had been treated to a dream couple of days which culminated in the three greatest golfers of the time being tied for the lead going into the weekend. Can you imagine the hype if Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson enter the
weekend at the 2014 Masters tied for the lead? And then can you imagine Tiger stamping his authority on the other two with a sensational third round to take control of the tournament?
Palmer and Player, the greatest winning margin ever at The Masters.
Well in 1965 that was exactly how it panned out with Jack Nicklaus shooting a recordequalling low round of 64 to blow away the other contenders, stretching out to a five shot lead over Gary Player and establishing a new record-low 54-hole total of 202 at The Masters Tournament. This was the confirmation if it was needed that while Palmer was universally more popular than Nicklaus the Ohioan had a golf game that was just a level above Palmer and Player, the first signs of what was to come for Jack Nicklaus over the next 20 years at Augusta and around the world. With the rest of the field having to push and be aggressive on Sunday Nicklaus would have been excused for playing defensive golf but he posted a fine 69 to go further under par and break yet more records on his way to a second green jacket and an astonishing victory over his greatest rivals. He posted 17-under for the four rounds, the lowest aggregate ever at Augusta, and played the final two rounds in an amazing 11-under-par to win by 9 strokes from
In 1966 England was gripped by World Cup fever but in golf was in the vice-like grip of Jack Nicklaus, he won a third green jacket in an 18-hole play-off by two strokes from Tommy Jacobs and eight from Gay Brewer and then at a brutal Muirfield the “Golden Bear� completed the career grand slam by winning The Open Championship by the
narrowest of margins from Doug Sanders and Dave Thomas, posting 2-under-par on a course where only three players broke par for the four rounds. Jack Nicklaus had joined Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player as the only players to have won all four professional majors in their career, and he did it in just under five years after turning professional.
It would be six years before Nicklaus next slipped into the green jacket but in between he won three further Major Championships to take his total to nine, matching Gary Player and moving two ahead of Arnold Palmer. The 1972 Masters would set Nicklaus up for a shot at the calendar year Grand Slam, claiming another green jacket with a 2under-par total on a long course in difficult conditions finishing as the only player under par and winning by three strokes from Weiskopf, Bobby Mitchell and Bruce Crampton.
Crampton would feature in the next major in 1972 at the Pebble Beach Golf Links, winning the race for second place as Nicklaus won by another three shot margin on the course which he won a second U.S. Amateur title, the championship would be remembered for the spectacular 1-iron he hit at the par three seventeenth that struck the pin to set up a birdie. Nicklaus arrived at Muirfield, the site of his first Open Championship in 1966, as the overwhelming favourite to win an 11th Major, 2nd Open and third leg of the Grand Slam and once again it was a battle royal for the championship. Lee Trevino was among a group of new stars rising to challenge Nicklaus having won three majors coming into the 1972 Open as a serious contender, along with the 1969 Open and 1970 US Open champion Tony Jacklin, the trio were to serve up a classic Open Championship around arguably the fairest test of all Major courses. Tony Jacklin started the best shooting a 2under-par 69 to sit in second place one stroke behind the unheralded Peter Tupling, one ahead of Nicklaus and two ahead of Gary Player and Lee Trevino. The second day would see Trevino move into a tie for the lead with Jacklin at 1-under for
the championship and Nicklaus, Player, Miller and Sanders were all tied at level par just one behind setting up a sensational final two rounds.
season in 1975, beginning with a now legendary battle on the second nine at Augusta with Johnny Miller and Tom Weiskopf.
A leaderboard which began bunched as ten players were covered by two strokes was stretched by the outstanding duel which Trevino and Jacklin had in the third round as the “Merry Mex� shot a five under par 66 to the Englishman's four under round of 67, by contrast Nicklaus had seemingly blown the grand slam with a level par 71 to sit six off the lead with 18 holes to play.
Weiskopf held the 54-hole lead at 9-under with Nicklaus one back on 8-under and Miller four back on 5-under and the trio were to star in another classic major finish with Nicklaus coming out on top once again.
The final round was one of the all-time classic finishes to a Major with Nicklaus charging to a 66, Jacklin faltering to a 1over-par 72 and Trevino narrowly edging out the pair by one and two shots respectively with a level par 71. Nicklaus's 66 was a course recordequalling score but he played the final three holes in one over par to miss out on a playoff with Trevino, while Jacklin suffered a devastating three-putt bogey at the 17th which was countered by the now iconic pitch-in by Lee Trevino. Nicklaus's Grand Slam dream was over but he would get over the defeat quickly by winning the 1973 PGA Championship before another double-major winning
Having bogeyed the first hole to fall 2 shots behind Weiskopf Jack made birdies at the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 9th to reach 11-under and tie Weiskopf for the lead, two ahead of Johnny Miller who made five birdies on the first nine to reach 9-under. Miller and Weiskopf bogeyed the 11th to fall three and one stroke behind Nicklaus with seven holes to play, and a birdie for Miller on the 13th meant that the three protagonists were separated by just two strokes with five holes remaining. A mistake by Nicklaus at the 14th saw him fall to 10-under and Weiskopf birdied the same hole to take the outright lead and still two strokes covered the leading trio. All three made birdies at the par five fifteenth hole to set up a truly thrilling final three holes, and Nicklaus produced another iconic Masters moment with a forty-foot putt at the 16th to take a one stroke lead
following Weiskopf's bogey on the same hole, but the title was not Jack's yet. Miller birdied the 17th hole to tie Weiskopf at 11under and set the clubhouse target for Nicklaus and Weiskopf to beat, the pair made par at the 72nd and Nicklaus won by one to clinch a record fifth green jacket in dramatic fashion on a Sunday never to be forgotten.
A book by Gil Capps has been produced to celebrate what is arguably one of, if not, the greatest Masters final rounds ever.
Tour titles in 1982 and 1984 his career at the top level seemed to have come to an end, so much that a journalist wrote that “Nicklaus was washed up�. They hadn't reckoned on one more magical Masters Moment from Jack William Nicklaus. I am not going to go into the 1986 Masters in detail because it is the most famous Major Championship ever played. Norman, Ballesteros, Kite and Price battled on the back nine and from nowhere Nicklaus comes charging through to win with a second nine thirty. A sixth green jacket and an eighteenth Major Championship, 23 years after his first Masters win and 24 years after his first Major win, adding to the incredible list of achievements by the greatest golfer ever.
17 Major Championship wins. An astonishing record which was 6 better than Walter Hagen's 11 professional major titles, a record which made Jack Nicklaus by far and away the most successful golfer ever to walk the earth, but even following this amazing career record Nicklaus wanted more. And despite winning further PGA
Following the dramatics of 1986 Nicklaus would be spurred on to contend for the title again in 1987, 1990 and 1998 as well as recording top 25 finishes in 1988 and 1989, he didn't do anything in any of the other majors but Augusta was different. Augusta was special. Augusta was Jack Nicklaus's home from home, or so it seemed. In 2005 he made his final appearance at the two majors which most people will associated Nicklaus with. On a glorious sunny Friday in St Andrews in front of a record one-day crowd over 50,000 fans at
the Home of Golf he birdied the 18th hole to rapturous applause and cheers from the British fans, bringing to an end his professional career at the course most people can identify him with after Augusta. That April though Nicklaus brought the curtain down on his competitive association with the golf course that has defined his career. 45 appearances in Golf's First Major which included 22 top ten finishes, only 7 missed cuts and 6 remarkable wins. His unrivalled record at Augusta with a string of tournament records and the six wins made Nicklaus just as associated with Augusta as his hero Bobby Jones, and this status was recognized by the Augusta National Golf Club in 2010 when Jack was invited to join Arnold Palmer as honorary starter for The Masters Tournament, Gary Player joined them in 2012 to complete The Big Three's return to Augusta to perform a role that the legends of every era have performed.
The Masters Tournament is Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus is The Masters Tournament. Written by Matt Hooper
If Severiano Ballesteros was an artist then Augusta National Golf Club was the perfect canvas for him to paint the most beautiful pictures. With wins in 1980 and 1983, heart-breaking defeats in 1986 and 1987 and close calls in 1985, 1989 and 1990 Augusta proved to be the setting in which the flair and creativity of the dashing Spaniard could come to the fore more often than on any other course in the United States. Not only was Seve an artist he was in fact a leader, the pied piper of European Golf, ushering in an era of European success not enjoyed in any Major since before the second World War – 11 wins in 20 Masters Tournaments between 1980 and 1999 by Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Jose Maria Olazabal and of course sensational Seve. Each generation in golf has a player which changes the way the game is played and perceived, a player which increases the popularity of the game in different parts of the world and society and a player which challenges the norm and breaks records. Seve did all of this and more. 50 European Tour wins, 5 Major Championships, 2 Masters Tournaments and an influential role in reviving the Ryder Cup and taking the European Tour to the
next level, Ballesteros was the most important golfer in modern European golf and was considered to be the Arnold Palmer of Europe. Seve was an intoxicating mix of charm, charisma and good looks allied to athletic ability, the girls wanted to be with him and the guys wanted to be him and he was unique in golf and usually those with a unique quality shine at Augusta National – Seve was no different. Following his sensational breakthrough performance in the 1976 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale where he held the 54-hole lead before finishing in a tie for second place with Jack Nicklaus behind Johnny Miller at the age of 19 Ballesteros went on to win 9 tournaments on the European Tour and 1 on the PGA Tour before claiming a first Major title. In the 1979 Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Anne's Seve came from 2 shots behind Hale Irwin in the final round to win his first major, finishing as the only player under par and winning by three strokes from Ben Crenshaw and Jack Nicklaus. The 22-year-old was greeted in emotional scenes by his brother and father behind the 18th green and a new star in the game of golf had been born, the world was at the feet of this incredibly talented Spaniard.
Ballesteros would not win again in 1979 and his next win anywhere was at Augusta National. Seve had made three previous appearances at Augusta, improving each time finishing 38th, 18th and 12th prior to his fourth Masters invitation. The youngest Masters champion ever was Jack Nicklaus when he won in 1963 at the age of 23, that was until Seve slipped into the green jacket in 1980, the Open champion celebrated his 23rd birthday on the day prior to the start of the 1980 Masters Tournament and produced a dominant performance to compare with Ben Hogan in 1953 and Jack Nicklaus in 1965. The 1980 Masters Tournament was in many ways the equivalent of Rory McIlroy in 2011, the only difference being that Seve did just manage to hold on and get over the line to claim his second Major title at the age of 23. Ballesteros began his fourth Masters appearance with a stunning six-under-par round of 66 which was enough to give the prodigy a share of the lead with David Graham and Jeff Mitchell, he would not look back and shot a 69 on Friday to open up a four stroke lead with a two-round total of 135, nine-under-par and keep himself on course for a maiden Masters victory. On
Saturday Seve went one better and posted a four-under-par 68 to take his three-round total to 203, 13-under and an incredible 7 strokes clear and all of The Masters records were under threat. The lowest four-round total of 17-under by Nicklaus and Floyd was within reach and the biggest winning margin of 9 by Jack Nicklaus was also seemingly about to be eclipsed by the flamboyant European super-hero, but winning at Augusta National has never been easy, in any era. Very much like '65 when Nicklaus separated himself from the field on Saturday the chasing pack had to be aggressive on Sunday in order to close the gap on Ballesteros, and Hubert Green, Jack Newton and Gibby Gilbert all produced great final rounds to move from 10, 9 and 8 shots behind Seve respectively into a position whereby the Spaniard had a nervous final few holes as he looked to close out the win. Despite a decidedly shaky Amen Corner which saw his lead shrink from 7 to 3 Ballesteros clinched victory with the help of a 2-putt birdie on the dramatic par five 15th hole and hung on for a four-shot win, posting a round of level par 72 for a 72-hole total of 275 and 13-under-par. He made the most birdies ever by a winner, 23 of them,
helping him to become the youngest ever Masters champion and seemingly crowned him as the new king of golf, just as the 1963 Masters had done for Jack Nicklaus. Sports Illustrated certainly thought so in their Masters edition “Ballesteros seems destined to take many more majors. Consider what his game combines: the length of a younger Jack Nicklaus, the boldness of a 1960s Arnold Palmer and the putting touch of a Ben Crenshaw. There can be no question that Ballesteros has profited from playing golf in places besides Florida and California. In winning such titles as the Dutch, French, Swiss, Japanese, German, Kenya and Scandinavian opens, and proving he can take the big ones against the best the U.S. has to offer, he is a strong argument for the case that international travel not only broadens the mind but improves the grip and the swing.� Seve received the jacket from the first golfer since the first Masters to win the title on his debut appearance, Fuzzy Zoeller was 27 and had won just once prior to his Masters win, it was very much an upset at that time even though he would go on to win a US Open 5 years later, Seve winning however was no surprise but what was surprising was that he would only win once more at Augusta. It was not for the lack of
trying though. Somewhat shockingly Seve would miss the cut in 1981 as defending champion but in the very next year following 5 wins on the European Tour and 1 in Japan Ballesteros would bounce back into contention at Golf's First Major. Tough conditions over the first couple of days in 1982 led to high scoring at Augusta National but Seve kept himself within touching distance of the lead with two rounds of 73 to sit two-over-par going into the weekend, and with more spring like conditions on Saturday the scoring came down and with it the chances of the 1980 champion improved with a four-under-par 68 to move to two-under-par for the tournament and place him three shots behind Craig Stadler in a tie for second place. But despite Stadler playing the final six holes in four-over-par Seve could not find that vital birdie to tie and force himself into the play-off, Stadler would defeat Dan Pohl on the first extra hole to claim his first and only Major title. 3 more worldwide wins in the next 12 months and Seve came into the 1983 Masters as one of the leading protagonists once again, and this time he would make no mistake in claiming a third Major title and second green jacket.
The first round of the 1983 Masters was highlighted by the play of Arnold Palmer, the four-time Masters champion was 53 years of age but produced a round of 68 to sit one off the lead held by Jack Renner, Raymond Floyd and Gil Morgan who each posted rounds of 67 on a beautiful day for scoring in Georgia. Seve matched Palmer with a 68 and was well placed on a leaderboard which the leading 8 players were separated by just one stroke, Seve would however be the only man who moved forward at the 1983 Masters. A second round 70 would put him into second place but on the third day the conditions would be tough and the master at minimizing the damage did so again with a third round of 73 in contrast to the round of 76 shot by Gil Morgan and 78 by Jack Renner, Seve remained in second place to Raymond Floyd by one stroke but this time in the final round he would take advantage of mistakes by the contenders on the second nine. Ballesteros bounced out of the traps with a birdie three at the first hole to tie Floyd for the lead and then shook the field with an eagle three at the second hole to hit the front, he never looked back. He extended his lead to six shots before bogeys at the 10th and 12th reduced his advantage to
four with six to play. Two Masters wins by four strokes making the Spaniard one of the most dominant golfers in Masters history in terms of margins of victory, his place among the legends of the game was now secure with a third major title and second emphatic win at Augusta National. Sensationally again Seve would miss the cut when defending his title in 1984 but another major victory would be just around the corner. Despite The Masters being the tournament in which Seve showed the most consistency, 8 top 10 finishes in 11 starts between 1980 and 1990, it was at The Open Championship where the Matador was most loved, he was cherished by and supported by the British golf fan and in 1984 on the course Augusta was modelled after Ballesteros provided the iconic moment which has come to symbolize Seve. After a thrilling battle with Bernhard Langer and Tom Watson on the final day at the Old Course in St Andrews Seve came to the famous 18th knowing a birdie would be critical to giving him any chance of success at the Home of Golf. Having played his approach to around 15 feet to the right of the hole he faced a devilish breaking putt with the eyes of the golfing world on him and a record crowd on hand he rolled the
putt to the edge of the hole and the ball hung there for a brief moment, before dropping and Ballesteros energetically and enthusiastically punched the air in delight. He hugged his caddie Dave Musgrove and left the green punching the air with a beaming smile on his face, he had won a second Open Championship and a fourth major title, he was without question the greatest golfer in the world. The 1985 Masters would be another close call for Seve, finishing in second place two strokes behind his fellow European Bernhard Langer, who would make it three European winners of The Masters in the 1980's proving that Seve wasn't the lone ranger when it comes to European golfers at Augusta, the era of the Europeans was in full swing and Ballesteros should have added two more wins in 1986 and 1987. The 1986 Masters has universally become known as the greatest Masters ever, but for Seve Ballesteros it is most certainly the major he would have felt the worst about losing, because he had it in the palm of his hands on the second nine on Sunday following a dramatic eagle at the 13th giving himself a two stroke lead over Tom Kite and four stroke advantage over Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus. However with a charging Jack Nicklaus making birdie at 13,
eagle at 15 and birdies at 16 and 17 the bogeys Seve made at 15 and 17 meant the 1980 and 1983 champion suffered an agonizing defeat when he had one arm in the sleeve of a third green jacket. 12 months later he got even closer to a third Masters title and enjoyed another battle with one of his great rivals in the 1980's – Greg Norman. If the 1986 Masters was the most exciting and greatest in some people's opinions then the 1987 had without question one of the most dramatic finishes in golf history, and it was another bitterly disappointing defeat for both Seve and Norman. Following the incredible 140feet chip in from Georgia native Larry Mize on the second play-off hole. Seve, Mize and Norman tied after 72-holes at 3-under-par and went into extra holes, Seve made a bogey on the tenth hole and Norman and Mize made par fours to progress to the 11th hole where Mize's Miracle ended the tournament in extraordinary fashion. Seve would win one more major at the place he won his first 9 years earlier with a round which Nick Faldo calls the greatest round he has ever seen, a 65 on Monday in the final round after rain washed Sunday out.
Ballesteros defeated Nick Price and Faldo in one of his most legendary individual performances, but the way in which he swung the club was beginning to take its toll and major success would elude him for the rest of his career. The five-time Major champion would win a further 20 tournaments around the world following his success at Royal Lytham and St Anne's and there would still be flashes of brilliance but the dominant and daunting Seve of the mid-80's was less prevalent. His final win came in the 1995 Spanish Open. One of the defining elements of Seve's career was match play and his role in reviving the Ryder Cup cannot be underestimated, and because of the respect the European Tour had for this role played by Ballesteros they selected Spain as the host country for the 1997 Ryder Cup, and the magnificent Valderrama, known as the Augusta of Europe, would stage the tournament. Seve was selected as the overwhelming choice to be Europe's captain and he performed the job in his own unique style, leading Europe to an emotional victory in the rain in Spain. It was to be the crowning glory of Severiano Sota Ballesteros' career. The death of Ballesteros left his family and close friends bereft and had a profound
impact upon all of the golfers who had competed with, against and played alongside Seve during 15 years at the very top of golf. It is somewhat apt that the winner of the first Masters Tournament following his death was Bubba Watson. The flair with which Watson plays the game and the outrageous skill shown by his title clinching shot in the play-off against Louis Oosthuizen more than had the hallmark of Seve on it, it was as if he had played it from heaven himself. Then in September 2012 his spirit seemed to will Europe to an incredible comeback at Medinah, there are golfers, there are great golfers, there are legendary golfers and then there are iconic golfers. Golfers who transcend their sport and leave a legacy that will be felt in the sport for decades later, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Tiger and Seve are these men who have each contributed to the game at a level far greater than any other golfers. All of them loved and love Augusta and all of them played at their peak at Augusta, all of them are artists, Augusta is the canvas and Seve is Monet, Picasso and Da Vinci. Written by Matt Hooper
The time is 7.48pm EDT, the date is Sunday 9 April 1989 and the place is the 11th green at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. The light has all but gone and Nick Faldo is stood over a 25-foot putt for birdie and his first Green Jacket. Faldo, the 1987 Open Champion and world number five had bogeyed the hole all four days prior to the sudden-death play-off with Scott Hoch. The Englishman asks his caddie, Andy Prodger, what he thinks about the line of the putt, he replies “it’s all a bit of a blur guvnor” in his London accent. Faldo went with his instincts and hit what he regards his sweetest ever putt straight into the middle of the hole. The cheers rang up around Amen Corner and Faldo lifted his arms in exaltation. He had finally achieved his first major win in America and 18 years after being inspired to take up the game by watching Jack Nicklaus on TV in the 1971 Masters, he had won it. Remarkably it is now 25 years since Faldo stood on the 11th green in near darkness celebrating a second major championship win. In those 25 years the man from Welwyn Garden City has established himself as one of the all-time greatest golfers with six major championship wins, 11 Ryder Cup appearance, 97 weeks as world number one and over 30 worldwide
career titles. He has become one of the most prominent golf broadcasters in America and has contributed a huge amount to the development of junior golf throughout the world through the Faldo Series. Nick Faldo is an icon of British sport, being voted sports personality of the year in 1989 and finally knighted for his services to golf 20 years later in 2009 by Her Majesty the Queen. It is fair to say his Ryder Cup captaincy in 2008 was unsuccessful bordering on disastrous, but that should not diminish his career and his unrivalled legacy among British golfers. In the early 1990’s Faldo single-handedly helped popularize golf among many youngsters in Great Britain. Faldo won three Masters Tournaments in 1989, 1990 and 1996, coming from 5, 4 and 6 shots behind respectively on the final day to win. In addition he won three Open Championships, one of which was here at the home of golf, St Andrews, in 1990. His win at Augusta in 1990 made him just the second player after Jack Nicklaus to successfully defend the title, and he is one of three non-Americans to successfully defend a US-based Major in the history of the game; after Willie Anderson and Jim Barnes.
His first major triumph came at Muirfield in the 1987 Open, famously making 18 pars on the final day to win by 1 stroke from Paul Azinger and Rodger Davis. The win ended his run of being one of the best players in the world not to have won a major title, and was the culmination of many years hard work remodelling his swing to make him capable of competing on the greatest stage in the game. Coming to Augusta in April 1989 Faldo had won 17 times around the world including 1 major, but had made a relatively poor start to the season. Missing cuts at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-am and Doral Ryder Open, with a best finish of tied 22nd at the Los Angeles Open. His Masters record featured just two top 20 finishes in 5 appearances and although he was the world number five he was considered less of a favourite than fellow Brit Sandy Lyle, Spain’s Seve Ballesteros and Germany’s Bernhard Langer. Difficult conditions on the first day meant scoring was at a premium and only 10 players broke par, Faldo’s new swing stood up to the test and the Englishman shot a round of 68 to trail Lee Trevino by one stroke. Conditions worsened on the Friday and a second round of 73 was enough to
see Faldo tie for the lead at 3-under-par with Lee Trevino going into the weekend. Heavy rain on Saturday saw the third round split over two days with a 90 minute delay and extremely testing conditions seeing only one player finish under par when play was called for the day late on Saturday evening. Faldo was having a torrid time with his putter and eventually slipped five off the lead held by Ben Crenshaw, shooting a seemingly tournament-ending 77. Faldo changed his putter between rounds on Sunday and proceeded to, in his words, putt the best he ever has in the final round. He holed putts from everywhere and 8 birdies and a bogey in the final 18 holes saw him post a stunning 7-under-par round of 65 to take the clubhouse lead on 5under-par. He was briefly overtaken by both Mike Reid and Scott Hoch before Reid fell away and Hoch bogeyed 17 to fall into a play-off with the Englishman. It seemed as though following a bogey on the first extra hole, the 10th that Faldo was going to miss out on his first Green Jacket. But inexplicably Hoch missed a par putt for the title from 2 feet and the pair headed to the 11th tee.
A nice drive down the right side of the fairway left Faldo with a good angle into the green and he hit a perfect 3-iron, straight at the hole, leaving himself some 25 feet for birdie in the gathering gloom. Scott Hoch pushed his approach to the right of the green and pitched to some 6 feet. The American didn’t get a chance to putt as Faldo sunk his and the Englishman had come back from the depths of despair on Saturday to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Faldo was now one of the preeminent golfers in the world and a two-time Major Champion. Faldo ended 1989 as one of the four best golfers in the world and won a total of five times including the Volvo PGA Championship, the Dunhill British Masters, the Peugeot Open de France and the Suntory World Match Play – arguably the four biggest titles on the European Tour at the time outside the Majors. 1990 was to be the year of Nick Faldo. He only won twice, but they were the two biggest – The Masters at Augusta and The Open at St Andrews. He became the first golfer ever to win at Augusta and St Andrews in the same year, and even since ONLY Tiger Woods has matched the feat, doing so in 2005.
It really doesn’t get any more special than that, winning major titles on the world’s two most famous courses and beating the best players in the world in the process. It wasn’t until after the majors of 1990 that Nick Faldo ascended to the number one position on the Sony World Rankings. A spot that his play in the majors had certainly merited over a four year period. It is hard to quantify which of his major wins in 1990 were more impressive. ONLY Jack Nicklaus had ever defended the green jacket at Augusta successfully, and he came from behind to again win in a playoff on the final day. His performance over the Old Course though is surely his most complete, setting a new Open Championship scoring record and winning by five strokes. Coming into the 1990 Masters Tournament the Sony Rankings had Faldo as the number two player in the world, behind Greg Norman. Norman had won many tour events and played consistently well in the majors but few could deny that head to head the better player at that time was Faldo. After two solid rounds of 71 and 72 Nick saved his best for the weekend. On Saturday the Englishman took it up a gear and posted a stunning 6-under-par 66 to
move into the heat of contention, three strokes behind a two-time Masters champion Raymond Floyd and two ahead of Mr Augusta himself, Jack Nicklaus.
the stunned, elated look on his face it was the look of a man satisfied with himself and confident in the knowledge he was the man to beat.
Nicklaus, the only other man at the time to successfully defend at Augusta, was paired with Faldo on the Sunday. Faldo made an awful start, double-bogeying the first hole to fall five behind Floyd. But he had been in this position before and knew how to handle the situation.
With that knowledge and the confidence of winning a second successive Masters title Faldo arrived here, at the home of golf, as one of the favourites, along with Greg Norman, for the 119th Open Championship.
Faldo said that he felt the bad first hole made him more relaxed and consequently he birdied 2, 7, 13, 15 and 16 to finish in the clubhouse at 10-under-par for the tournament. Standing on the 13th tee Ray Floyd had a four shot lead but with Faldo’s strong finish and a three-putt bogey at the 17th the two were tied and heading for a playoff. The first extra hole was tied with pars, only after Faldo had made four from the same greenside bunker he had found in the 1989 playoff against Scott Hoch. Floyd’s second shot at 11 found the water left of the green and Faldo could comfortably claim a second green jacket and a place in the history of the game. The celebration was the same as twelve months previous, but this time instead of
The Faldo-Norman rivalry dominated the 1990’s before Tiger Woods came on the scene and the genesis of it was The Open at St Andrews.
The first round on Thursday saw the pair shoot out of the blocks like Olympic sprinters. Norman shot 66 to tie the lead with Michael Allen and Faldo posted 67 to sit one back. On Friday Norman matched his first round score to post 12-under-par for the first 36. With a sensational 65, polished off by a spectacular chip and run eagle at 18, Faldo tied the Australian. We were set for a superb Saturday in St Andrews and a showdown between the number one and two players in the world. As with many pre-ordained head-to-heads it didn’t quite live up to the hype, but only because of the sheer brilliance of Faldo in the face of the abject play of Norman. A 67 from the Englishman in contrast to a 76 from the Australian saw the Masters Champion open up a five stroke lead on Payne Stewart and Ian Baker-Finch, nine over Norman. A final round of 71 saw the 1987 Open champion claim his second Claret Jug and post a record-low four round score relative to par of 18-under. The media then posed the question “Is Faldo golf’s best?” It would be two years before he would add to his major tally, at Muirfield in the 1992 Open. And a further four before the crowning glory of his illustrious career.
Between 1986 and 1996 The Masters really was all about two men – Greg Norman and Nick Faldo. Norman was runner-up in 86 and 87 and third in 89 and 95. Faldo was the champion in 89 and 90. The Australian suffered some agonizing defeats in both 86 and 87, firstly to Nicklaus and that back nine of 30. And secondly to Larry Mize and that outrageous chip-in at the 11th in 1987. Faldo had pulled two wins from the proverbial bag, overhauling 5 shot deficits twice to win in play-offs. In 1996 it seemed as though finally The Great White Shark would be donning a Green Jacket. With birdies on 9 of the last 12 holes the World Number One destroyed the back nine in 30 strokes and posted a blistering 63 to open the tournament. Holding a two stroke lead on Phil Mickelson and a six stroke advantage on Faldo. On Friday Faldo closed the gap somewhat with a 67 to move into second place. But Norman’s 69 still gave him an advantage of four strokes heading into the weekend. Would this be a weekend to rival the Duel in the Sun of 1977 the golf world thought? This time it was Norman’s turn to put the heat on Faldo with a 71 to the Englishman’s 73. The Australian held a six stroke lead
and was on the verge of finally claiming that elusive Masters title which had been snatched from him so many times. What transpired on Sunday can be viewed two different ways. It was either one of the worst meltdowns in Major Championship history, or, it was one of the great comebacks ever seen in sport. One thing is for sure though, the media and the golfing world remember it as a disaster for Greg Norman. When in reality what it should be remembered as is one of the supreme final rounds in Masters History. Greg Norman didn’t crack under the expectation of the world and himself, he cracked because Faldo was relentless. Birdies at 2, 6 and 8 cut the deficit to three shots. Norman then bogeyed three holes in a row and heading to the twelfth tee the two rivals were tied on 9-under-par. It was then a battle of wills, a battle of nerve and a battle of ability. Norman was found wanting and Faldo produced the kind of golf which should have gone down in lore. Norman doubled the 12th, finding the water off the tee. Then on 13 Faldo was on a sidehill lie in the fairway. He had two options. Go for it and risk losing the 2 stroke advantage he had, or lay up and try to make birdie with a pitch and a putt. He looked at
his 5-wood for what seemed an eternity before switching to a 2-iron. He then put one of the best swings on it you are likely to ever see in a situation like that, resulting in a pure strike. The ball came to rest some 40 feet from the hole and he two-putted for birdie to keep his two shot lead. He birdied the 15th to extend his lead to three and then Norman found water at 16 to confirm the tournament was over for the now numb 54-hole leader. To complete his supreme display and another epic comeback victory, Faldo rolled a 15 foot putt in for birdie at the 72nd hole. This time, finally, Nick had grabbed victory on the 18th green, not on the secluded 11th. His arms were aloft just as they were in the 1989 and 1990 Masters and famously at the 1995 Ryder Cup when he defeated Curtis Strange in the singles. It was the climax to a rivalry which defined a decade in golf and the climax in the majors for a British sporting icon. He would not become a sir for another 13 years but there can be no doubt that with his major victories at Augusta, St Andrews and Muirfield, along with his contribution to the Ryder Cup and creation of the Faldo Series that Nicholas Alexander Faldo is worthy of such an honour. The word legend is totally appropriate. Written by Matt Hooper
Simple words at the perfect time, which is the artistry of the narration that Ewen Murray puts to each event, big or small, that he commentates on for Sky Sports. These opening words are of course from the climax to the incredible final day at Medinah in September 2012 when Europe came from 6-10 down to lift the Ryder Cup. Growing up in the 1990’s and 2000’s watching golf on television for me the familiar voice in the commentary box was Ewen Murray. Sky have golf every week of the year and cover three of the four majors and the Ryder Cup. I had the honour of sitting down with Ewen recently to discuss his career and much more. I started by asking him about his playing career and what life was like on tour when he was playing in the 1970’s and 80’s. Ewen Murray: “I had a very good boy’s record, but disappointed as a pro. I didn’t win on the main tour but won two on the Safari Tour back in the 80’s.” “It was very different then, it was a six month season with no practice ranges, no courtesy cars, no player’s lounges but it was what we knew then and it was fine. There was a strong camaraderie with all the
players that perhaps there isn’t now. Players tend to go their separate ways a bit now, understandably as it is a bigger business.” “But I wouldn’t have swapped it, I enjoyed my playing days. I played a lot abroad in the winter in South America and Africa.”
Matt Hooper: So you played very much where you could get competitive golf then really? EM: “Definitely, I had an airline contract with British Caledonian Airways which made life a lot easier. I could go down to South America and Africa when I wanted.”
MH: Why did you decide to move away from competitive golf? EM: “I was 35 years of age and I had a putting problem and I knew that it would be very difficult to win because I wasn’t good enough in that department.” “The older I got the worse I got. I didn’t like playing for money, if you are a tournament player you play to win.”
MH: You moved into golf course design briefly? EM: “Yeah I have done a couple of designs, I did one in Southampton and I was involved in the Goodwood project but that is about it really.”
MH: Was it something which you felt it was too time consuming? EM: “Quite the opposite, there wasn’t that many chances. The ones who wanted courses wanted signature courses designed by the likes of Nicklaus, Miller, Faldo and others.”
following week, which was down in Spain, which I did and then I did the next half a dozen and then Eurosport was sold so I went to France with Eurosport every weekend.” “It was miserable, horrible and then I came back to a company called Screensport, and did the American golf and the European, it was all done in a studio in London. You did the European (golf) in the afternoon and the American (golf) in the evening.” “Then Sky Sports won the Premiership rights and moved straight into them on day one”
“They either wanted the top end of the market or the bottom and I was in the middle. So that didn’t really take off.”
MH: So you moved into golf commentary, how did the opportunity with Sky come about? EM: “I did a tournament in Dubai for a satellite station Channel 33 and Sky was in its infancy then, it was actually Eurosport that was the Sky sport station.” “They put together a highlights package and then asked me if I would do the
MH: Did you envisage being there for over twenty years? EM: “I remember the boss back then, David Hill, he put the score (football) in the top left
of the screen (he was the first to do that) and he is now president of FOX Sports.” “He said if you are coming in here we will give you a contract but you cannot go back to play, you either do this and do it properly or you don’t do it.” “I said I will be here for the next 25 years if I am good enough, and that 25 years comes up just after the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.”
“I was a bit rough around the edges in the beginning. I had very good people to say look don’t do that there is another way of doing that, so I felt very loyal to them very quickly.” “And I feel pretty similar today. The way it has grown; The Masters, the majors apart from The Open, the World Golf Championships and the best tournaments in the world.”
“That will be my 12th Ryder Cup.” MH: So what makes Sky’s coverage so good? EM: “They are innovative, other broadcasters stayed still. It is the same with the football, if you look at Sky’s style, not just the golf.” “If I am home on a Monday or very rarely a Sunday I will sit and watch the football, and I will watch all the bits around it. I will watch the chat at the start and what the expert thinks.” MH: Have you ever been approached by the BBC or other broadcasters? EM: “The people I have worked with at Sky, then and now, I have a great loyalty to because it was they who gave me the chance.”
“I like all that, and I think football fans do. They enjoy what they are being told and they are being educated at the same time. It adds to the enjoyment of watching football. Golf is the same”
MH: “Certainly when we look at the Ryder Cup the way Sky cover that event is so good” EM: “What people forget is on the first morning of the 1985 Ryder Cup the fourballs or foursomes weren’t shown live, there was a programme called Play Better Badminton from 1973 on, that was the programme that was on when they (BBC) could have been at the Belfry.” “The Ryder Cup is no good shown in bits, you need to see the whole thing live. I think people say don’t bother me for three days I am going to sit and watch it.” “The hours are long. The days before Sky there was 2 hours of golf on the final day. Things were different then, we didn’t have the technology that we do today. People do forget what it was like before, they didn’t have a choice.” “Sky are a dedicated sports channel, they don’t have to move the golf for a horse race or cricket because they will be on Sky Sports 2 and 3.” “And you pay for it so you should have a choice.”
MH: What would be your favourite events each year to cover?
lose his composure or let his ego get in the way of the event.”
EM: “The Masters is tremendously special, having waited quite a while to do that. I did The Masters in 1991 in the early days of Sky but we had to wait quite a long time to get the next one. I don’t think I have a favourite though.”
To the studio experts Colin Montgomerie, Butch Harmon, Denis Pugh, Simon Holmes, Andrew Coltart, Mark Roe and others. And Ewen’s on air partner Bruce Critchley, whose soft voice, wise words and wealth of knowledge compliments the Scot perfectly. MH: What was your reaction when you found out Sky would broadcast The Masters?
MH: Do you still get a buzz and enjoyment out of each event you go to?
EM: “Of course, I was thrilled. Sky had in the past tried to add the Masters to its impressive portfolio of world events and eventually, because of its excellent production values, alongside innovative coverage, the Masters graced our screens. Augusta's chairman, Billy Payne has been a revelation.”
EM: “That was my one worry when I finished playing that the feeling when you walk on the first tee would struggle to be replaced.” “I wouldn’t have wanted to lose that. But I get more nervous on television than I ever did playing.” “If I go in and that doesn’t happen then that will be the time to say you have probably run your course.”
Ewen is of course ably backed by arguably the greatest golf broadcasting team in the world, on and off screen. From the presenter David Livingstone, who according to the legendary Des Lynam “never fails to ask intelligent questions or
Sky Sports acquired the rights to broadcast all four rounds of The Masters live in the UK in 2011 and I asked Ewen about his reaction to this announcement, his Augusta experiences and his predictions for 2014.
“A few years back, the last nine holes with firmer greens took much of the excitement away. Billy recognised what changes had to be made, and making the right ones, he gave us back the Masters we knew and loved. It’s a huge privilege to put the words over the idyllic pictures.”
MH: When did you first visit Augusta National and how did that happen? EM: “My Sky Sports colleague of over twenty years, Bruce Critchley asked me if I would like to join him, a friend from Scotland and a member of Augusta National for two days golf after the Players Championship in 2000, just two weeks before the Masters. George Whisler, who owned a bottled water company in Atlanta greeted us at the majestic, understated clubhouse.” “After our round, we retired to the Butler Cabin, yes, the one where they put the green jacket on the champion, for that was our residence for the night. We had dinner in the clubhouse which was so elegant. Beautiful food, wine and service, and the scent of history.” “We played again in the morning before departing after lunch. If there ever was the
perfect way to visit Augusta, I was well aware I had just been blessed with it.”
MH: How many times have you played Augusta?
MH: What were your feelings as you made your way down Magnolia Lane for the first time?
EM: “That is the only time I have played there. I've been there several times since with the job I do today, but the first visit was so special, I'm happy to leave it at that. Now, the evening before the first round, I take a walk from the commentary position by the 11th around Amen Corner.”
EM: “Like many golfers of my age, I had grown up watching the Masters and every year, couldn't wait for the second week of April.” “So when I passed through the gates by Washington Road for the first time, I was like a child on Christmas morning. Excited and happy, anxious, with a steady flow of adrenaline. When I looked over the course from the end of Magnolia Lane, it was as beautiful as I imagined it would be.”
“There is virtually no sound, the only movement comes from the Fox Squirrels and the Azaleas sparkle in the fading sunlight as the day grows old. Its beauty is breath-taking.”
MH: What is your favourite hole at Augusta and why? EM: “I am of course spoilt for choice, but I would go with the par 5, 15th. It comes at just the right time in the round. Two good shots can yield an eagle, one bad shot can result in a double bogey. Sarazen's albatross won him the Masters, dear Seve's second shot demise cost him his third Masters.” “The pressure in a major is arguably at its strongest coming down this hole on Sunday. It's a hole that has decided much down the years and will continue to do so.”
works beautifully as it is. A field of, usually just below 100 and limited television coverage.” “One of its secrets is that it always leaves you wanting more. Augusta still recognises the worlds Amateurs, the games top 50 players and the champions in the run up to the event. We all love the Masters, the qualification is crystal clear, let's leave it as it is.” MH: What is your least favourite hole at Augusta and why? EM: “Not such a big choice here.” “The 7th. I believe this was a much better hole when it was 70 yards shorter. The green is designed to receive a wedge. In today's world, it can be as much as a six iron. Since it's been lengthened, it’s cost many a player a double bogey or worse. I preferred this one the way it was.”
MH: Would you like to see the Masters invite more players, create exemptions for, European Tour winners in the future? Do you think this could happen? EM: “No, and No.” “The Masters is unique and I guess if you asked every golfer across the world today, they would say, they love The Masters. Its
MH: Who do you think will win the 2014 Masters and why? EM: “If I knew that, I could retire and fish the great rivers of Scotland and walk the immaculate fairways of Skibo Castle for the rest of my days!”
“I'll go for Mickelson, because of his phenomenal short game, and my outsider would be, Cadillac champion, Patrick Reed, confidence personified, and should be available at attractive odds.”
I concluded our time together by asking Ewen about his experiences in St Andrews. He played in the 1978 Open where he made the cut but finished in last place after a 10-over-par weekend. He returned in 1984 and finished in a tie for 37th place on 1-over-par.
MH: When did you first come to St Andrews and when did you first play the Old Course?
“I think Phil Mickelson has another tournament in him, but there is a changing of the guard stateside as many talented and confident young players emerge. Our best home bet is probably, Justin Rose. He has tucked a major away, so doesn't have the added pressure the likes of Westwood, Donald, Poulter, etc. have.”
EM: “I was 10 years of age, I played with my father.”
“I would like Sergio Garcia to challenge. He's developed into a fine young man and his ball striking is arguably the best in the game today.”
MH: What is your favourite hole on the Old Course or in St Andrews?
“When you first look at the Old Course you think how about this!” “I was at The Open in 1964 here.”
EM: “There are so many, it is hard to decide but if I had to go for one it would be 18. It
maybe isn’t the hardest but you have the R&A Clubhouse, Hamilton Hall, the town. It is like you don’t walk up that fairway. You glide up it on a magic carpet.”
If you are fortunate enough to be in front of a television that has Sky Sports this April and throughout the summer you will hear the words of Ewen Murray and his colleagues on what Butch Harmon says is the “best golf broadcaster in the world”.
He might not have the fame and notoriety of Peter Alliss but that is just fine by the unassuming Scot who finds the right words at the right time and doesn’t let his own performance become the talking point after the 72nd hole.
Written by Matt Hooper, with Ewen Murray
Michael Buttavacoli plays on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica and he will be contributing a regular diary of his travels and play across South America as he bids to gain access to the Web.com Tour and eventually the PGA Tour. I was born and raised in Miami Beach, Florida where I am member of LaGorce Country Club. Although I played many sports until I was 16 years old, golf has always been my passion. After four years as a student-athlete at Rice University, I turned professional in September of 2010. Most of the events I played in my first two years as a professional were on the NGA Tour, the largest developmental tour in the United States. Currently I am in the middle of my first full season as a member of PGA Tour Latinoamérica. Since the PGA Tour’s purchase of the Tour de Las Americas in 2012, this tour has provided an excellent stepping stone for those golfers looking to play their way onto the Web.com Tour. I hope you enjoy the glimpse of my journey to the PGA Tour as I share with you the highlights of my tournaments and travels.
Tournament Highlights of 2013
During the first half of the PGA LA season, I played in all 7 events on the schedule that started in early March and ended in the final week of May. I made the cut in 6 of the 7 events, missing my only cut in Guadalajara by one stroke. We started off the year in Mexico City and Guadalajara. After a few weeks off, we had three events in a row in Cordoba, Argentina, Montevideo, Uruguay, and Pereira, Colombia. We ended the first half of the season with events in Merida, Mexico and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
My goal every tournament is to have a chance to win with 9 holes to go on Sunday. You can never win the tournament on Thursday through Saturday, but you can certainly lose it. Starting off the year in Mexico City, I had my first chance. Unfortunately, I played a poor back nine and found myself in 20th place. The biggest challenge is trying to find a positive in every round. Golf is a lonely sport. You don’t have teammates to help pick you up. For all of you out there that like to tell your friends about all the bad breaks out there,
remember this: 90% of them don’t care, and 10% of them wish it was worse. That’s the way golf goes. It will beat you up when you least expect it. You can never beat the game. But it sure is fun to try.
Two tournaments later I found myself in Cordoba, Argentina. We were playing Cordoba Golf Club, the home course of Angel Cabrera and Eduardo Romero. Both players were in the field and it just so happened that Angel lost the Masters in a playoff the week before. It was safe to assume he was playing well. I welcomed the opportunity to play against some of the worlds’ best. PGA Tour player Andres Romero (no relation to Eduardo I was told) was also in the field. On a golf course that played extremely dry with tiny greens, it was one of those weeks where you could not afford to lose your focus. Typical of many of the courses I have encountered in Latin America, course management and patience was key. I finished T3, my best finish of the year. I was the only golfer to shoot under par for both rounds on the weekend. In true Angel fashion, he shot 64 (-7) the last round to finish the tournament at even par and in a tie for first. He would eventually win in a playoff.
Although beating Angel would have been a great achievement, I still was very happy with my week. Golf is a game where you lose the majority of the time. I have come to accept that putting myself in position to win is the best thing for my game and my confidence. I know my first win will come soon.
I didn’t come as close as I did in Cordoba for the rest of the schedule. However, there were many positives to take out of it. I made almost all of my cuts and adjusted well to playing a full schedule internationally.
I have my dream job. I travel the world playing tournament golf. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But it definitely can drain me mentally and physically. I hope you enjoyed hearing about some of what I encounter on the road. You can follow my progress on www.pgatourla.com.
Written by Michael Buttavacoli
March 13-16 Valspar Championship Winner: John Senden -7 2nd: Kevin Na -6 February 27-March 2
3rd: Scott Langley -5
Tshwane Open
The Honda Classic Winner: Russell Henley -8*
March 20-23
2nd: Rory McIlroy, Ryan Palmer & Russell Knox -8
Arnold Palmer Invitational
*Henley won at first extra hole
3rd: Adam Scott -11
2nd: Bubba Watson & Jamie Donaldson -3
2nd: Danie Van Tonder & Michael Hoey -17
March 13-16 Trophee Hassan II Winner: Alejandro Canizares -19
WGC-Cadillac Championship Winner: Patrick Reed -4
Winner: Ross Fisher -20
Winner: Matt Every -13 2nd: Keegan Bradley -12
March 6-9
February 27-March 2
March 27-30 Valero Texas Open
2nd: Andy Sullivan -14 3rd: Magnus A Carlsson -12
Winner: Steven Bowditch -8 March 6-9 Puerto Rico Open Winner: Chesson Hadley -21 2nd: Danny Lee -19 3rd: Ben Martin -17
2nd: Will Mackenzie & Daniel Summerhays -7
March 27-29 EurAsia Cup Asia 10-10 Europe
Official World Golf Ranking 4/4/2014 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Tiger Woods Adam Scott Henrik Stenson Jason Day Phil Mickelson Justin Rose Rory McIlroy Sergio Garcia Zach Johnson Dustin Johnson
USA Aus Swe Aus USA Eng Nir Esp USA USA
Pts ave. 9.27 8.37 8.20 6.87 6.29 6.00 5.93 5.90 5.87 5.80
March 20-23
March 13-16
JTBC Founders Cup
Lalla Meryem Cup
Winner: Karrie Webb -19
Winner: Charley Hull -15*
2nd: Lydia Ko, Mirim Lee, Azahara Munoz, Amy Yang & Stacy Lewis -18
2nd: Gwladys Nocera -15 3rd: Sophie Giquel-Bettan -11 *Hull won on first extra hole
March 27-30 KIA Classic
ROLEX Rankings 4/4/2014
Winner: Anna Nordqvist -13 2nd:
Lizette Salas -12
3rd: Lexi Thompson -11
February 27-March 2 HSBC Women’s Champions Winner: Paula Creamer -10 2nd: Azahara Munoz -10
March 6-9
3rd: Karrie Webb -9
Ladies World Championship
*Creamer won on first extra hole
Winner: Inbee Park -24 2nd: Suzann Pettersen -19 3rd: So Yeon Ryu -16
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Inbee Park Suzann Pettersen Stacy Lewis Lydia Ko Karrie Webb So Yeon Ryu Shanshan Feng Paula Creamer Lexi Thompson Anna Nordqvist
Pts ave. KOR 10.15 NOR 9.30 USA 8.51 NZL 7.89 AUS 7.28 KOR 6.01 CHN 5.29 USA 5.21 USA 4.89 SWE 4.78
Don Donatello caddies on the PGA Tour and he will be contributing regularly to St Andrews Golf Magazine over the coming months. His first post is about the Annual Caddie Classic held at Orange Tree Golf Club in Orlando, Florida on 17 March 2014.
Each year the caddies of the PGA Tour can play in the Annual Caddie Classic. Alex Alexander started the Caddie Classic 35 years ago due to a fellow caddy receiving a DUI. Alex wanted the Tour caddies to band together to help support and take care of caddies who were either ill or unable to work. The Professional Tour Caddie Association has been running the event for the past 13 years. The event has grown so much over the years that Don Donatello decided to take over and run the event.
I had the vision to take this annual tournament to another level. I decided to change the format for this year’s event to encourage more caddies to take part. I managed to secure a top notch course at Orange Tree Golf Club in Orlando, Florida to host the event, on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th.
I managed to secure some sponsorship of the event from Jersey Mike’s Subs, who provided the food for the event and from a locally brewed beer called FrogHair Beer. FrogHair Beer is the first craft beer that is an American Blonde beer with a hint of orange. The tournament does rely upon the PGA Tour players donating money to the event. Robert Garrigus has been a big part of the tournament over the last two years by donating $10,000 and making a separate purse. The Tour vans also contribute by donating golf clubs and balls that are raffled after the tournament.
This year’s tournament was played by over 80 PGA Tour caddies, played in a two-man scramble format and the results can be seen below.
I am already preparing for next year’s tournament as he plans to take the format back to stroke play with a championship Flight, A Flight, B Flight and a C Flight. The tournament is moving to Texas and will be played in between the Byron Nelson and Colonial. If you are interested in sponsoring or donating anything towards this
tournament, please feel free to email me at DonDonatello59@hotmail.com.
The Club has an active fixture list along with many social events.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please email your details to enquiries@standrewscaddiesgolfclub.com.
Become part of the history of the game of golf. Join our Club. Membership is available for golfers of all abilities and for non-golfers who just wish to be part of the Club itself. The St. Andrews Caddies Golf Club is fully affiliated with the Scottish Golf Union and Fife Golf Association.
Membership costs ÂŁ50 per year. Members receive following benefits;
the
- Reduced Green Fee’s at several local courses. - Priority access to tournaments run by the Club. - Discounts at multiple stores in St. Andrews.
Join in the history and the traditions of the game. www.standrewscaddiesgolfclub.com
What did it feel like to win the 2013 Mizuno Classic? It is a dream come true, I have been waiting for this moment for such a long time.
What is your favourite hole? Old Course number 18, the bridge is awesome.
What is your favourite club in the bag? Driver. What are your ambitions for the 2014 LPGA season? To work harder to win more trophies.
What is your favourite tournament to play in? Any major tournament.
Do you have a nickname? Lu Lu.
What is the best moment of your career? Shooting 64 on Sunday to win the Mizuno Classic, my first win.
Where would you most like to visit in the world? Arctic/North Pole, to see the Northern Lights.
What is your favourite food or drink? Sushi and green tea. What are the top tracks for you to play on your IPod? Taiwanese pop music. If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Time Stop. What is your favourite colour? Yellow.
What is your favourite course? St Andrews Old Course.
If you could have a dinner party for 6 people who would you invite? Adam Scott, David Beckham, Miranda Kerr, Lorena Ochoa, Tiger Woods and Jackie Chan.
Colin Donaldson is a local St. Andrean. Growing up in St. Andrews gave him access to golf at a young age and he has loved it ever since.
Here is his preview to the 2014 season in St Andrews.
The lighter evenings and the glimmer of sunshine must mean that it's almost the 2014 golf season. I have mixed emotions at this time of the year.
The bad part is that I feel as though I'm losing my golf courses to tourists. The good part is that the 2014 golf season is about to kick start and the town will be buzzing with tourists from around the World.
For most, The Masters represents the start of their golfing season. As a local in St. Andrews, the Lindsay Shield signifies the start of my golf season.
The Lindsay Shield is an inter-club match played for between The St. Andrews Golf Club, Leven Thistle Golf Club and
Carnoustie Golf Club. Each team consists of 50 members, 25 play at Home and 25 play at the away venue.
The matches are spread out over three consecutive weekends where each club plays each other. The format is singles matchplay, so there are 50 points per match and 100 in total that you can win. It's such a fantastic competition and one that dates back many decades. I will write more about this competition at another date.
2014 promises to be a great year in and around St. Andrews. With multiple tournaments for all categories to play in, The Dunhill Links Championship and most importantly this year, The Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.
In my opinion, the greatest matchplay display in golf will be on the doorstep of St. Andrews. Not my first choice venue to host the Ryder Cup in Scotland, but I know that Gleneagles will shine (I'm sure the sun won't) and we will be left with fantastic memories of the event. Quite an exciting year ahead.
With St. Andrews being a relatively small town where everything is condensed centrally into three main streets, visiting golfers and tourists make the town buzz.
Different languages, different accents within languages, friends, colleagues and tour parties make the town a fantastic place to visit. There is an excitement in and around St. Andrews when the golfing season starts.
The locals have so many tournaments to play in that they can't keep up and the visiting golfers have the look of a kid at Disney. Contacts can be added, networks grown and friendships can be made.
The best thing about golf in season at St. Andrews, the daylight, the courses and the fun had whilst playing golf. The relaxed atmosphere of the people and of the town make it a fantastic place to be.
John Boyne is an Old Course caddie and here he previews the year ahead at the home of golf.
Finally, the official 2014 golf season at the historic links of St. Andrews begins. On Saturday 29th March the last restriction of winter golf, using an ‘astro turf mat’ to protect the turf from unwanted divots, was removed.
Golf on the links has been continuing apace, through what has been a rather mild winter this year, and I believe this March has had a record number of caddie rounds at St. Andrews. I even managed to muscle in with a couple of those rounds myself towards the end of the month. Always good to receive requests for my services on the Old Course from returning golfers. A good impression made in years gone by.
Mickelson. The course at Royal Aberdeen has long been regarded as one of Scotland’s greatest links courses and has played host to the 2011 Walker Cup and the British Seniors Open won by Tom Watson in 2005.
There is no Open Championship in Scotland this year, it is being played at Royal Liverpool, but Scotland will host the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and there is enough being written elsewhere without the need for me to add to it.
The Old Course at St. Andrews has been going through some alterations over the last couple of winters in preparation for the Open Championship returning in 2015. Here is a list of the most notable changes over the last two years:
We have another fantastic year of golf to look forward to in Scotland with a new venue for the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen Balgownie Links after its three great years in the Highlands at Castle Stuart where it produced victory for Like Donald, Jeev Mikel Singh and last year Phil
two bunkers moved on Par 4 second closer to the right side of the green bunker moved 100 yards forward on right side of Par 4 third fairway one bunker filled in and one moved to right edge of Par 4 fourth
right side of fourth green now contoured or rumpled (as I like to call it) right side of sixth green now contoured or rumpled depression (small crater) on Par 4 seventh fairway filled in and now domed new bunker 20 yards short left of Par 4 ninth green left side of severe sloping Par 3 eleventh green dropped creating two pin locations adjacent to Hill bunker some contouring at the rear of the Par 4 fithteenth green next to Cottage bunker remodelling front left of Par 4 seventeenth Road green Road hole bunker rebuilt (it is every year) but this time slightly widened by a yard or so making it more elongated
The caddies who traipse over the Old Course day in and day out are really going to be the guys who will be living with and working around the above changes to benefit their golfers who will, in the majority of cases, not know or barely register that any alterations have taken place. I do
foresee the repositioning of the bunker at the fourth hole to be the one that may cause the greatest grief for the visiting amateurs this year. Time will tell if I am proved correct.
As ever the golf courses at St. Andrews can look forward to some seriously good competition golf this season with the annual St. Rule Trophy and St. Andrews Links Trophy played by the top ladies and gentlemen amateurs of the world respectively at the end of May and start of June. Then the European Tour’s Dunhill Links Championship rolls into town in October, the week after the Ryder Cup.
2014 is building up to be an exciting year of golf in St. Andrews and Scotland. I do hope that you will have an opportunity to taste some of it this year or in the years to come...Fore!
Matt Hooper caddied on the Old Course in 2011 and now works at The New Golf Club of St Andrews. I first came to live and work in St Andrews at the start of the 2011 golf season, and returned at the same time in 2012 and 2013. On each occasion the same event in golf was being played – The Masters. The Masters marks a very special moment in golf for most of the world, the real start of the golfing season. The clocks have been changed and the evenings are getting brighter and the weather is getting warmer. During our long and dismal winter in St Andrews the town has lived up to its tag of the Auld Grey Toun. But now with the golf season beginning and The Masters around the corner the daylight can be extended to at least 10pm sometimes 11pm. This means you can start a round of golf as late as 7pm and get a full 18 in before darkness. During spring and summer the town of St Andrews comes alive, the grass is greener, the sea is bluer and the golf courses are a more pleasant place to be. And the many thousands of tourists who come to St Andrews bring their own colour, language and contribution to the home of golf. After a long winter working away, sometimes in Florida or other parts of
America, the caddies are returning to St Andrews and their busy season of two or even three rounds a day is beginning. The hotels are filling beds and the restaurants are selling tables. St Andrews is coming to life again. The golf clubs hold their spring and summer meetings, numerous medal competitions and the club championships. The St Andrews Links Trust holds six amateur tournaments for elite players across both genders and various age groups and the countdown is on to St Andrews’ annual European Tour event – the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. At the start of each season I cast my mind back to the first time I came to St Andrews in 1996 as a 13-year-old boy in awe of the home of golf. And to April 9 and 10, 2011 and the weekend of the 2011 Masters. I went to the Dunvegan with my best friend, Stephen Sweeney who was a PGA Professional at the St Andrews Links Academy at the time. He is close friends with Rory McIlroy and we spent much of that weekend watching Rory and the final two rounds of The Masters. I remember moving in to a bungalow in Windsor Gardens and meeting my Malaysian flatmate, Choon Tan. Then as
the season began another caddie, Sam Moxon, arrived and was soon followed by PGA Professional Ayden Robert-Jones, who works at the Duke’s course.
10 May – New Golf Club Spring Meeting, Old Course
18 May – R&A Local Clubs Gold Medal, Old course
10 May – St Andrews Golf Club Club Championship qualifying 1st Round, Eden course
22 May – Thistle Golf Club Spring Meeting, Old course
It was a new, fresh start for me and the beginning of a new season in St Andrews is a fresh start for everyone. The 2014 season promises to be perhaps one of the best with the European Amateur Championship coming to the Duke’s in August. And with the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles sure to have a major impact on St Andrews the 2014 season is set to be busy and bright.
Key dates for the 2014 season in St Andrews:
17 May – St Andrews Golf Club Club Championship qualifying 2nd round, New course
31 May and 1 June – St Rule Trophy, Old course and New course
14 April – the start of the golf season in St Andrews
5 to 8 May – R&A Spring Meeting, Old Course
1 to 6 June – New Golf Club Club Championship
6 to 8 June – St Andrews Links Trophy, Jubilee and Old courses
20 June – Allianz Tournament, Castle course
5 July – St Andrews Ladies’ Open, Jubilee course
8 to 13 June – Rotary International Golf Tournament, All St Andrews Links managed courses
21 June – St Andrews Golf Club Spring Meeting, Old course
8 to 10 July – Boyd Quaich, Old course and New course
10-13 June – St Andrews Golf Club Club Championship, Old course
30 June to 2 July – Eden course centenary
13 to 16 July – Scottish Youths Strokeplay Championship, Jubilee course
14 June – New Golf Club Summer Meeting 1 to 4 July – Tait Medal for the matchplay championship of St Andrews 26 July – St Andrews Golf Club Autumn Meeting, Old course
4 to 7 August – St Andrews Boys’ Open
4 to 7 August – St Andrews Junior Ladies Open
Strathtyrum
22 to 24 August – Wee Wonders, Strathtyrum and Balgove courses
14 August – Thistle Golf Club Autumn Prizes, Old course
1 to 6 September – R&A Autumn Meeting, New Course
11 to 15 Tournament
August
–
8 to 19 September – R&A Autumn Meeting, Old Course
6 to 9 August – European Amateur Championship, The Dukes course
15 to 17 August – SSE Senior Scottish Open, Fairmont St Andrews 13 September – Town Match, Old, New and Jubilee courses
11 to 15 August – Eden Tournament
16 August – New Golf Club Autumn Meeting, Old Course
13 to 14 September – UK Public Course Championship, Eden course
26 September – Allianz Tournament, Castle course
29 to 6 October – Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
This year’s Alfred Dunhill Links has the potential to be the biggest event in St Andrews outside The Open in many years. With the Ryder Cup being played the week prior to the tournament there is a strong chance that many of the Europeans and Americans will make the short journey across to the East Coast for a fun tournament following the pressures of the biggest event in the game.
www.standrewsgolfmagazine.com will keep you in touch with the entire golfing season in St Andrews from start to finish.
The round of golf that I played at the Old Course at Saint Andrews is one that I will soon not forget. The expectations that I had coming in were far exceeded not only by the course, but also by the people that I had a chance to interact with while I was there. Having played golf for some 17 years now, making my way to Scotland to play the famed course had always been a dream of mine. The opportunity to do so finally became a reality for me in May of 2013. I had booked a 2 week trip to Europe and this was going to be my first destination. After arriving in Saint Andrews, the first thing I did after checking into the St Andrews Tourist Hostel was make my way down to see the course before I played it. The first thing that I noticed was how small the 17th green looked in comparison to what it looked like on television. The next thing that caught my attention was the undulation in the 2nd green. It looked like an elephant had been buried in the green. This type of green is something that I had never seen growing up in the United States. After walking the course for a little bit, I made my way to the British Golf Museum located near the R&A. This museum contained many old clubs, information on the origins of the game, and Open
Championship memorabilia. I was surprised to learn that golf members used to be fined for not attending dinner after the golf match. Getting a chance to putt with different old putters was my favourite thing from this museum. The next morning I made my way back to the Old Course to get on the waiting list for a chance to play the course. I was able to be the first person on the list and I would be playing in the 2nd group off for the day. Playing those first few holes was the most nervous I had been on a golf course in a long time. Had it not been for my caddy Brain Martin’s knowledge of the course I would have had a bad round. He was very helpful in keeping me out of the bunkers and knew the greens very well. Had I shot a bad round it wouldn’t have mattered to me, I was caught up most of the round taking in the history of the course and the beautiful scenery. Each hole is different on the course and while it wasn’t the best round that I ever had, it was the most memorable. Being the golf enthusiast that I am, I am grateful to have been able to get to Saint Andrews and play the Old Course.
My Favourite Hole at the Home of Golf
Kyle MacLachlan “The one I am on”
Hole 15
Par 4
415 yards Cartgate in
Iain Mackenzie of Gleneagles Hotel
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ranging from hotels and resorts such
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