Welcome to July in St Andrews Golf Magazine. The third weekend of July is one which all golfers of the world look forward to each year. The Open Championship, golf’s oldest and greatest championship and this year once again the title was won by a true golfing great of our times. Rory McIlroy played superb golf for four days to win his first Claret Jug and a third leg of the career grand slam. The week before Justin Rose made it two wins in a row, following his triumph at the Quicken Loans National in America he waltzed to a victory at the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. We review both the Opens and the BMW International Open in this month’s edition. We continue our countdown to the 2014 Ryder Cup with an interview with Sky Sports’ David Livingstone and Ewen Murray gives us exclusive reaction to the launch of Sky Sports Ryder Cup channel.
We take you Inside St Andrews with a tour of the town’s many golf club makers of the past, and we bring you all the results from the New Golf Club and Tait Medal. Mark Dickson, member of the New Golf Club, attempts to qualify for the 2014 Open and we bring you his regional qualifying story. This month we watched the Seve Movie at the New Picture House in St Andrews and review it for you. Our countdown to the 2015 Open at St Andrews begins with two local’s recollections of the 1984 Open, won by Seve Ballesteros. The Eden Course celebrated its centenary this month and we tell its story. Michael Buttavacoli and Stefanie Kenoyer update you on their travels on the PGA Tour Canada and Symetra Tour respectively. We bring you all the results from the PGA Tour, European Tour, LPGA and LET and Sergio Garcia shares which is his favourite hole on the Old Course.
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Editors: Matt Hooper Colin Donaldson
Image credits: Front cover – R&A Pages 5 – University of St Andrews Page 22 – Hankley Common Golf Club Page 29 – BMW AG Page 31 – BMW AG Page 32 – © RECOUNTER Page 34– © RECOUNTER Pages 35 – R&A Page 36 – R&A Page 37 – R&A Page 38 – R&A Page 39 – BMW AG Page 50 - © RECOUNTER Page 51 – www.tvnewsroom.co.uk Page 52 – www.tvnewsroom.co.uk Page 53 – www.tvnewsroom.co.uk Page 54 – www.tvnewsroom.co.uk Page 55 – www.tvnewsroom.co.uk
St Andrews is the home of golf. Not just because of its 11 or so golf courses and the grand-daddy of them all, the Old Course, but because this is where a game became a sport and a sport became an industry. This is where the R&A, LGU and SGU govern the sport from and this is where the history of the game is preserved for future generations in the British Golf Museum. St Andrews’ contribution to the development of the sport is enormous and it is essentially where the phrase ‘Golf Industry’ was coined. At one point there was over 30 golf club and cleek (club head) manufacturers in the town. The earliest known reference to an individual having a golf club and balls is in 1574 in St Andrews in the shape of James Melville. This indicates that the game was played with a single club, much like the Dutch game Kolff. According to Dutch documentary sources there was a trade between Scotland and the Netherlands in the late 16th century. The earliest referenced person to call himself a golf club maker in St Andrews is David Dick, who died in 1731.
Generally little is known about the early construction of golf clubs, apart from the fact that the club had a hardwood head and a whippy or springy shaft. The wood most appropriate to be used for this whippy shaft was hickory.
Hickory shafts were allowed to air dry for two years before their final assembly.
Willie was the honorary professional of the R&A for nearly 25 years and the family members dabbled in golf course design, but at their core they were golf club manufacturers. David and Willie Auchterlonie established the company in 1894 and by 1901 there were as many as 16 workers in the factory, which was based on North Street. Tom and Laurie joined the business in 1899 and the business was thriving.
Among the earliest proponents of the use of hickory in golf club making was Robert Forgan. Based at the Woollen Mill on The Links, St Andrews – overlooking the 18th green and first tee of the Old Course. Forgan began his career with Hugh Philp. Philp trained as a carpenter and began repairing clubs in 1812.
In 1881 his son Thomas Berwick Forgan joined him and the company became Robert Forgan and Son – the company would go on to be the biggest club making business in the town during the 1890’s.
He was located outside of the ‘city’ walls prior to 1819 when he was appointed official club maker to the Society of Golfers (later to become the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.).
Forgan was also a pioneer in the development of Gutty Balls. He was the first to take nicks out of the Gutty and a large percentage of hammered Gutty Balls came from the Forgan factory.
Philp hired his nephew, Robert Forgan, in the 1840’s and on his death in 1856 the trainee became the master.
Apprentices of Forgan included David and Willie Auchterlonie.
Forgan is credited as being the first to fix the horn in the sole of the club with wood pegs driven in at an angle.
The Auchterlonie’s went on to become the biggest golfing family in St Andrews. Willie Auchterlonie won the 1893 Open Championship and Laurie won the 1902 US Open.
Willie’s son Laurie Auchterlonie took on the task of following his father and was hugely successful. He became the curator of the R&A museum and also was honorary professional to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
Laurie died in 1988 and the business has grown in a different direction, now selling masses of golf equipment and apparel from its large shop on Golf Place.
A major supplier of cleeks (club heads) to both Auchterlonie’s and Forgan was Tom Stewart. Stewart was the most recognised and respected cleek maker of his time and his forge is reported to have started in 1893. His forge was based initially at Greyfriars Garden in the heart of the town and later Argyle Works at 14 Argyle Street.
He was the first Blacksmith to concentrate exclusively on cleek making in St Andrews. His forge was small but grew as demand increased and Bobby Jones was a frequent visitor. Jones used many Stewart irons during his career, including the set he used to win his famous Grand Slam in 1930. He is credited with introducing numbered irons before his demise in 1931. The St Andrews Golf Company, which began production in 1906 based in Glasgow, bought the Tom Stewart Company. The St Andrews Golf Company is the oldest remaining Scottish golf club manufacturer. They moved operations into the town of St Andrews in 1982, with its shop on Golf Place next door to Auchterlonie’s, and its factory 5 miles out of town.
Tom Stewart also supplied Tom Morris. The Morris family was the most prominent golfing family of club makers in St Andrews in the late 1800’s upon Old Tom’s return from Prestwick. His shop opened on The Links in 1867 and employed three workers by 1870 with a further five joining by 1899.
As an aside, John Reid was visiting his uncle in St Andrews and was inspired by regular talks Old Tom would give at his shop door. He returned to America and founded the St Andrews Golf Club of New York in 1888 as the first golf club in the United States.
Andrew Strath
Robert White
David Strath
Robert Wilson
George Strath
So, when the golfers from across the world tee-it up on the links at Panmure this October in the 10th World Hickory Open they will be using clubs that will hark back to the days of Wilson, Philp, Forgan, Morris and Stewart.
James Govan James Baptie James Beveridge George Brown Burns and Company Crosthwaite and Lorimer
A little nod may be given to the incredible role these and many other individuals in St Andrews have played in the development of the greatest game ever played.
Andrew W Crosthwaite He would become one of the founding fathers of the United States Golf Association.
Alexander Herd
Robert Condie was the second great cleek maker of the Golden Age of Club making. As an apprentice Blacksmith Condie was trained by Robert White and he went on to supply Forgan and Auchterlonie.
Robert Kirk
Other prominent golf club and cleek makers in the town are included on the following list:
Henry Miln
A Jackson
Robert Kirk Jr. Kilrymont Golf Company Robert Martin
James Pett
In August’s St Andrews Golf Magazine we will be focussing on Tom Stewart and Robert Forgan, and showcasing their role in development of hickory clubs in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
The Eden Course celebrated its Centenary at
The space that now occupies the driving range
It is slightly more forgiving than the other
the start of July by hosting competition days for local and guests. Played over two glorious
and also the tented village when The Open Championship is in St. Andrews used to be
course in St. Andrews but if you do miss the fairway, the famous bunkers will collect your
days, the course provided a stern test for all
where the Eden Course began and finished.
ball or furthermore, the rough will grab
those who played.
The opening two holes and closing two holes used to cover this land. Therefore, it was
anything that goes astray.
The Eden Course opened for play in 1914, due to demand on St. Andrews’ three existing
decided that alterations were required to the Eden Course.
Many of the local golf clubs use the Eden Course as one of the courses that their
courses. The Eden Course was designed by Harry S. Colt and was originally only 15 holes
In 1989, golf course architect Donald Steel
members must use in qualifying for their respective club championships. The Eden also
at the time of opening. Harry S. Colt used
made the changes to the Eden Course to the
plays host to the St. Andrews Boys Open and
many of the natural features, contouring and boundary walls to give the course an entirely
layout that now exists. The high standards set by Harry S. Colt were matched by Donald
in August plays host to The Eden Tournament. Further details of these tournaments can be
natural feel.
Steel in what is a course, full of character but
found at www.standrews.com.
The course itself was named after the Eden
less testing and demanding than the other three courses within St. Andrews, at the time.
It is fair to say that the Eden Course has had a
Estuary by which some of the holes run parallel to.
The Eden Course is shorter than most of the
successful first 100 years and has played an important role in the development of the game
With the popularity of golf increasing and the
other courses in St. Andrews, playing at just over 6,000 yards but with its small, undulating
in St. Andrews. Here’s hoping that the next 100 are just as successful.
rise of The Open Championship, it was decided that further space was required when
greens, it provides a true test of golf.
St.
The holes constantly change direction and with
Andrews
Championship.
was
to
host
The
Open
the usual breeze flowing through the links, you never get used to the wind direction.
Written by Colin Donaldson.
F G TAIT MEMORIAL MEDAL 102nd Scratch Match Play Competition
2014 Result
Champion: Gary Sharp (St Andrews) Defeated Runner Up: Brian Young (St Andrews) 3&2 over the New Course
Semi-Finalist: Neal Beattie (St Andrews)
Semi-Finalist: Jim Woods (New)
Severiano Ballesteros passed away over 3 years ago and he won five majors, had an unquantified impact upon the European Tour and Ryder Cup as well as a place in the hearts of millions of golfers throughout the world. In his spectacular career there were many standout moments, but none had the lasting impact and legacy of his birdie at the 72nd hole of the 1984 Open Golf Championship on the Old Course.
The two greatest golfers in the world, Seve and Tom Watson, did battle on a balmy July afternoon in front of record crowds at the home of golf. Watson, the defending champion, was targeting a recordequalling sixth Open victory and Seve was charging for his second. The events that afternoon were witnessed by thousands of locals and millions of viewers around the world. They were unforgettable to many who were there.
Coming into the final round Watson was tied for the lead with Ian Baker-Finch at 11-under-par with Seve and Bernhard Langer lurking two shots back. Seve and Watson exchanged blows throughout the
round and by the time they reached the final two holes they were tied. Ballesteros hit a magnificent 6-iron from over 200 yards up on to the green, making one of the hardest second shots in golf look remarkably simple. Two putts later the Spaniard was 11-under-par heading for the 18th hole. His drive split the enormous fairway and his approach landed some 12 feet short and right of the hole. Meanwhile Watson pushed his 2-iron to the 17th onto the road and up against the wall. Seve’s putt curled towards the right side of the hole and after pausing briefly fell into the cup. He pumped his fist briskly and the joy he had inside him came out uncontrollably. He hugged his caddie David Musgrove and when Watson failed to par the 17th the title was his. It has gone down in history as one of the great Open Championships at the home of golf. There were echoes of 1984 on the final day of the 2013 RICOH Women’s British Open when Stacy Lewis birdied the final two holes to win the championship.
Ian Walker, from Elie, was part of the local clubs volunteer force and was manning the eleventh hole that week in July 1984. His recollection of that Open speaks for many who were there. “The weather was fantastic and the atmosphere electric. It was an honour to be part of such a well-run event and experience an Open Championship at the home of golf from inside the ropes. My memories are that Seve came across as quite guarded and focussed, and was not as accessible as the other professionals were.” Alan Wilkie, from St Andrews, was alongside the 18th green when the now iconic putt and celebration took place. “Seve holing that final put was an unforgettable moment. It was a great day. I was marshalling earlier in the day then ran between Seve’s and Watsons groups. I was outside of the St. Andrews golf club when Seve holed the putt.” “Seve celebrated for ages and when he was up on the balcony of the R and A Baker Finch was a lonely figure walking out the west sands.”
Last month the long-awaited movie of the life of Seve was released starring Jose Luis Gutierrez and it is definitely a mustsee for any golfer. I have to admit it does start slowly, but you have to give it time because it is definitely worth the wait. A mixture of on-screen acting and vignettes of his career, the movie focuses upon his difficult youth and struggle to be accepted by the members at Pedrena. The movie builds throughout its 2 hours and you are told the story of how he became obsessed with the game and becoming the best in the world. How he wins over his family to accept his ambition to be a champion golfer. As far as sports movies go this is a classic, with very few moments where the viewer is questioning the acting or the script. The legend of Severiano Ballesteros lives on with this family friendly picture.
Written by Matt Hooper.
RICOH Women’s British Open review
Mark Dickson, member of the New Golf Club of St Andrews, attempted to qualify for the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool this June. Coming into his regional qualifier at Hankley Common in Surrey Dickson was in superb form; winning both the Stan Reith Trophy and Joe Lindsay Trophy in qualifying for the New Golf Club’s club championship and advancing to the semifinals. In practice he shot, in his words, a “casual 65”. This heathland track is a tight and long test of golf for the amateur golfer, playing 6,791 yards from the back tees. It is renowned as one of England’s best inland courses and opened in 1897 before a redesign by James Braid in 1922. Mark had an early tee-time for his qualifier at 8.10am and had the opportunity to set a stiff target in the clubhouse.
The 30-year-old from Leeds in Yorkshire has had a sore back for 3 months and usually takes a few hours to warm himself up before playing, an early tee-time did not afford him the opportunity to do so before his qualifier. The opening hole at Hankley Common (right) is a 422 yard par four which requires a slight draw off the tee to get the best view of the green. With his back still sore he hit a quick hook 60 yards left onto a bridleway. He managed to make a miraculous bogey to limit the damage but it was not the ideal start.
At the 2nd he steadied the ship with a par on the 166 yard par three. He was 1-overpar playing the 8th when he made his first birdie, on the 549 yard par five. He then bogeyed the 371 yard par four ninth and was 1-over-par making the turn.
On the 10th his drive found the left heather but he hit a superb 6-iron to set up a birdie to get himself back to level par for the round.
Dickson bogeyed the 436 yard par four 12th hole before making a stunning birdie on the 498 yard par four 13th. A bogey at the 162-yard par three 16th hole saw him fall to +1 for the day.
He had a great chance for birdie at the 400 yard 17th hole but missed a 4-foot putt which could have made the difference.
But a 72, 1-over-par looked set to see him progress to the next stage of qualifying. Especially given that the course was just getting more difficult throughout the day. When he left the course he was tied for 3rd place and in great position, but gradually throughout the day he moved down the leader board. At one point there was potentially set to be a 7-man play-off for 1 spot in final qualifying. But just as the players were preparing for a play-off Argentinian Lucca Horwitz came in with a round of 71 to end the hopes of the New Golf Club man. His tie for 13th place did give him a chance of making it into final qualifying at Glasgow Gailes. As third reserve there was a decent chance he would get a start but despite waiting at the course for the day he did not get lucky enough for three players to drop out and his Open dream was over for another year. Mark will be one of five local golfers in St Andrews which we will be featuring on the Road to St Andrews 2015 from January next year. Our 2015 Open Championship coverage will be the most extensive of ANY PUBLICATION, EVER.
RICOH Women’s British Open review
Our coverage includes:
December – Emirates Australian Open February – Joburg Open
Road to St Andrews 2015
March – Open Qualifying Series Thailand
5 locals attempt to make their dreams come true by qualifying for the 2015 Open Championship at the home of golf, St Andrews.
June – Mizuno Open, Irish Open, Quicken Loans National
We bring you their golfing story and cover their qualifying rounds on the road to St Andrews.
July – Greenbrier Classic, Open de France Alstom, Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and John Deere Classic
Interviews with the taxi driver, shopkeeper, bartender, postman, bricklayer, roofer, handyman and the school teacher and beyond.
Big interviews with the big names of the game We will attempt to bring you interviews with some of the biggest names in golf, including past Open Champions, on the road to next July.
Inside St Andrews 2015 Open Qualifying Series Full coverage of every event in the Open Qualifying Series
Local golfers’ reflections on the Open Championships’ of 1970, 1984, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010
All of this and more in St Andrews Golf Magazine and on www.standrewsgolfmagazine.com
CD: Welcome back to St. Andrews Chris. The first time that you visited St. Andrews, what was it that made you choose to come to St. Andrews? CW: The fact that St Andrews is the birthplace of golf is more than enough reason to make the pilgrimage to the area, but the absolute beauty of the land, the amazingly wonderful and gracious people of St Andrews and the spectacular City were just some of the reasons I choose to come to St Andrews.
CD: What was your first impression of St. Andrews? CW: I was humbled and overwhelmed by the beauty of the courses and town of St Andrews. Those responsible for the care of this treasured gem are doing an amazing job!
CD: How many times have you been to St. Andrews? CW: I am happy to say that I have had the pleasure of being in St Andrews on 3 separate occasions over the past 7 years
and each visit gets better! This was however my brothers 1st trip to St Andrews and I am sure he will be talking about his stay in St Andrews for many years to come!
CD: What is your favourite thing about St. Andrews? (Golf courses, friendship, pubs, restaurants etc.) CW: I love the fact that everyone I have met in St Andrews over the years has the same passion and love for golf that I have. In St Andrews you share a very special experience, whether it be on the course, at a hotel, in the pub or the restaurants with kindred spirits from all over the world that love golf!
CD: What is your best experience/memory of St. Andrews? CW: Cleary playing and walking the Old Course with my brother, my best friends, new friends and of course the caddies on the hallowed grounds of The St Andrews Links over the years. The next best memory was getting up and down from The Road Hole Bunker to beat my good
friend Colin Donaldson in our match to win a pint at the pub!
CD: Our hospitality is known to be very gracious! It was a fantastic sand save from the Road Hole Bunker. CW: Thank you.
CD: What is your favourite course and hole in St. Andrews? CW: It is impossible to pick - it is like asking which your favourite child is. With that said, I love all the holes on the Old Course, but nothing is better than playing the last 5 holes on the Old Course as the sun is setting on a late summer day and the sky is full of amazing colours. It is not the golf hole, it is just the perfect setting to fully appreciate how wonderful golf can be in every way.
CD: Do you think that you will visit St. Andrews again? CW: As many times as possible before I can no longer swing a golf club and/or walk the course!
CD: Do you have any good stories from your time is St. Andrews? CW: The 1st time I visited St Andrews, we were not lucky in the ballot draw so 3 of us on an amazing 10 day golf trip with 5 other great friends, who had all had the fortune of playing the Old Course on prior trips, would be tortured to be so close to the Old Course, but not have the chance to play it. So, we all settled to play the New Course (clearly not a sacrifice at all as it is an amazing experience in and of itself). As fate and luck would have it, we enjoyed the amazing walk around the New Course with our caddies when one of them mentioned he might be able to host the 3 of us who had never played the Old Course the next day. Our new friend delivered on his offer and we all shared the perfect day and experience together - clearly it was the
golfing highlight of our trip! I am very happy to report that caddie we randomly met is now a good friend of mine that I always look forward to seeing in St Andrews and I hope to see soon in the USA!
eligible, except that there will be no more than four players from any one country eligible within the top-15
The International Golf Federation confirmed at The Open Championship the two-year qualification system for the 2016 Olympic Golf Tournament in Rio de Janeiro. In both the women’s and men’s events a field of 60 players will compete in a 72hole stroke play format competition for the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. The 60 positions available in each event will be allocated through an Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR) list published on the IGF website, based on the player’s respective official world golf ranking as follows:
Players within the top-15 on the respective women’s and men’s Official World Golf Ranking as of July 11, 2016 will be
The balance of the field will be selected in order from 16th place onwards on the respective women’s and men’s OWGR as of as of July 11 2016, up to a maximum of two players per country for those countries not already having more than two players within the top-15
A provision has been included for the host country, Brazil, which will guarantee that at least one Brazilian female and male golfer will compete in the Games if not otherwise eligible, based on position within the respective World Rankings.
Another provision has also been included that each of the five continents of the Olympic Movement (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania) will be guaranteed at least one athlete in each of the men’s and women’s events, if not otherwise eligible, based on position within the respective World Rankings.
These provisions will not increase the field size beyond 60 athletes in each of the women’s and men’s competitions.
The two-year qualification period for the Olympic Golf Ranking will run from July 14, 2014 to July 11, 2016. Throughout that time, an OGR list will be published each week using the current women’s and men’s World Rankings at internationalgolffederation.org (showing the mock field for the event as if played that week using the rankings system).
The IGF will publish the final OGR list as of July 11, 2016 following the conclusion of all eligible events.
St Andrews Golf Magazine will publish these rankings each month throughout the qualification process and will feature Olympic Golf articles on a regular basis.
Fantastic Fabrizio creates history for Paraguay and gives further meaning to the “International� Open.
He was the last man standing in an epic four-man play-off which decided the destiny of the 2014 BMW International Open at the magnificent Gut Larchenhof Golf Club near Cologne.
It was a thrilling conclusion to a dramatic final day and sensational week in Germany. The final round tee-times were moved up significantly to enable play to finish prior to an expected storm which had delayed play on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Pablo Larrazabal began the final round with a three-shot lead but a level par round of 72 saw him miss out on the play-off by 2 shots.
Zanotti by contrast posted his second successive round of 65, he did not make a bogey in the final two rounds, to come from 7 behind on Friday to a head of affairs on Sunday afternoon. His 19-under-par in the clubhouse was a stiff target but Gregory Havret and Henrik Stenson soon joined him. Remarkably Rafael Cabrera-Bello, leader over the first two rounds, produced a birdie-eagle-birdie finish to come from four back with three to play and earn a place in the play-off.
Fabrizio Zanotti became the first Paraguayan champion on the European Tour with a par on the fifth extra hole to defeat World Number 2 Henrik Stenson. The Swede was the last bullet for the pocket dynamo to dodge after Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Gregory Havret had exited the play-off on the fourth and second extra holes respectively.
On the first extra hole all four players made par so they made the return trip to the 18th tee. Sensationally Zanotti, Stenson and Cabrera-Bello birdied both 18 and then 17 to take us to a fourth extra hole. The Spaniard found the water and could not match the par fours of the Swede and the Paraguayan. So it was back to 17 for the final two contenders.
Stenson, as he had done in regulation play on Sunday, went for the green with his 2wood, but found the water via the sheer face next to the 17th green. His third shot ran through the green into the bunker and after he had failed to hole his fourth for par he smacked his ball into the water and conceded the title to Zanotti.
The World Number 2 against the World Number 305 was the kind of story which only golf can create. And with a par four on the short, but dangerous 17th the outsider had won the title, his first on the European Tour a first for his nation. He was greeted by his Argentine friends who sprayed him with champagne.
It is the 13th different nation to have its name on the Winner’s Cup of the BMW International Open.
Final Leader board:
Record crowds of over 64,000 came to the course in Pulheim over the week, and despite poor weather over the weekend the atmosphere was loud, but respectful of the world class golf on show.
Henrik Stenson -19
Written by Matt Hooper.
Fabrizio Zanotti -19*
Rafael Cabrera-Bello -19 Gregory Havret -19
Rose enjoys blooming good start to summer with back-toback wins at Quicken Loans National and Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
strongest regular European Tour field of the year competing for the title.
Justin Rose brought his winning form back with him from Maryland to the North East of Scotland to take the spoils at the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. The Englishman took the title with a magnificent final round performance to see off the challenge of home challenger, Marc Warren.
The first round leader was Rory McIlroy after a sublime 64 but in the second round he had another Friday meltdown. Starting with a bogey on the first he followed with dropped shots at the fifth, eighth and tenth to fall to 4-under-par. But worse was to come.
Starting the day tied with Warren on 1under-par, Rose reeled off five birdies on the front nine to separate himself from the field. Despite slowing on the back nine, a solitary birdie at the 12th hole was enough to see him round in 65 shots.
A double-bogey on the par five 12th was followed by back-to-back bogeys on the 13th and 14th. Suddenly he was in real danger of missing the cut.
Swede Kristoffer Broberg put up a valiant challenge, birdieing 3 of the last 7 holes to finish at 14-under-par, just 2 back of Rose. The move to Royal Aberdeen was a tremendous success, with record crowds since the move to links golf and the
course could easily hold its own with any on The Open rota.
Defending champion Phil Mickelson was never really in contention, but a final round of 65 with 8 birdies moved him into a tie for 11th place and gave him a confidence boost ahead of his Open Championship defence at Hoylake.
His saving grace was the blustery conditions on the second day and the cut moved to 2-over-par. The scenes at Royal Aberdeen over the four days were very reminiscent of those at The Open. Maybe if it wasn’t for its northerly location and lack of room to cope with over 30,000 fans a day then this
There is no question that the week at Royal Aberdeen whetted the appetite of golfers across the world for The Open at Hoylake. Scotland’s National Open continues to move from strength to strength and the Scottish Government, European Tour and Aberdeen Asset Management made a major announcement on Sunday to a packed audience of the world’s media.
Alex Salmond and George O'Grady have announced that the 2015 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open will be played at Gullane Golf Club and the championship will be precede by a new 54-hole qualifying tournament for Scottish golfers. They also announced that the 2016 championship will return to Castle Stuart. Commenting on this announcement the First Minister of Scotland said “The Scottish Open has firmly established itself as one of the prime tournaments on The European Tour and has enjoyed another action-packed four days at Royal Aberdeen this week. Scotland is home to some of the very best links courses in the world and it will be great to see some of the sport’s best players experience the challenge that Gullane and Castle Stuart will present in 2015 and 2016 respectively. “We are lucky to be able to have the ability to move this extremely popular competition from one fantastic coastal course to another, spreading the benefits of tourism and television exposure to a global audience.
Scotland is famed for staging major international events and this competition will provide a multi-million pound boost to these local economies and Scotland as a whole. “These two courses are wonderful advertisements for the links game, and I have every confidence that they will enhance Scotland's reputation both as the Home and Future of Golf.”
European Tour chief executive George O'Grady said “Scotland’s First Minister, the Right Honourable Alex Salmond, and Aberdeen Asset Management Chief Executive, Martin Gilbert, have been the driving force behind the recent success of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and today we salute their efforts to showcase two of Scotland’s superb links courses.”
McIlroy joins the legends of the game with landmark performance at Hoylake. The road to Hoylake began 8 months ago and 10,583 miles away from the city of Liverpool. Two different, historic tournaments, played on two historic and traditional courses. Each with the same champion. Rory McIlroy. The Ulsterman’s road back to the top of the game after a near disastrous 2013 in Europe and the United States began at Royal Sydney last December. The Emirates Australian Open was the first of 10 R&A endorsed tour events which carry exemptions into The Open Championship. He produced a super final round of 66 to overhaul the home favourite Adam Scott
and claim the fourth oldest national Open title in the world. Fast forward over 8 months and Rory was lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool. He did it in contrasting style this time though, blowing the field away over the first three days and playing a professional round on the final day to claim a two stroke victory and his first Open Championship. At times during this Open Rory was simply unbelievable, and nothing was more unbelievable than his eagle-bogey-eagle finish on Saturday. His power, his precision and his magnificent, high and soft landing irons brought the finish at Hoylake to its knees and effectively ended the hopes of the challengers. Then, when you perhaps thought he might be nervous on Sunday, with memories of blowing a 4-shot lead at Augusta, he nailed his drive straight down the middle and sent a message to the rest; you are not taking my Open away from me. And so it was, despite the valiant challenge of Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy was the Champion Golfer of the Year for 2014.
This Open was so different to the one we experienced in 2006 at Hoylake; the course was greener and played longer, and the rough was thicker. And this Open was also so different for the 2006 Open Champion Tiger Woods. After missing The Masters and US Open he got off to a miserable start bogeying the first two holes, he did however make a comeback on Thursday, birdieing six of the last 14 holes to post 69, just 4 off Rory’s lead. But the good news was to be brief for Woods at this Open. He doubled the first on Friday and bogeyed the second to fall to level par for the championship and but for a courageous birdie on the 18th he would have been heading home early. Remarkably, sitting 15 shots off the lead, he claimed he still had a chance. That claim would be proved ambitious to say the least when he posted 73 on Saturday to fall 20 shots behind McIlroy. On Sunday Woods was a sideshow, posting 75 and ending the week 6-overpar. His hunt for a 15th major goes on, Rory’s search for a third is over and now he heads to Augusta with a grand slam on his mind.
Written by Matt Hooper.
The sign says it all. We cannot wait.
Find June and July’s tour results at the following official websites
Life on tour Michael Buttacavoli
roommate lives in Baltimore and I was able to do my laundry that night at her apartment and sleep a few hours on the couch before my next move.
After finishing the first half of my season in Latin America, I had five days at home in Miami before I had to go to Rockville, Maryland for U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying. The rest of my summer schedule was still up in the air. My win in the Dominican Republic secured me full status on PGA Tour Canada so I knew I had a place to play no matter what.
I took a 6am flight out of Baltimore on Tuesday morning that landed around 1.30pm in Victoria, BC, Canada for my first PGA Tour Canada Event. I played 15 holes that afternoon and rested on Wednesday while the pro-am took place. I was definitely a little worn out but it was part of the job. I lost the tournament by two strokes and finished tied for 4th. It was another successful week.
I got to Rockville confident with my game and excited to play. I had played the course in Sectionals a few years prior. After two days in a row of practicing on the course, I was ready for the 36-hole qualifier on Monday. Also known as "the longest day in golf", it was a very mentally and physically draining day. I ended poorly on my second round to miss qualifying by 4 shots. Had I played my last 3 holes at -1, I would've been playing in the U.S. Open. Nonetheless, I had to pick myself up and get back to work. Fortunately my college
I spent my off week practicing at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge near Seattle. I tried to keep my game sharp but not overdo it. I knew I had a long rest of the year ahead. My next event was in Fort McMurray, Canada. I continued my successful play and finish tied for 5th. I spent my next off week in Santa Fe, New Mexico with my coach, Artie McNickle. My body was definitely starting to suffer from all the travel and golf I had been playing. I have an opportunity to move up to the Web.com through Canada or Latin America and I need to take advantage of that.
I am in good position to do this on both tours and that is a nice situation to be in. I have to be smart with how much I practice and workout so that I do not overdo it. After a good week with my coach, I am back on the road for 3 weeks in a row in Canada. I will finally get to go home for a week after the last event of the three before I head back to Canada for 6 events in 7 weeks to end the season.
My lifestyle can be crazy sometimes. Some will say I am playing too much. Some will say I am young and can handle it. I think part of my experience is going through this now so that I can dictate my schedule a little more down the road. The travel and the long periods of time away from home are part of my education. Learning from my mistakes on and off the golf course will help me prepare for life on the PGA tour.
Thank you again for following my progress. You can follow my journey on www.pgatourcanada.com and through my Twitter/Instagram accounts @mbutta326.
Life on tour Stefanie Kenoyer Well hello again! I’m back to give you some more insight into life on the road as I play on tour. So far we have played two thirds of the events this season and still have seven left. We will head over to New York next week for a swing through the northeast after completing five tournaments in the Midwest. I have seen my share of ups and downs this season. However, I have made it a priority to remind myself that I am living out my dreams of playing professional golf every day so little things such as a bad hole or a bad round are really not as bad as they may seem at the time. It is all about enjoying the journey and learning from any experience you have right?? Ask any professional golfer (or weekend hacker for that matter!) and they will tell you that it is definitely a game that can knock you down but it’s the players that continue to pick themselves back up and keep working that will ultimately succeed. As I mentioned in an earlier article, one of the things that helps get us through the
rough patches out on tour is the bonds we form with other players.
What is the Best moment of your career?
This year, I have made a great group of friends that truly have become my traveling family. We call it our little "tour family" and they are friends that I am sure I will maintain for a lifetime.
Winning the My Marsh Classic on the Symetra Tour in Fishers Indiana
We were never on the same series but have enjoyed getting to know each other through Golf Channel events and tournaments out on the tour. One of my closest friends this year has been a fellow Big Breaker, Sara "no H" Brown. For all you Big Break fans, Sara has been a very popular contestant throughout the years, and she was chosen for two seasons of the show, like myself. She is fun and bubbly, and a GREAT golfer! So, I did a little interview with her to give you some insight into her life on tour and some of her achievements! I hope you enjoy!
What are the Top tracks you play on your iPod? Zac Brown Band and Brantley Gilbert and also some Rap songs to get you dancing :)
Do you have a Favourite colour? Green (Sara went to Michigan State University so naturally she would choose Spartan Green)
What is your Favourite course? I honestly love playing any course I can :)
What is your Nickname?
Which is the Favourite club in your bag?
"No-H"
7 iron
Which is your Favourite tournament? The Masters, anyone who hasn't seen Augusta, you have to go!
Where would you most like to visit in the World? Australia.... and St Andrews of course!
What is your Favourite food and drink? Pizza and an Arnold Palmer (1/2 lemonade 1/2 ice tea). What golfer doesn't like Arnold Palmer?!
If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Flying... It would be so much cheaper for my life on tour! I spend a lot of time on airplanes! If you could have a dinner party for 6 people, who would you invite? My family and me :)
Husband Derek, Mom Debbie, Dad Mike, Brother Josh, Sis in law Lindsay
This September will be the fortieth playing of the Ryder Cup matches and it will be the tenth broadcast live by Sky Sports in the UK. That is exactly one quarter of the history of golf’s greatest event beamed to millions of UK homes by arguably the leading golf broadcaster in the world.
The man at the front of each broadcast has been Glaswegian David Livingstone. I sat down with the Scot to discuss his role, the evolution of Sky’s Ryder Cup coverage and the Sky team’s love for the first week of October in St Andrews.
I started by asking him how he became the golf presenter for Sky Sports. DAVID LIVINGSTONE: “I was a newspaper journalist in my early days and I worked for most of the Scottish newspapers in the Glasgow area. I did that for around 15 years; I was a news reporter So I did all the training that you do with newspapers which sets you up for whatever way you want to go in your career.”
“In the late 80’s I decided that I had had enough of it, Robert Maxwell took over the Mirror Group, I was working for the Daily Record at the time and I had one look at and listened to Robert Maxwell and decided it was time to do something else.” “I then went to work for Scottish Television as a Production Journalist and eventually I was encouraged to try and do a bit in front of the camera.” “Frankly it was pathetic and it was embarrassing, and it remained that way for a good number of years, and not that I take myself too seriously now those early years it was learning on the job.” “In 1990 Sky and BSB set up and I was invited to go and join them as a Football reporter because I had moved into sport at that time. So I worked on Scottish Football for them for about a year and was lucky enough to be working on the first year of Sky’s Premier League coverage.”
“Then the golf thing came up and Sky bought US golf. Someone at Sky recognized that this was a product that could be shown in prime time. In their wisdom they decided to choose me to present it and it was kind of embarrassing for a while. I knew about golf but I hadn’t worked on it at all.”
MATT HOOPER: How did the move into golf come about? DL: “The night that I was offered the job I was working at the Victoria Ground in Stoke, the stadium was old, it was pouring with rain and the television compound was flooded. The water was lapping over my feet and everyone was pretty miserable.” “I was offered a job which was going to see me go to places like Florida and
California. There was no doubt what I wanted to do. I love Football and I love watching it on Sky but it was a chance. It was significant because I knew it was the start of something.”
what we do now at the Ryder Cup. We managed to provide the coverage that most people wanted in terms of the golf that they saw but around the edges it was pretty basic.”
“Although I wasn’t an expert at the time I knew I would be given a chance because Sky has always been good about that. At that time they were able to give people a chance and that’s what they did for me and what a chance it has turned out to be.”
“I’ll never forget the first morning of doing that; our studio guest was Larry Mize, it was a cold, frosty and misty morning in Rochester, and we didn’t expect weather like that going on air at 7am. We are standing in the compound in these freezing conditions at 6am and I said to Larry come on we had better go to the studio, without really knowing how we were going to get on air, because the studio was frozen up.”
MH: Sky’s first Ryder Cup was in 1995, it was quite an historic week in terms of showing the whole event live. What was that like? DL: “As you said it was the first time it had ever been shown like that, but we were frankly ill-equipped to do anything like
“So he and I got on a golf cart and about 100 yards down from the compound it broke down. So he jumped out and started pushing the cart. It was surreal, it was like a bad dream. When we got to the studio they were trying to get heaters in to defrost it!” “This is all about half an hour before we go on air, with the biggest thing we have ever done. I think we all felt that it was going to be a difficult week, but what happened then was like serendipity in that everything
came together to give us a final day that we will never forget.” “I think for most of us that were there, despite everything that has happened since, that was our favourite Ryder Cup.” “An ageing European team that everyone thought was past-it went into the final day behind and somehow won. With Seve leading from the front, and I don’t think we will ever forget that.”
In 1997 Richard Keys was presenting the coverage, was that an arranged thing to enlarge the broadcast given his prominence within Sky?
“That was something that was quite difficult to take. At that time Richard Keys was the number one presenter on Football and they decided that Richard’s profile was that he should be presenting the really big events in all sports. It was kind of hard for me to take. But I had this loyalty that we talked about with Sky and I had always accepted anything that Sky did because they had always made good decisions.” “I was happy to go along with it and I was still involved in it, and I do recall we ended the week together in the studio. And at that time ‘Keysey’ was the guy we all kind of looked up to; a tremendous presenter and obviously things have gone differently since then.”
MH: You mentioned the size of the broadcast in 1995 was nothing like as big as it is now, so compare the size of the 1995 Ryder Cup and how big it was in 2012. DL: “It is almost as if the Ryder Cup and Sky’s coverage of the Ryder Cup has grown in a parallel way. Every time we have done a Ryder Cup we have tried to do something new and I think everyone involved with the Ryder Cup has tried to do whatever they can to make the event bigger and better.” “It is more than just a sporting event now, it is a kind of a world occasion. It transcends life. What we were trying to do was to appeal to a wider audience and show them that golf can be interesting in all kinds of ways.” “There is just no comparison between what we did in 1995 and what we do now.”
MH: 1999 was a huge, controversial event – is it easier to present a programme when it is full of drama or is it harder if it isn’t quite as exciting?
DL: “Yes, it is harder if it is quieter. The more impact an event has in drama or excitement the easier it is to present to the public. If an event of any sporting nature is threatening to be mundane or quiet then it is quite difficult.”
“I think the one that we found quite difficult was the one in 2008 in Kentucky. There was something about the event, it didn’t feel as big as the others, not just because Europe lost. Valhalla is great for the PGA Championship because it has a great stretch of finishing holes but the Ryder Cup starts on hole number one.” “That was harder work because it just didn’t feel as big as the others.” “It didn’t feel that way in 1999 at Brookline. The drama was unbelievable.”
MH: Is it more special to broadcast a home Ryder Cup or one in America, and what are the associated challenges with doing both? DL: “A home Ryder Cup is better for us for a whole lot of reasons. In terms of logistics, we are closer to our logistics and we can provide more resources more easily. Not that we don’t provide these resources in America but they take a lot out of us to do it. All of the home Ryder Cups had a reason for us to hype them up.”
“Because we are attuned to the home needs, we can identify with the crowds at the Belfry, in Ireland, in Wales and this year at Gleneagles in Scotland.” “Whereas in America there is a great atmosphere but we are definitely visitors. It
is like any event, when you are on home ground you feel more comfortable.” “The environment in America is very television friendly but we are very much the outsiders, the hosts are NBC and we have to accept their dominance and what we do is provide our own coverage as well.”
MH: At the 2010 Ryder Cup, as with many events throughout the year, there was an enormous amount of downtime and stoppages. How hard is that to work on and continually provide chat in the studio links to repeats?
DL: “On the first day in Wales we didn’t expect anything quite like that and we ‘filled’ in between play for a continuous 7 hours and 40 minutes. And at the very
start we weren’t entirely prepared for it because the weather wasn’t forecast to be that bad. When it started there was one guest still with me in the studio and then they started bringing other people in.” “What happened with me then is journalism started to come in and one of the great things about journalism is natural curiosity. When you that have got hours to talk and nobody is taking you in any sort of direction you can actually let your own curiosity take over.” “I had never really sat with Paul Lawrie before so we just started talking about what I wanted to talk about. No-one told me go here, go there; and as the day went on I was really enjoying it genuinely, and the hours were passing and people were saying are we going to keep this going.” “And I was saying what are we keeping going? We are just having a bit of fun here. We did go to some stand by pieces of VT but basically that was fun for me because that is when I got the chance to ask the questions that I wanted to ask and that I think viewers would want to ask.” “That was freestyle TV.”
MH: After the 2010 Ryder Cup – insert Des Lynam quote – that was feel pretty special to hear from someone as renowned? DL: “I was very touched by that because Desmond Lynam was in most people’s eyes the most accomplished sports presenter ever.” “The whole point about what he said is I don’t have an ego, I am just there to ask the questions and try and make it entertaining for viewers. I didn’t consciously focus on what he said, it must have happened naturally, so I am really pleased and it was nice to be recognized by him for that; there are people in this business, particularly in America, that think it is the hosts that are more important than what is going on.”
Ryder Cup and even the host broadcaster is looking at it and they can’t believe what is going on.” “Of course we had Jack Nicklaus in there on the final day. It is like a goldfish bowl so people are walking by and they see Nicklaus, Monty and Butch. For some reason Jack really enjoys coming into our studio, maybe because we do things differently from the Americans.”
“We’re not quite as intense or serious. I remember he couldn’t believe it; it was the final word before going into live golf for the day and Monty made this big case as to why he thought Europe was going to win. He was very passionate about it. The last word from Butch was “Monty you’re full of it” and Jack Nicklaus laughed so loud, he couldn’t believe anyone would say so irreverent on TV.” “It was a great atmosphere, because I don’t think any of us thought Europe were going to win but it was like a shot to nothing at snooker. You have a go at it but you don’t expect to do it. The atmosphere inside and outside was great.”
“I’m just a working class boy from Glasgow who got lucky.”
MH: What was the atmosphere like in the studio in 2012? DL: “It was the best ever; we had a big, full studio with a big curved window and it is the biggest and best studio at the whole
“It evolved into a special day, not just for golf but for viewing golf. At one point in the evening Sky Sports 1 was the most viewed channel in Great Britain of ALL channels including terrestrial. For the first
time, people who had never watched sport, never mind golf got interested in it.”
“I am going to be pretty nervous about that one.”
MH: Gleneagles is going to be enormous and special, it must be really great to present the only really BIG Ryder Cup in Scotland?
The Ryder Cup and Sky’s development go hand-in-hand and with Livingstone at the very front of their broadcast they have someone who can connect with just how it was like nearly 20 years ago.
DL: “It is one of these kind of ‘pinch yourself moments’ because doing this job which I kind of got in lucky circumstances I think there is a sort of artificiality about it. You don’t connect it to your more humble beginnings. But doing something of that scale in Scotland, 40 miles from where you were brought up it is breath-taking.” “If you are in Dubai presenting a great tournament it is just unreal and is just like a dream job. But going to Gleneagles, the enormity of it is incredible. Whenever I do anything for Sky in Scotland I get visits in the studio from old school friends, sometimes people who have had a bit of bad luck in their lives and things are not too good for them.” “It is pretty emotional when you find they have some of the good luck against some of the good luck that I have had. I’m sure I will see some of the people like that at Gleneagles.”
I am sure when the first morning arrives at Gleneagles this September his mind will wander back to that cold, frosty and misty morning in Rochester and think “wow, who could have imagined it would become this big, this professional and this important?”
His words and delivery help to draw you in to the programme from the very beginning and once again at Gleneagles, he will lead the on-screen team for Sky Sports at a 10th Ryder Cup. David Livingstone says he is still a working class boy from Glasgow, well the Ryder Cup is still a match between friends and a contest for honour and pride.
But no matter the challenge and the spotlight; from interviewing Brian Clough during the first ever live broadcast of a Premier League match in 1992 to working in the studio with Jack Nicklaus at The Masters, US Open and Ryder Cup; the Scot has grown into and made the role his own. It is testament to how natural Livingstone is in the role and how comfortable he is that he described interviewing Brian Clough as “wonderful”. Clough was renowned for being difficult to interview because of his manner and wit.
David Livingstone introducing final day coverage of the 1999 and 2012 Ryder Cups.
The 2014 Ryder Cup will receive a worldclass welcome to Scotland with a glittering evening of entertainment featuring performances never before seen on stage. In a concept that mirrors the team approach of the players in The Ryder Cup, the Gala Concert will see one-off collaborations between world-renowned live music stars and Scotland’s internationally acclaimed arts companies.
The full line up of acts to appear alongside the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ballet and National Theatre of Scotland at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro, will be announced over the coming months, and promises to be one of the most spectacular celebrations of sport and culture ever seen in Scotland.
As well as the unique entertainment, the two Ryder Cup teams will be presented to the capacity crowd for an evening that will prove unforgettable for golf, music and arts fans alike.
The Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Fiona Hyslop said: "The Ryder Cup is a once-in-a- generation opportunity to see Scotland host one of the biggest sporting events in the world which will also leave behind a lasting legacy for Scotland. I'm delighted that the state of the art Hydro Arena will play host to the Gala Concert and the exciting line up performing during this signature event within the Homecoming Scotland 2014 programme will undoubtedly showcase Scotland on the world's stage."
Kim Gavin, Executive Producer of the show said, “The Ryder Cup is one of the most exciting events in the sporting calendar and to have the opportunity to
work on two of the biggest sporting events in the world (Ryder Cup and London 2012 Closing Ceremony) is a dream come true for me. What’s really exciting about working on this show is the fusion of live music and culture plus I’m a huge sports fan too so this ticks all the boxes. It’s going to be a really special night”.
Said Geoff Ellis, CEO of DF Concerts & Events, “When we first discussed the concept for the Ryder Cup Gala Concert, a stand out objective was to put on a show that Scotland had never seen before and was as unique as the Ryder Cup event itself. Working with Kim to realise his vision has been a fantastic experience and I can’t wait to see it all come to life when September rolls around! Golf, music and arts fans alike are in for an incredible evening of entertainment”.
Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, lead agency for delivering The 2014 Ryder Cup on behalf of Scotland, said: “The Ryder Cup is an incredibly exciting, important event for Scotland, and we wanted to welcome the two teams to
Scotland, the Home of Golf, in a special way. Therefore, we had to create a celebration concert that was unique, bringing together in one place the culture, history and sporting tradition of our remarkable country. The concept of merging the classical with the contemporary is inspired, stirring the audience to embrace all sides of Scottish culture, and of course, golf is a huge part of that.
“The Ryder Cup will enhance and showcase Scotland as the ’Home of Golf’, and with its broadcast reach of a staggering 183 countries across the world, it will inspire a generation not just to play golf on our shores, but experience all that our country has to offer from events to business to leisure. The legacy is infinite.”
Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director said: “The Gala Concert is the curtainraiser for The 2014 Ryder Cup and is the first chance to welcome the players of the European Team and the USA Team to Scotland.
“Bringing together the country’s proud golfing heritage with a variety of Scotland’s most celebrated musical and cultural artists, this event offers something for everyone and presents a unique opportunity to sample the special atmosphere of The Ryder Cup.”
St Andrews Golf Magazine will have interviews with the Head Greenkeeper, Steve Chappell and Clubhouse Manager at The Gleneagles Hotel and we will be publishing the interviews in August’s St Andrews Golf Magazine.
This will be the final part of our Countdown to the 2014 Ryder Cup series prior to our Ryder Cup edition in September, which will also preview the World Hickory Open Championship and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Sky Sports Ryder Cup launches September 18 Sky Sports will dedicate an entire channel to The 2014 Ryder Cup, offering two weeks of non-stop golf, including exclusively live coverage of the biggest event in the sport. Sky Sports 4 will become ‘Sky Sports Ryder Cup’ and will show over 330 hours of golf across 14 days, including 36 hours of live coverage from Gleneagles. The channel goes live at 6am on Thursday, September 18 and continues until 6am on Thursday, October 2, as Sky Sports shows exclusive coverage of the Ryder Cup for the 10th time.
For live coverage of The 2014 Ryder Cup David Livingstone will be joined in the studio by former winning European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and coach to US Ryder Cup stars Butch Harmon.
part of it, and be right up to speed with the interviews, the form of both sides, the course lay out and the views of the two teams and their Captains. This is the complete Ryder Cup experience.”
Jack Nicklaus, who played in five Ryder Cup teams and captained the USA twice, winning in 1983, will also be in the studio on Sunday, while commentary across the event will be provided by Royal Television Society award winners Ewen Murray and Bruce Critchley, as well as Rob Lee and Mark Roe.
“In between all of that is the history of golf's greatest show. Sky's first Ryder Cup was from Oak Hill Country Club in New York State in 1995, when against all the odds, Bernard Gallacher's team turned a two point deficit into a glorious victory on Sunday singles day. Who can forget Seve's contribution in his homeland two years later?
Speaking exclusively to St Andrews Golf Magazine Ewen Murray said: “The launch of the "Sky Sports Ryder Cup Channel" for the duration either side of and including the match is wonderful news for golf fans. I remember sitting at home as a youngster eagerly awaiting the start of The Masters and there it was, Augusta National in all its glory, then it was straight into the golf, then it was over. It's what we did then.” “Nowadays, through the innovations Sky Sports are famous for, golfers can now access the pre-tournament build up, be
“Then Brookline, when American Captain, Ben Crenshaw turned the tables on Mark James side. Sam Torrance's side triumphed at The Belfry 17 years after he himself holed the winning on the West Midland's final green.” “Following that, the wonderful European domination at Oakland Hills and The K Club, where Darren Clarke bared his soul to the world and won the hearts of many with his courageous display. Paul Azinger restored American pride taking the Cup across the Atlantic two years later, before Monty and Jose wrestled it back.”
The last of these producing what truly was, "The Miracle at Medinah”. “I mention these moments because those of you who watched them will have vivid visions still fresh in the mind. It's what The Ryder Cup delivers. Throughout Sky's "Ryder Cup fortnight", you will relive these glorious memories which will surely whet your appetite for this year’s showcase.” “During the match itself, with the aid of Ryder Cup wifi, spectators and fans can keep themselves up to date via Sky Go and Now TV. That greatly enhances the spectators viewing as when the match gets underway, you can only be in one place at one time!” “For the majority who can't be at Gleneagles, you can enjoy the very best analysis from my esteemed colleagues. It’s a special week for David Livingstone, as he presents his tenth Ryder Cup in his homeland.” “The American view is delivered by the evergreen Butch Harmon, the home thoughts from Colin Montgomerie, and in a special preview program, former Captains, Sam Torrance and Tony Jacklin will air their views on what lies ahead.”
“The Ryder Cup deserves this innovative coverage and Sky Sports are thrilled to be able to provide it. I have no doubt the viewer’s enjoyment will be greatly enhanced by "The Sky Sports Ryder Cup Channel". You will have the greatest golfing show at your fingertips.” Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “We’re dedicating a whole channel to the biggest event in golf, providing viewers with the complete Ryder Cup experience all in one place. “There will be nowhere better for sports fans to enjoy the passion, drama and excitement of this incredible event as we’ll offer round-the-clock build up, the opening and closing ceremonies and exclusive live coverage of all three days from Gleneagles. “We’re incredibly proud of our partnership with golf and its fitting we mark our tenth Ryder Cup on Sky Sports with an entire channel. "We can’t wait.”
George O’Grady, chief executive of The European Tour, said: “The dedication
shown by Sky Sports in showcasing both The European Tour and The Ryder Cup is matched only by the continued excellence and innovation of their programming, as will be further illustrated by the ‘Sky Sports Ryder Cup’ channel this September.
“We are extremely proud of our relationship with Sky Sports and we thank them for their continued commitment and look forward to working together at Gleneagles and beyond.”
Paul McGinley, European Ryder Cup captain and Sky Ambassador, added: “The Ryder Cup is a truly unique sporting spectacle, full of drama, excitement and passion, all of which has been brought to life for the television viewers over the years by Sky Sports. “Having worked with the Sky Sports team at major golf events for the past couple of years, I know the professionalism and enthusiasm in place for our sport, all of which will go together to produce a feast of television for golf fans in September.”
On-course reporting will be provided by Howard Clark who made played in six European Ryder teams between 1977 and 1995, Richard Boxall and Tim Barter.
The channel will also show the official films from previous Ryder Cups including the ‘Miracle of Medinah,’ a highlights show every evening between 7pm and 10pm and ‘How The Ryder Cup Was Won’ from the following Monday.
Highlights programming will be presented by Sarah Stirk, who will be joined each day in the studio by Andrew Coltart and Nick Dougherty to review the key moments in the previous’ days matches.
Visitors to Gleneagles for The 2014 Ryder Cup will be able to access the Sky Sports Ryder Cup channel free whether they are Sky Sports subscribers or not, thanks to complimentary WIFI provided by The Ryder Cup and access to Sky Sports provided by Sky Go and NOW TV.
From Sunday, September 21, Sky Sports News will also provide reports from Gleneagles as both teams get their first look at the PGA Centenary Course and captains Paul McGinley and Tom Watson fine tune their preparation for the matches. Sky Sports Ryder Cup will be packed with golf programming including preview shows from Sunday to Thursday of Ryder Cup week, the official opening and closing ceremonies, exclusive interview specials with Paul McGinley and Ian Poulter, and a special preview show on September 21 with Butch Harmon, Colin Montgomerie, Sam Torrance and Tony Jacklin.
Courtesy SkySports.com
Sky don’t often make bad or ill-judged decisions but I fear creating a dedicated Ryder Cup channel on Sky Sports 4 may be one of them. For me, one of the great things Sky have done with the Ryder Cup is put it on Sky Sports 1, making it the only event to shift Super Sunday off the main channel. Sports fans would tune in to Sky Sports 1 expecting to see the latest Premier League match and get gripped by the Ryder Cup. I agree with the concept and applaud their intent but in my opinion the Sky Sports Ryder Cup channel should be Sky Sports 1. Written by Matt Hooper.