St Andrews Golf Magazine Open Championship Special July 2015 by St Andrews Golf Magazine

Page 79 Gary Player interview

Inside St Andrews

Page 91 Sir Nick Faldo

Page 11 R&A Local Clubs’ Gold Medal

Page 93 Louis Oosthuizen

Page 92 Padraig Harrington

Page 15 New Golf Club news and results Page 20 Local’s Road to The Open Page 24 St Andrews Golf Club news and results Page 28 St Rule Club results Page 30 St Regulus Golf Club results

The Open returns to St Andrews Page 60 2014 Open review Page 63 The Contenders for the Claret Jug

Page 32 Our Town’s Super Bowl part 4 – visitor attractions and the latest news from BID St Andrews

Page 94 Old Course guide

On Tour Page 134 BMW PGA Championship review Page 136 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open review

Page 150 US Women’s Open preview Page 143 US Open review

Page 154 RICOH Women’s British Open preview Page 157 Tour rankings

Page 149 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship review

Travel Page 158 East Lothian – Scotland’s Golf Coast

Matt Hooper is the editor, co-founder and publisher of St Andrews Golf Magazine. He began writing about golf in September 2012 and has a wealth of knowledge and experience across the golf industry. He is the chief features writer and lead journalist of St Andrews Golf Magazine.

Cristina Panama is a Journalism student studying in San Antonio, Texas and is the LPGA Correspondent and features writer for St Andrews Golf Magazine. Cristina is from Guadalajara in Mexico.

John Boyne is a St Andrews Links caddie and is a regular contributor to St Andrews Golf Magazine. His knowledge of the Old Course is a great insight.

Marc Gentles is the owner of St Andrews Golf Travel and writes travel features for St Andrews Golf Magazine.

Welcome to Finally, after five years of waiting, The Open has returned to St Andrews and with the state of golf right now, surely the wait will have been worth it. Over the period of time The Open has been away from the home of golf, the landscape of professional golf has changed significantly. The one constant in that time has been the current world number one and The Open Champion, Rory McIlroy. A Friday 80 blew his chances of the Claret Jug away here five years ago, but he ended the week ranked 7th in the world and in the last five years he has won four major titles to cement his place as the dominant force in golf. Despite two missed cuts in May at the BMW PGA Championship and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, McIlroy comes to the home of golf ready to defend his title. His final round charge at the US Open was not enough to deny Jordan Spieth from lifting his second consecutive major title, the Masters champion won with a birdie at the 72nd hole at Chambers Bay and we are set for a thrilling week here at the home of golf. We bring you the most comprehensive preview to The Open including the definitive guide to the Old Course by St Andrews Links Caddie John Boyne.

Gary Player is one of the true Open Championship legends, and despite not winning an Open at St Andrews, he is part of Open lore here. 58 years ago he made his debut here and in an exclusive interview he shares his experiences of that first visit to St Andrews. The 9-time major champion also shares his memories of Open wins at Muirfield and Royal Lytham and St Anne’s, as well as his opinions on Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods. Sir Nick Faldo will be making his final Open Championship appearance at St Andrews, and the 1990 St Andrews winner speaks to us along with 2-time Open Champion Padraig Harrington and 2010 St Andrews winner Louis Oosthuizen. We look at the 144th Open from a local point of view with part four of Our Town’s Super Bowl, which looks at the potential benefits and pitfalls of hosting The Open for St Andrews’ tourist attractions. 17 St Andrews golfers entered this year’s Open Qualifying Series and we follow their progress through regional and final qualifying. The New Golf Club and St Andrews Golf Club crowned new club champions recently and St Andrews Golf Magazine was there to bring you coverage of both the major club championships of local golf. The R&A Local Clubs’ Gold Medal was contested in windy conditions and the medal

will be heading to New Zealand after Hamish Ireland’s popular success. This July the two biggest tournaments in women’s golf take place, the U.S. Women’s Open visits Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania and the RICOH Women’s British Open is staged at Trump Turnberry. Cristina Panama previews the 3rd and 4th majors of the LPGA season as well as looking back at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. There’s a review of the US Open, Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, BMW PGA Championship and a preview of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open as the Road to The Open comes to an end. 2 years ago The Open was played at Muirfield and this month our travel section, presented by St Andrews Golf Travel, gives you your golfing options in East Lothian. It is the biggest week in St Andrews in 5 years and this is the biggest ever edition of St Andrews Golf Magazine, and you can subscribe for free by visiting our Facebook page and clicking on the Sign-up tab. If you have ideas for features, wish to write for us or report at an event for us then please contact us at info@standrewsgolfmagazine.com

Matt Hooper, Editor

New Golf Club Championship, news and results, Local’s road to The Open and part four of ‘Our Town’s Super Bowl’

ÂŠ Matt Hooper

This May the very best of St Andrews golfers contested the R&A Local Clubs’ Gold Medal on the Old Course, regarded as the Men’s Strokeplay Championship of St Andrews, was played over 36 holes on Sunday 17th May 2015. This was the 114th staging of the Gold Medal. The conditions were bright but extremely windy and it was apparent early in the morning that the winning score from 2014 was out of reach for the 57 players in the field representing The St Andrews Golf Club (25), The New Golf Club (19), The University of St Andrews (9) and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (4). James Bunch won the 2014 Gold Medal with a 10-under-par score of 134. At the end of Round 1 the lead was shared by two Members of The New Golf Club, Michael de Vries and Hamish Ireland, both returning scratch scores of 74 in the very windy conditions which persisted throughout the day. The twelve Competitors with the lowest Round 1 scores, and any ties for twelfth place, qualified for Round 2. The qualifying score was 78, and 13 Competitors made the cut, including last year’s winner James Bunch of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. After Round 2, the joint Runners-up in the competition were Rhodri Price

(78 and 73) The New Golf Club, and Gary Sharp (75 and 76) The St Andrews Golf Club, with 36-hole aggregate scores of 151. The Winner of the Gold Medal, and the “2015 Champion of the Links”, with a 36-hole aggregate score of 149 (74 and 75) was Hamish Ireland of The New Golf Club. Hamish is from New Zealand. The win earned Hamish a place in the prestigious St Andrews Links Trophy and after his success Matt Hooper caught up with the St Andrews Links caddie to discuss the Local Club’s Gold Medal and his golfing story.

1. Congratulations, how did you play out there?

I decided to call back in to the R&A nice and early to see if I had made the cut, and was greeted by JJ (R&A Porter) who said; “…here’s the leader in the clubhouse!” I remember being pretty surprised and very nervous! It also meant that I had another two hours to kill before starting round two! The playing partners I had all day were great, Gerry and Scott in the morning, and then Mike and Conor in the afternoon. I think we all started pretty poorly in the afternoon. I made a terrible decision on 5 and hit three wood into the green for my second, only to lose it about 60 yards right somewhere in the gorse on the New Course… I hit my provisional ball to about 25 feet with my hybrid and two putted for a 6, bogeyed the next hole thanks to a three putt… that took me to 4 over.

“I started well with a few solid pars, I bogeyed the 4th hole, and then birdied the 5th and hit it to about an inch on the 6th, so I was 1-under through the first third of the first round. I stayed at 1-under through the loop and bogeyed the 13th to go back to even. It was pretty windy by then but I was hitting it really well off the tee and had managed to get the pace of the greens pretty well so didn’t have too many long par putts. I bogeyed a couple of holes coming in and signed for a 74.

I then made birdie on 7 and held on pretty well for the next few holes. I must have made a bogey on 13 or 14. Mike and Conor were playing solid but had one or two bad holes so they were a couple behind. I found it really hard not knowing what the guys in the groups in front were doing. There were some really good players two or three shots behind going in to the round, and with my average start, I was kind of thinking that I could be tied, or maybe just in front.

In previous years 74 had been right on the cut line, or even a shot outside the cut, so when I finished, I wasn’t even sure if I would make the cut.

I hit a really good drive down 15, hit my second to about 10 feet and holed the putt. That put me at +3 for the round, so I thought if I par in, I should be close. I parred 16, and then missed

the green short left on 17, but not quite in the bunker. I didn’t fancy a chip, so hit putter up the ridge to 4 feet and managed to tap it in. 18 was the only hole directly down-wind all day, so I figured if I hit driver hard, it should stay straight and might get up on the green… It didn’t get up but I made a 4. More relief at the end than elation – because I still wasn’t sure how the other guys had gone.”

2. You must have been thrilled to play well in those conditions? “Yes I was pretty happy with how I controlled the ball from the tee. I hit good tee shots in to 11 both rounds – and that was the one I was most worried about. My putting was solid enough and I managed to make some good club selections. Apart from losing a ball on the 5th in the afternoon, I got most decisions right.”

3. What was your best win prior to the Gold Medal? “I won the senior club champs at the Otago Golf Club (Balmacewen) in Dunedin, NZ in 2010. That was my biggest win. I don’t think I had won a big strokeplay event before.”

4. When did you first play the game and how quickly did you become a good player? “I started playing golf on the weekends with friends when I was 10 or 11. We all played Hockey and Football as our main sports, so golf was just something to do on a Sunday. When I was 13, I started taking lessons and playing more golf – mainly in the summer when the Hockey season had finished. I think my first handicap was 15 and I was on single figures by the time I was about 14 or 15. I gave up hockey when I was 16 so I could play more golf. I guess I was on low single figures by then.”

5. When and why did you decide to come over to St. Andrews and Caddie? “My Dad was brought up in St. Andrews, and left to live in New Zealand with his family when he was 8. I had heard so much about the place from my Nannie (grandmother) and Dad when I was young, so I really wanted to come over and check it out. I left NZ in late 2010 to go to Vancouver, Canada to finish off my University, and at the time I decided not to return to NZ, but instead travel on to the UK in 2012. Caddying happened by luck I was in the right place at the right time and met the caddie master who offered me a job on the weekends

initially and then when my other job finished I started caddying full time.”

6. Why did you join the New Club over other local clubs? “A good friend, Mark Hills was a member. He was the only person I knew in St. Andrews when I arrived, so he introduced me to the club, and encouraged me to start playing club golf again, as I didn’t play much when I was in Canada. Mark was a huge inspiration to me – I have never known anyone who loved golf as much as he did.”

7. What was it like to play in the Links Trophy? “I’ve caddied in the last three links trophy tournaments, so it was cool to be able to play in it myself. I had a good friend who I play a lot of golf with caddying for me which was a great help. We had played the Jubilee a couple of times off the back tees, and I felt like I was hitting it well still. I played pretty solid for the first 5 holes, made a couple of bad swings on 6 and 9 and then got a bit unlucky on 12 and 13, but other than that, I was happy enough with the day. I didn’t score well, but felt like I controlled my nerves and didn’t get too over-awed playing

against those guys. It just didn’t go my way and I didn’t putt well enough. After caddying and playing the Old Course hundreds of times, it was so much fun to be able to play a practice round from the back tees. It gave me a whole new appreciation for how good the pros (and some of those amateurs) are. The tee shots on 4, and 14 especially, are terrifying!”

8. What are the plans for the future? Turn pro or play more amateur events? “I play golf because I enjoy the mental challenges and pressure of competition, but I have no desire to play it any more seriously than amateur/club level. I haven’t played top amateur golf since I left NZ in 2010, and I forgot how serious it is for those young guys. They have a lot of pressure on them and have often sacrificed a lot to be as good as they are. I’m happy being able to play golf, while still working and having a lifestyle where I can take time away from the game if I want to. I am really looking forward to playing the Scottish Amateur at Muirfeld, and might try and play the Leven Gold Medal, if my handicap is low enough. Other than that, I will keep enjoying bounce games on the links with my mates, and hopefully keep playing well.”

Latest news and results from the

St Andrews Golf Club

St Andrews Golf Club Championships

Ben Kinsley claims dramatic victory over James Bunch ÂŠ St Andrews Golf Club

Ben Kinsley managed to secure a victory over James Bunch at the 5th extra hole, in the final over the Old Course on Friday evening to win the Dr Kyle Memorial Cup and become Club Champion of The St Andrews Golf Club. Neither Ben nor James could take control of an extremely low scoring final which was nip and tuck the whole way until Ben secured a par at the 5th after James found trouble. Craig Russell had a 3 and 2 victory over Steven Murray in the final of the W J M Lamond Trophy to win the Second Class title. Douglas Guest also managed to secure a 3 and 2 win over Steve Fox to clinch the Third Class title and the Law Trophy. The Junior and Juvenile Finals were again held on the same night as the adult finals. Ben Hunter overcame Greg Hughes for the second year running with a comfortable win over the Jubilee Bronze Course to win the Royal Bank Trophy to become the Juvenile Club Champion. Vincent Clark also secured a 2 and 1 win over Moritz Auhagen over the Jubilee Course to become the Junior Club Champion and win the J F Auchterlonie Memorial Trophy. Alan Houghton was presented with the David Todd Trophy as the leading qualifier in the Jock Hutchison Cup while Bernie Li was presented with the Allan Robertson Trophy as the leading qualifier in the Club Championships.

ÂŠ St Andrews Golf Club

Daily Mail Centenary Salver

3rd Class

06/06/2015 New Course CSS 76

Mr C Bannan

Mr B R Young

Class Winner & Lowest Gross

Mr C R Black

88 - 20 = 68

Winner (bih) & Lowest gross

Dr G Walker

92 - 16 = 76

Mr S R Findlay

74 - 5 = 69

Mr A J Carlyle

78 - 1 = 77

Mr A G Wall

105 - 26 = 79

Mr J C Grant

72 - 1 = 71

Mr N H M Beattie

77 - 0 = 77

76 - -1 = 77

13/06/2015 Jubilee Course CSS 75 1st class 77 - 4 = 73

Mr M W Carruthers

20/06/2015 New Course CSS 73 Mr T R Swarbrick Winner Handicap Medal

76 - 9 = 67

82 - 9 = 73 83 - 9 = 74

Mr A M Maxwell 85 - 17 = 68 Winner Alex Normand Rosebowl (over 55's) --------------------------------------------------------------

2nd

Class

Mr D Donald

85 - 13 = 72

25/06/2015 New Course CSS 72

--------------------------------------------------------------

Mr A J Carlyle 69 - 1 = 68 Winner Scratch Medal & Lowest Gross

Class Winner (bih) Mr A F Anderson

90 - 17 = 73

Spring Prizes - including Alex Normand Rosebowl & Myles Nicoll Challenge Cup

Monthly Medal No 7

Mr A J Gardiner

Thursday Medal No. 6

Mr Jamie P Mackie 78 - 9 = 69 Winner Myles Nicoll Challenge Cup (under 25's)

Dr M R Dickson Lowest Gross

70 - -2 = 72

Eden Course CSS 71 Mr D Paterson Winner (bih)

78 - 12 = 66

Mr S Fox

82 - 16 = 66

Mr Alex Miller

84 - 17 = 67

-------------------------------------------------------------Mr N Mathewson Lowest Gross

70 - 2 = 68

Jubilee CSS 74

Class Winner (bih)

Mr J H Stuart

94 - 23 = 71

Lowest Gross

Mr S Singer

72 - 1 = 71

Dr G P Smyth 85 - 11 = 74

Mr M C Lawson

84 - 12 = 72

Mr R Perry Lowest Gross

70 - -2 = 72

Mr A Shewan

84 - 12 = 72

Barnardos Competition - Strathtyrum

Galloway Trophy - Eden Course (CSS 72) -

Course (CSS 69) - 1st C Hodgson (33) 64, 2nd J Cowley (17) 69 (after countback), 3rd J Winter (18) 69.

1st V. Donaldson 41 pts, 2nd M. Laird 40 pts (bih), 3rd A. Simpson 40 pts (bih), 4th M. Seymour 40 pts.

Reconvened Peugeot Coronation Foursomes - Eden Course - 1st I. Phimister &

Kingsbarns Outing - Kingsbarns Course -

J. Cowley 39 pts, 2nd J Trangmar & E. MullerAllan 38 pts, 3rd J. Webster & C. Revell 34 pts

1st M. Halliday, J. Webster, N. Alexander, M. Dunlop 131, 2nd L. Brown, J. Lunn, S. Vincent, P. Loudon 132 (bih), 3rd J. Russell, D. Lawson, C. Joullie, J. Mackenzie 132.

Club Championship 2015 - Elaine Moffat beat Fiona de Vries at the 19th hole on the Old Course. Winner of the Inglis Cup and Club Champion 2015 is Elaine Moffat.

June Castle 4 Ball Better Ball Stableford - Castle Course - Winners A. Lenagan & J. Bird 39 points, 2nd B. Sprot & I. Phimister 36 points, 3rd C. McDougall & A. Paterson 35 points.

65 Vase & Stableford Competitions (CSS 66) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Strathtyrum Course - 65 Vase Winner E. Hill 38 pts. Stableford - 1st M. Orton 46 pts, 2nd D. Lawson 43 pts, 3rd A. Niven 41 pts.

9 Hole Stableford (June) - Strathtyrum Course - Winner M. Donaldson 22 pts, 2nd P. Biggart 20 pts, 3rd H. Wisdom 19 pts

2nd Jeannie Morrison, Carole McKay, Sarah Lloyd, Penny Bourner 90 pts (bih)

Club Championship (Old Course)

Bronze Medal

Winner: Susan Jackson

Eden Course CSS 73

Runner Up: Dorothy Johnston

1st Angela Forster-Rainey (31) 72 2nd Wendy Howden

Championship Plate (New Course)

3rd Dot White, Lizzie Davies, Moira Hall, Jean Hamilton 90pts

(24) 72

3rd Chris Randerson (26) 73

Winner: Fay Ronaldson

Stewart Cup 4th Round Thursday 4 June 2015

Silver Medal

Eden Course CSS 72

New Course CSS 77

1st Janet Thompson 68 (16)

Jubilee Cup (Jubilee)

1st Elaine Moffat (0) 75

2nd Jackie Thompson 70 (15)

Winner: Douce Lawson

2nd Fiona McEwan (12) 75

3rd Joan Moir 72 (16) (bih)

Runner Up: Jackie Thompson

3rd Douce Lawson (15) 77

Runner Up: Dot White

Result of the Stewart Cup Rounds 1-4

Bronze Championship (Eden)

Captains Prize

1st Jackie Thompson 314

Winner: Marion Mason

Saturday 6th June Eden Course

2nd Fiona Hill 315

Runner Up: Ann McArthur

Five Club & Putter played in gale force winds

3rd Dorothy Johnston 316

Winner - Hazel Crane

Jamieson Cup (Strathtyrum) Winner: Jackie McCormick

Kingsbarns Quaich

Runner Up: Catherine Findlay

Sunday 7th June, Kingsbarns (2 best stableford scores at each hole) 1st Anne Wilson, Sheena Pinion, Sandra Dillon, Pauline Keith 90 pts (bih)

Our Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Super Bowl Part 4 The value of The Open to St Andrews and how we can and must take advantage of being on the world stage for 7 days By Matt Hooper

Most visitors to St Andrews usually fall into two categories, golfers playing their dream round on the Old Course, or Students attending the oldest university in Scotland. But St Andrews has far more to offer people than golf or education, it has history, parks and open spaces, art, sea life and a spectacular coastline. In our ongoing investigation we look at the visitor attractions, museums and galleries and how they will look to benefit from The Open this July. St Andrews has three very different, but equally stunning beaches; from the iconic West Sands where the opening scene of Chariots of Fire was filmed, to East Sands and its view down the craggy coastline towards the Fairmont Hotel and the secluded Castle Sands, which sits below the historic St Andrews Castle.

St Andrews Bay and the Eden Estuary is home to some fantastic sea life and birds, and just a short walk from West Sands is the St Andrews Aquarium. St Andrews Aquarium opened in 1989 and is open throughout the year except during the Christmas period. Its busiest period is throughout the school holidays and is extremely popular with visitors to the town. The Aquarium also has an almost unrivalled view down towards the R&A clubhouse and Old Course, but unfortunately The Open will not have any benefits for this business this July. Parking and access restrictions, along with the no-return policy for daily ticket holders have meant the Aquarium has had difficult times during previous Opens in St Andrews. During The Open staffing is reduced to minimal levels, and opening times remain as scheduled for the summer season. The Aquarium representative we spoke to did not feel that a Host Committee would be able to help change the situation which the business faces, because it is unavoidable that the area in which they are located will be used during the championship. The Aquarium, like the British Golf Museum, opened in 1990, the year Nick Faldo won The Open in St Andrews. ÂŠAngus Forbes

St Andrews Botanic Garden is located on Canongate just outside of the town centre and is one of St Andrewsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most popular visitor attractions, welcoming just short of 5,000 visitors in April. The Botanic Gardens Trust manages the garden, following a lengthy period of uncertainty. The garden was established in 1967 and was run by the local council prior to coming under the remit of the University of St Andrews. The garden opens all year round, except for Christmas and is open 10-6 April through to September and 10-4 during the winter. It is fair to say that visitors to The Open are coming to St Andrews and watch the golf, they are not coming to visit the Botanic Gardens or any of our other visitor attractions. However this does not mean that our visitor attractions cannot become involved with The Open is some shape or form, and the Botanic Garden Trust is taking advantage of such an opportunity. THG (The Hospitality Group) have sought a new venue for their Open Championship hospitality in St Andrews this year, after the University decided to put on their own Open event. As part of a longer term plan to host weddings and functions within the garden, the Trust took up the chance to host this.

THG will manage the entire event, which will be located on the lower part of the garden in the open space next to the ponds. Their guests will be served breakfast, lunch and dinner in the marquee and will have the opportunity to play a virtual version of the game of golf on a golf simulator. THG is one of the leading providers of corporate sports hospitality. With more than 30 years of experience providing sports hospitality and corporate events for the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading companies, we know what it takes to deliver a real return from your hospitality investment. Boasting an unrivalled selection of corporate hospitality events covering the A to Z of major golf, football, basketball, hockey, baseball and collegiate tournaments across North America, as well as a range of specialist events. The general manager of the garden, James Hearsum emphasised to me that the event will not impact upon the visitor experience for other visitors to the garden. The event fits with the Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision for events staged at the garden; events will be high-end, smaller rather than large scale.

ÂŠ THG Sports

The St Andrews Preservation Trust Museum opened in 1981 and was the first public museum in St Andrews. The museum is run by the St Andrews Preservation Trust and a small army of volunteers to preserve the history of St Andrews for locals and visitors alike. The museum opens for the summer between May 30 and October 4, from 2-5pm Monday to Sunday. Due to its location at the far end of North Street the museum doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see a tremendous increase in visitors, and in 2015 will not be extending its opening hours to attract visitors to the town during The Open to come through its doors. They will however be running 3 tours per day around the historic part of St Andrews, departing from the museum.

The Byre Theatre is one of the biggest and oldest venues in St Andrews, dating to 1933 when it was originally a converted cow-shed. It has a complicated but successful history and moved to its current site on the South side of the town centre in 2001, and was opened by the renowned Scottish actor, Sean Connery. In 2013 the Byre went into liquidation and was rescued from complete closure by the University of St Andrews, re-opening in 2014.

Due to its location, at the far end of South Street the theatre doesn’t have a success story to tell when The Open is in town. And it has learned from past experience not to put on shows with a golf theme. Golf: The Musical, launched on Broadway in 2003 and received good reviews from the media, but when it came to the Byre Theatre it proved to be nothing short of a disaster, becoming the worst attended show in the history of the theatre. So for this Open Championship week, and the weeks either side, the Byre Theatre is providing a PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT deal between 1pm and 2pm each day. There will be three shows during the week and the aim is to attract the general public, which aren’t necessarily attending The Open into the town. This will lead up to the re-opening of Shirley Valentine, followed by Edith Piaf from the 22 July. In the experience of General Manager, Stephen Sinclair, “a busy summer day will drive more people into the town than The Open.” As we discussed in previous editions, The Open is seen as a great thing for the town, but firstly the spectators are coming to watch the golf, and crucially even if they wanted to leave the Old Course for an hour or two they cannot as they would have to pay for a new ticket. Stephen attended an Australian Rules Football game in Sydney and the ticket to the game

gave the ticketholder free public transport within a 200-mile radius of the stadium. This is something he believes would be good for the St Andrews area during The Open. Stephen also has ideas which would involve the Byre Theatre and the wider arts and business community of St Andrews, but unfortunately they are not able to be put into practice for this year’s Open. He would like to see a full concert stage erected in town for the duration of The Open, featuring open-air plays, musicals and street performers. He believes that Market Street would be a suitable location for this as the street is easy to pedestrianize. He also believes that an ‘Open Fringe Festival’ would be a fantastic thing for St Andrews to stage during The Open, encouraging golf fans to stay in the town and encouraging locals and non-golfing tourists to come to the town during The Open. With the backing of the University of St Andrews I am sure this is something which the Byre Theatre could achieve if the plans are put in place immediately after the end of this year’s Open Championship.

This May St Andrews Golf Magazine attended the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Royal County Down Golf Club, the magnificent links of Newcastle is situated in the town of Newcastle. We were fortunate enough to be staying in the heart of the town and sample all the delights on offer and the Irish Open Fringe Festival. The Festival is an excellent example of what St Andrews can do in the future when The Open returns to our town. As soon as it was announced by the European Tour and Northern Ireland Tourist Board on 19 February 2014 that the Irish Open would be returning to Royal County Down in 2014, the local council’s events team began the conception of an idea to stage a Fringe Festival around the Irish Open in Newcastle. An events working group was formed and they put together a ‘wish list’ of events they would like to stage across Newcastle during the Irish Open. A budget was set and of course the team could not deliver everything they had on their ‘wish list’, but they drove ahead with a plan. From September to October 2014 the events working group devised the plans for the festival, and despite a newly created council area in April 2015, they remained on track to deliver an Irish Open Fringe Festival in Newcastle. A multi-agency team was established including Police and transport departments to enable

smooth delivery of the Irish Open and Irish Open Fringe Festival in Newcastle. The Park and Walk station was located at Donard Park, on the South Side of Newcastle, meaning visitors to the Irish Open would walk through the town centre of Newcastle to reach Royal County Down Golf Club. The Irish Open Fringe Festival was created with the aim of bringing as many people again as attended the Irish Open into the town, so an additional 20,000 people in Newcastle over the weekend of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Royal County Down Golf Club. Possibly the most crucial aspect in making the festival successful was the announcement by the European Tour that, for the first time, it would operate a ‘Pass Out’ policy. Ticket holders for the Irish Open could obtain a wristband which would enable them to leave Royal County Down and return at another time during the day. This meant that events which were held in the day could also be attended by spectators at the Irish Open. Once the plans for the Fringe Festival and Irish Open were finalized every household in the town received a letter detailing them, and some 60,000 leaflets were distributed throughout the council area. The events were designed to be fun, free and encourage families into the town, and to attend the Irish Open itself.

The organisers scheduled events which in the main would not clash with the golf and created highly visible branding across the town, decorating roundabouts and the promenade.

The events of the Irish Open Fringe Festival

Food and Blues Festival – An opportunity to taste delicious locally produced products from County Down and listen to great music. Children will be entertained by Circus performers, stilt walkers, face painters, puppet show, big headed golfers Chef Logy and many more. 11am-7pm Saturday and Sunday of Irish Open week. Located in Castle Park, the event is the hub of the Irish Open Fringe Festival. The organisers initially tried to engage with all pubs and have music play in every bar in Newcastle. Although this didn’t come to fruition many bars did have live music throughout the week. Love, Golf, Love – The first in the world, golf themed opera in Castle Park. Composed by Brian Irvine, the newly appointed Belfast Music Laureate and written by award-winning Northern Ireland playwright Owen McCafferty. This witty performance lifts the lid on what happens when love and the world’s greatest sport collide in a sparkling 25 minutes. GAA Legends Exhibition Game – The organisers liaised at local, county and national

level with the GAA in order to secure a field of Ireland’s Gaelic Football legends as well as personalities from rugby, football and hurling. Down Junior Challenge, Golf Legacy tournament – The Rory Foundation assisted with the running of the event, which involved every golf club in County Down. The organisers engaged with the clubs to help develop golf and leave a legacy of inspiring the next generation of golfers. The final round of this competition took place at Ardglass Golf Club and the winners were presented with their prizes by Rory McIlroy. Comedy nights – Local Dundrum comedian Patrick Kielty was back on home turf to perform as the headline act on Friday of Irish Open week, supported by Lurgan legend Micky Bartlett. Northern Ireland’s Queen of Comedy May McFetteridge is the headline act on Saturday night. The comedy nights were staged at St Mary’s Hall. Newcastle centre – The Newcastle Centre is the headquarters of the local tourist board and is the visitors centre. Outside the centre there was a golf simulator and the Café Culture event with deck chairs and a large screen showing the golf from Thursday to Sunday. The keys to the festival were to staging events at various venues across the town and providing variety of entertainment for all.

It is clear that, from the businesses and organisations we have spoken to, there is a desire for better communication between the town council, the businesses and the R&A for the next Open in St Andrews. It is also clear from the responses to our question about the possibility of arranging a host committee that there is a desire for better organisation to create a single group representing the interests of the businesses and locals when The Open next returns to our town. As we highlighted in the second part of the investigation, one organisation which is in many ways fulfilling this role is St Andrews BID (Business Improvement District). The BID has not yet been voted on by the rate-paying businesses of St Andrews, but in the short time it has been an organisation it has achieved much and recently it launched its plans for The Open. -------------------------------------------------------------ALL ABOARD … and #AskAndrew The ‘home of golf’ is better prepared than ever for the influx of tens of thousands of visitors to The Open - thanks to a great partnership between BID St Andrews, The R&A, Police Scotland & the Fife Tourism Partnership. The initiatives will ensure visitors receive a warm and informative welcome … both in town and across the golf links.

Through the BID St Andrews steering group, a LocalMotion Land Train is operating in and around the town during the Championship week – from Saturday 11th to Sunday 19th July inclusive. The Land Train - the first ever at an Open Championship in St Andrews - will provide transport on routes around the town centre, encouraging spectators to discover all that St Andrews has to offer. Ken Dalton, Chairman of BID St Andrews says: “This promises to be the biggest and best Open Championship ever staged – and as businesses in the town, we are keen to work with partners to ensure visitors to St Andrews receive not only a warm welcome but also the ability to engage with the town through social media and the opportunity to travel between the golf and the town on the Land Train.”

Land Train Times & Prices: · The train will operate throughout each day from 10am. They will run approximately every 30 minutes, although this will be subject to weather conditions and any other unforeseen circumstance. · Ticket prices are £4 for adults, £3 for children – and a family ticket is available at £12. Please note, the Land Train guards can take cash only – and each ticket is valid for 1 complete circuit. The journey can be broken – tickets to be retained to re-board to complete

the circuit. Please be aware that if the journey is broken, re-boarding is subject to space availability. Staff will do their best to ensure people can be seated.

o Right into Union Street

Routes and Stops:

o Right into South Street

· There will be a Festival Flag and a ‘Train Stop’ sign identifying the stops and providing information on pricing and running times and stops. The expected time of departure of the next train will be updated on these signs throughout the day. o Madras College (South Street) (Drop off / Pick up) o Right onto Bell Street o At Junction straight on into Greyfriars Garden o Left into North Street continuing into Pilmour Links o Round the Petheram r/about and return up Pilmour Links to junction with Gibson Place (Drop off / Pick up) o Continue to mini roundabout o Right into City Road o Left into Market Street o Left into Greyfriars Garden o Right onto North Street o Continue to entrance for Marquee, Lower College Lawn (Drop Off / Pick Up)

o Right into Market Street o Left into Church Street (Drop off / Pick up)

o Return to Madras College

Please note: There will be a change slight change to the route from approximately 1430 each day to accommodate heavy traffic from The Open Championships and during this time the Gibson Place drop off will be replaced with a drop off / pick up in Greyfriars Garden near to the junction with North Street.

#AskAndrew will see over 100 trained volunteers acting as official Ambassadors for The Open. The team - branded as #AskAndrew – will invite visitors to ask them any questions relating to the town during their stay. Inspired by the London Olympics ‘Games Makers’ and Glasgow 2014 ‘Clydesiders’, the #AskAndrew WorldHost qualified ambassadors will be on the links and in the town through the Championship. Visitors are asked to use the #AskAndrew hashtag on social media channels and can engage with the town via StAndrews4You on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Vine.

More about WorldHost WorldHost customer service training has been used to train over 160,000 people in the UK, and one million people worldwide. Including tens of thousands of volunteers and staff at the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympics, who were widely praised for the fantastic welcome they gave to visitors. Originally developed in Canada – widely recognised as the leading global destination for visitor welcome – and adapted for the UK market by People 1st, the WorldHost programmes provide a gold standard in training for any business that relies on day-today interaction with customers for success. All WorldHost trainers are quality assured and are regularly tested to ensure they continue to deliver world-class customer service training.

These initiatives are a step closer to the duties performed by a Host Committee and for the next Open we surely need to have a fully fledge organisation in place. Immediately following The Open the various organisations including the St Andrews Partnership, The Merchants Association, St Andrews BID, St Andrews Links Trust and the R&A need to be encouraged to come to a meeting with each business owner in the town, the local golf clubs and charitable organisations to discuss the benefits and pitfalls of The Open. They need to work through what they wish to see happen at the next Open and the potential formation of a St Andrews Open Host Committee. Advice needs to be sought from host committees of Olympic and Commonwealth Games held in the UK and of course, the Super Bowl. It is only when everyone is working towards a common goal that St Andrews will truly reap the benefit of hosting an Open. Of course our bars and restaurants will be buzzing, but it is clear that our other businesses will struggle to a degree, and we need to start working towards the next Open as soon as possible. The Irish Open is a fantastic example of how a town and region can work together with a European Tour event to get the biggest benefit from hosting a golf event. The Tour, the club and the local authority communicated with

each other and this way golf benefits as well as business. A key part of the St Andrews Open Host Committee’s role would be to set up and manage an Open Fringe Festival. The festival would showcase St Andrews incredible variety aside from golf and an element of it would help to grow the game amongst our youth.

This discount and free entry scheme for Open ticket holders would be part of the St Andrews Open Fringe Festival programme, which would hopefully be available with the Official Open Championship programme on site, just as the daily information sheet and tee-times are when a spectator purchases the official programme from on-course vendors. The St Andrews Open Fringe Festival would be made up of the following 9 events: o o o o o

One initiative which is being put into practice at the 2015 Open is free entry to the British Golf Museum for all Open ticket holders. Of course, the British Golf Museum is run by the R&A, but a St Andrews Open Host Committee could work with the R&A to expand the scheme and include other visitor attractions such as St Andrews Aquarium, Botanic Gardens and St Andrews Castle. Open ticket holders could also receive 10, 20 and 50% off in selected stores across the town and bars and restaurants could also offer discount to Open ticket holders.

o o o o

The Open – run by the R&A on the Old Course Music and Performance festival – Market Street and other venues Food festival – Church Square and other venues Book festival – Greyfriars Gardens, Market Street and other venues StAnza – Byre Theatre and other venues Film Festival – NPH St Andrews Harbour Gala – St Andrews Harbour Golf Legacy Tournament and Get into Golf Festival Art Festival – Byre Theatre, Fraser Gallery and other venues

The main hub of the St Andrews Open Fringe Festival would be Greyfriars Gardens, Bell Street, Market Street, Church Street, Church Square and Union Street. This area is highlighted in blue on the map (overleaf). It would be an entirely pedestrianized area for the duration of the festival.

Area for taxi and access to property, plus deliveries to businesses only

Pedestrianized â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;St Andrews Open Fringe Festival area

The Music and Performance festival would have two stages – the Main Stage at the end of Market Street and the Band Stand on the Scores next to the Aquarium.

StAnza is Scotland’s national poetry festival and would be moved from its traditional March date to the week of The Open when St Andrews hosts the championship.

The Main Stage on Market Street would be the home to large scale performances, pop and rock, opera and theatre. The Band Stand would be the venue for classical music. The Band Stand has a natural amphitheatre which is terribly underutilized by St Andrews as a venue.

St Andrews Film Festival would be hosted by NPH Cinema on North Street and showcase Fife film-making. This festival would have a lasting legacy by encouraging individuals and groups across Fife and Scotland to make films.

Additional venues would include the Byre Theatre and the Barron Theatre on North Street. One of the aims of this festival would be to attract as many of the Edinburgh Fringe and Festival acts to St Andrews in the weeks prior to the Edinburgh Festival beginning as possible. Being a once in five year’s event would help the St Andrews Open Host Committee to achieve this and put together a really fantastic Music and Performance Festival. The Food Festival would feature the culinary variety of the region and would include all bars and restaurants in St Andrews, as well as an open-air food hall in Church square. The Book festival would include all of St Andrews book stores and would feature openair readings for all age groups at various open spaces in St Andrews.

on the Balgove and Strathtyrum with the leading 32 players in each age category moving onto the knockout rounds on the Eden Course (last 32, 16) and the New Course (Quarters, Semis and Final). The winners in each age category would win a round on the Old Course, and would be joined by The Open Champion for 6 holes of their round.

St Andrews Harbour Gala would be moved to coincide with The Open when St Andrews hosts the championship. It is currently staged in June.

The winners and runners-up in each age category would also be offered junior membership for 12 months by the local golf clubs.

The Art Festival would showcase local artists and pictures of the local area, including paintings of golf to the world. The Byre Theatre, Barron Theatre, Gateway Galleries and Fraser Galleries would be just a few of the many venues to display pieces of art during the week of the championship.

The Get into Golf Festival would take place at all schools in St Andrews on a monthly basis leading up to the championship, and during the week of The Open at the West Port end of South Street.

The Golf Legacy Tournament and Get into Golf Festival would be a driving force behind the growth of the game among our youth in St Andrews. With Junior club memberships at modest levels the St Andrews Open Fringe Festival could help to boost them. A possible partnership between the Links Trust, R&A and the Local Golf Clubs could see a variety of activities take place. The Golf Legacy Tournament would be a FREE tournament open to any boy or girl aged 10-17 and take place across all courses in St Andrews. Qualifying rounds would be played

A large screen would be erected showing televised coverage of The Open and several nets, provided by the Links Trust would be available, with coaching from the Links Academy Professionals. The Junior Secretaries of the local golf clubs would also be involved, helping to drive up membership in their junior sections. The Irish Open, local authority and town of Newcastle proved that this is all very feasible, and their Open Fringe Festival will likely have a lasting legacy. As the home of golf we have a unique opportunity, to showcase our town to the world every five years. It’s time to quit the defeatist attitude, or the attitude of ‘take-it-for-

granted’ that The Open will just make things busier. It is time to go for it, to take a risk and create a lasting legacy from the greatest event in the game. From St Andrews Golf Magazine to every business owner in the town and your employees we wish you a successful 144th Open Championship, but let’s make the next one the biggest and best yet.

Business update

For 20 minutes or so Ed will discuss the book and then sign copies of Jewel In the Glen

Topping and Company Booksellers of St Andrews recently confirmed their programme of events for the week of The Open.

Thursday 16th: The Book of St Andrews book launch

The shop on Greyfriars Gardens will be staying open until 10pm Monday through Sunday and there will be book-signings by various personalities including David Leadbetter.

Friday 17th: Journalist, and Whisky specialist Brian Townsend, joins us to share a dram and celebrate the 500th anniversary of the first documentary records of the making of Scotch whisky!

From Monday to Saturday they will be staging free receptions in the shop, with a theme of golf and whisky. All receptions begin at 7pm. Monday 13th: local golfer and expert Golf writer Malcolm Campbell who paired with George Pepper to produce True Links, one of the most exquisite tours of the Old Course and 245 other Links courses. For 20 minutes or so Malcolm will walk us through the course and its history : a perfect way to kick off the Week of the open Tuesday 14th: American golfer and author Oliver Horovitz whose memoir of St Andrews days - American Caddie in St Andrews - is a shop favourite and international best seller! For 20 minutes or so Oliver will be regaling us with tales from the book and then signing copies of American Caddie in St Andrews Wednesday 15th: St Andrews graduate and sports journalist Ed Hodge will be introducing his Award-winning history of the Ryder Cup. ©Rolex

Brian Townsend's Scotch Missed details the remnants and ruins of almost every Victorian working distillery in Scotland. Over the length and breadth of Scotland, Whisky has left its mark and this book is a tribute not only to those who struggled against great odds and were finally beaten, but also to those who survived and have prospered. Townsend's detailed research brings to life a large portion of Scottish industrial heritage which would otherwise have been ignored and he has enlivened this with interviews of the last people to work those long gone stills. He has also tracked down the whisky which in some cases still exists and the book is fully illustrated with records past and present of this remarkable trade. Brian will give a brief introduction to the book and the forgotten history of some of Scotland's distilleries, followed by a Q&A and a signing Saturday 18th: John Hopkins with his best of Fore!

The Grill House will be offering the following throughout the week from 13-19 July: 2 Course Lunch £18.95 / 3 Course Dinner £30.00 and Children dine for £9.95

The Glass House will be offering a specially created menu for The Open from 13-19 July:

The Doll’s House will be offering the following throughout the week from 13-19 July

2 course lunch £18.95 / 3 course lunch £22.95

They open from 8.00am every day for breakfast and will have a BBQ on their patio from 12pm each day

3 course dinner £29.95

3 course lunch menu £30.00 and a 3 course dinner menu £45.00

Kids dine for just £9.95

Eden Mill invite you to Share their Passion throughout The Open from the 12th - 19th July. Their Craft Beer & Gin bar will be located on a stunning setting next to St Andrews Aquarium. Their pop-up bar will be open to all whether you are attending The Open or not. Open from 4pm-2am every day from Sunday to Sunday of The Open. The Craft Beer and Gin Bar will also feature Live Music, an outdoor BBQ, Beer, Gin, Cider and Cocktails plus Whisky tasting.

Special packages available in the Eden Mill Private Dining Room - 3 courses & a specially selected Gin & Tonic £50.00 per person

The book is the 2002 edition of Mark McCormackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World of Professional Golf. It reviews the golfing year of 2001 and is significant because:

1. Tiger Woods won The Masters to complete a historic and unprecedented grand slam of all four major championships 2. It was the year in which the Terrorist Attacks took place on 9/11 in New York and the United States

Included inside the book is a letter from the author, Mark McCormack, addressed to the then Secretary of the R&A, Sir Michael Bonallack and his wife, Lady Angela Bonallack. The letter is significant because:

1. Mark McCormack signed the letter 2. Mark McCormack and Michael Bonallack are both members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

ÂŠ Matt Hooper

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The Open Championship is home, after visits to Sandwich, Lytham St Anne’s, Muirfield and Hoylake, the first championship the game really ever knew is back where it is biggest and best, St Andrews.

majors. It tests every part of the game and it asks far more different questions of the player than any of the other majors.

It is back with a shiny new brand identity and it is back with the biggest arena the championship has ever built. 10,000 seats around the 1st, 17th and 18th holes and as many as 50,000 golf fans will descend on the home of golf for the days of the championship.

Yellow leader boards which look down imperiously on the final hole. Manned by volunteers from various schools, the yellow leader boards on 1 and 18 will be the only manned leader boards on the course this year, as The Open comes into the modern world with electronic scoreboards.

And there really is nothing quite like The Open. It is THE Open. The first championship in the world, just like THE Football League or THE FA Cup. Nothing came before this championship apart from informal contests between the likes of Morris and Robertson. It is THE only championship in the game which is contested year after year on a links course, within sight or sound of the sea. The winner of THE Open is THE Champion Golfer of the Year. It is a national Open and a World Championship of this game, unlike any other tournament in golf. The US Open and PGA Championship are great championships, they are big events and they have their unique points. The Masters is special because golf returns there each spring. The Open is special, The Open is the best because it is a test unlike any of the other

The Open is YELLOW Leader boards.

The Open is unique because of Qualifying. Open Final Qualifying is the only stage you can see local club champions, PGA Professionals and Major Champions competing on the same course for the same prize. Each of them wanting it as badly as the other. Because a place in The Open is special.

The Open is about towns like ours. St Andrews, Sandwich, Lytham St Anne’s, Hoylake, Southport, Troon and Carnoustie. Towns which are or were served by the rail network and are the definition of this great championship. A seaside town in the summer and watching The Open with an ice cream in your hand. The Open is the Duel in the Sun, when the sun burned the links of Turnberry and the two greatest golfers in the world lapped the rest of the field to go head-to-head for the Claret Jug. The Open is Seve smiling and shaking his fist in jubilation at having won the oldest prize in the game at the birthplace of the game. The Open is about first day leaders who are just about famous in their own town.

The Open is all about playing off one tee from 6.30am through until 4.30pm. No championship in golf starts the entire field of 156 players off one tee and plays from dawn until dusk.

The Open is Costantino Rocca crying in exaltation at holing from the Valley of Sin to tie John Daly in 1995.

The Open is Ivor Robson, who will be the starter at his 41st and final Open this July. Standing on the first tee from start to finish without taking a comfort break. His dulcet tones are golf’s equivalent of Michael Buffer.

The Open is thousands showing their appreciation to the greatest golfer we have ever seen, when he crossed the Swilcan Bridge for the final time in 2005. And The Open is Nicklaus holing his final putt for birdie, what a way to bring the curtain down.

The Open is Pot Bunkers. These sand traps, of which there are 112 on the Old Course, are genuine hazards which must be avoided at all cost.

The Open is wind and rain which can turn summer into winter in a matter of moments.

The Open is Gary Player sleeping in the dunes of West Sands in 1957 when he didn’t have enough money to stay in a hotel.

The Open is heartbreak for Doug Sanders and Mark Roe. The Open is a 333-1 shot winning when the world’s best are gunning for the title. The Open is about golfers from every part of the world, playing and winning. The Open is shooting 63 on Thursday and 80 on Friday. The Open is Ben Hogan playing once and winning. The Open is Tom Watson winning five times before 1984 and losing in a playoff 25 years later, when he had the chance to equal Harry Vardon’s record six titles, at the age of 59. Watson will exit the stage at this Open, his final tour around the great links of Scotland. The Open is Sir Nick Faldo, winning with 18 pars and winning by a landslide. The Open is Tiger Woods, doing the unthinkable and avoiding every bunker on the Old Course for all four days. The Open is Arnold Palmer, who maybe single-handedly saved the championship 55 years ago here at the home of golf. The Open is we all have a putt to win when we are 11 years old on our club putting green. From Sir Nick to me and you, we aren’t putting for the John Deere Classic, it’s The Open, and there is nothing like it.

For the last 12 months we have built up to this moment, when The Open returns to St Andrews. We have interviewed Open Champions Sandy Lyle, Ernie Els, David Duval and Rory McIlroy, and now in our Special Double Edition we bring you Gary Player, Sir Nick Faldo, Padraig Harrington and Louis Oosthuizen. We look back to the 143rd Open Championship and the coronation of Rory McIlroy, run through the leading contenders for the 144th edition and set the scene for an epic battle between Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth. We take a wander around the Old Course with St Andrews Links caddie John Boyne, bringing you the most comprehensive guide anywhere to the most famous course on earth. St Andrews is ready, the Old Course is ready and the world is ready for another historic four days in July at the 144th Open Championship. Enjoy the week.

McIlroy joins the legends of the game with landmark performance at Hoylake.

2014 OPEN

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 Ulstermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

ÂŠOMEGA

and claim the fourth oldest national Open title in the world.

2014 OPEN

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

ÂŠKeith Allison

rough was thicker. And this Open was also so different for the 2006 Open Champion Tiger Woods.

2014 OPEN

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-over-par. 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.

©OMEGA

THE CONTENDERS FOR THE CLARET JUG

©ESPN IMAGES

RORY

The Open Champion and PGA Champion 2011 US Open, 2012 & 2014 PGA, 2014 Open

MCILROY

World Number One 2015 Wins: OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic, WGC-Cadillac Match Play & Wells Fargo Championship

Rory was the overwhelming favourite to win The Masters this April but Jordan Spieth ran away with the tournament, and in Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s US Open the Texan did the same. Whilst McIlroy has won three times this year he will no doubt be a little disappointed with his play over the first three days in both majors so far. If he wants to win a fifth major title here then he needs to get off to a good start. The 2014 Open Champion certainly got off to a good start at Hoylake, with two rounds of 66 to give himself a four stroke lead over Dustin Johnson. The world number one finished 3rd in The Open in St Andrews five years ago, and but for a second round of 80 could easily have lifted his first major title that week. An impressive record of top finishes in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will give the Northern Irishman confidence coming to St Andrews that he can add to his major haul. ÂŠOMEGA

The Masters Champion and US Open Champion

JORDAN

World Number Two 2015 Wins: Valspar Championship, The Masters and US Open

The 21-year-old Texan is the 7/1 second favourite, and given his form since the Emirates Australian Open you could easily make a case for him being the favourite. A final round of 63 propelled him to the title at the Australian Golf Club by 6 strokes to launch a run to golfing greatness in a similar manner to that of Rory McIlroy last year. In the following week he dominated the elite field at the Hero World Challenge to win by 11 and in March he collected his second PGA Tour title at the Valspar Championship. Then in April he ran away from the field at Augusta, eventually winning by three strokes and falling one shot shy of Tiger Woodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Masters scoring record. Then last month he dramatically won the US Open with a birdie on the 72nd hole to complete half of the grand slam. It has been 52 years since Hogan won the first three, Spieth has a glorious opportunity to make yet more history at the home of golf.

SPIETH

2003 US Open Champion

Jim Furyk has been at the top of the game now for nearly 20 years and despite his consistent game and over 20 wins around the world, his lone major win came at the 2003 US Open. The 45-year-old from Pennsylvania has recorded six top ten finishes in The Open, with a best of fourth place on four occasions including 2014.

JIM

FURYK

Furyk ended a five-year winless streak on the PGA Tour in the week following The Masters at the RBC Heritage. Incredibly Furykâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest winning margin came at the US Open, when he won by three strokes over Stephen Leaney. The 2010 FedEx Cup champion 8 tournaments by a single stroke and four in a playoff, so if this Open is a close affair look for the US Ryder Cup star to contend for a first Claret Jug.

2012 and 2014 Masters Champion

The Old Course will surely suit the game of the 2-time Masters champion Bubba Watson. In 2010 he missed the cut and his Open record is not very good. In six Open Championship appearances Watson has made the cut three times and his best finish is a tie for 23rd at Royal Lytham and St Anneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. However five years on from the last Open in St Andrews Watson is now a double-major champion and has won 7 titles worldwide. Watson claimed his first overseas win at the WGC-HSBC Champions last autumn in spectacular style. Watsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s length and creativity surely makes him a contender around the Old Course, perhaps calmer weather will assist the Floridian in his quest to add a third major title to his resume.

BUBBA

WATSON

2013 Open Championship runner-up

The powerful Swede is arguably the best player yet to win a major championship. His best Open performance came two years ago at Muirfield, when he briefly led the championship on Sunday before settling for second place, three shots behind Phil Mickelson. The winner of 17 tournaments around the world, Stenson has won both the FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai as well as The Players Championship. He has recorded three top four finishes in The Open and at the 2010 Open in St Andrews shared third place with Rory McIlroy and Paul Casey.

HENRIK

STENSON

2013 US Open Champion

Justin Rose launched his road to the top of the game with a spectacular week at Royal Birkdale in 1998, and the 2013 US Open Champion is coming to St Andrews with confidence and form. A winner on the links of Royal Aberdeen in the 2014 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, Rose finished in a tie for second place at this Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Masters Tournament. 2 weeks later he won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and is currently ranked 7th in the world. Incredibly, since his tie for 4th as an amateur in the 1998 Open, Rose has not recorded a top 10 finish in The Open as a professional, and has missed 3 cuts in the last 5 Open Championships. Despite this poor record, Rose has the skills to triumph at St Andrews and expect to see him on the leader board on Sunday.

JUSTIN

ROSE

DUSTIN

2011 Open Championship runner-up and 2015 US Open runner-up World Number Three

JOHNSON

Following a self-imposed absence from the game Dustin Johnson has returned calmer, more focused and better than ever before. He announced his return in true style with a win at the WGC-Cadillac Championship, at Doral this March. Other top ten finishes showed a more consistent side to the 31-year-old from South Carolina and at the US Open he seemed destined to break through for a first major title. But more major tragedy befell Johnson when he three-putted at the 72nd hole to lose by a shot to Jordan Spieth. He has shown he is capable of getting into contention in the majors, but he has also shown a fallibility on championship Sunday. He is sure to be in contention again at St Andrews, and can fall back on the experiences of playing the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

2014 Open Championship runner-up

2014 was a superb year in the majors for Rickie Fowler, finishing in the top five of each championship, but he will be looking to go that little bit better this year. In Mayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PLAYERS Championship he produced one of the all-time great finishes, playing the last six holes in six under par to force himself into a playoff with Kevin Kisner and Sergio Garcia. Then in the playoff he birdied the 17th twice to secure an historic victory, proving his ability on the greatest stage. His game suits the biggest events and will definitely suit the Old Course. In May he played four rounds at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Royal County Down, and that recent links experience will stand him in good stead for The Open.

RICKIE

FOWLER

SERGIO

GARCIA

2007 and 2014 Open Championship runner-up

In 2007 Sergio Garcia had a golden opportunity to claim that elusive first major title, but relinquished the chance to Padraig Harrington in an epic four-hole playoff at Carnoustie. Sergio will make his 19th appearance in The Open, his fourth at St Andrews and will surely figure in the championship picture if his putting holds up. Garcia was part of the Alfred Dunhill Cup winning Spanish team in 1999 and has played numerous tournaments on links courses aside from The Open. A past winner of The Amateur Championship and Boys Amateur Championship, Garcia comes alive when he arrives on the links of the UK and Ireland. Runner-up to Rory McIlroy in 2014, Garcia will be eager to go one better this July.

2010 Open Champion at St Andrews

In 2010 Louis Oosthuizen ran away from the field on the Old Course, recording a 7-shot victory for his first and so far only major title. 2 years later he lost in a playoff to Bubba Watson at The Masters, it seemed like Oosthuizen would step into the shoes of Retief Goosen or Ernie Els. But in recent years he has been plagued by injuries. However he has continued to win on the tours of the world, recording victories in the Volvo Golf Champions of 2013 and 2014. At the US Open Oosthuizen began his week with a 77 but battled back with rounds of 66, 66 and 67. On Sunday he played the back nine in 29 strokes, tying the record for the lowest nine holes in US Open history. He tied for second place, recording his third top 2 finish in the majors. The 32-year-old from Mossell Bay could well be a dark horse for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Open.

LOUIS

OOSTHUIZEN

2010 PGA and 2014 US Open Champion

The 2-time major winner has had a poor year after throwing away a lead in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship this January. Form, however, is temporary and Kaymer has the class and experience to contend for his first Claret Jug. A winner of the 2010 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and runner-up two years earlier, Kaymer has had success on the Old Course. His best Open finish came here in 2010, when he tied for seventh place.

MARTIN

KAYMER

2013 Masters Champion

A final round surge at the US Open to finish in the top five showed the former world number one from Australia can still contend in the majors, despite a lean period. His horrendous collapse on the finishing stretch at Royal Lytham in 2012 could have shattered a lesser mind. But the 34-year-old from Adelaide bounced back in the following spring with a historic first Masters win. Then in 2013 Open he was contending on the back nine before finishing in a tie for third place, and he finished tied fifth in 2014. This impressive run of results in The Open will surely give Scott confidence coming to St Andrews this July. Scott has won 25 tournaments around the world, and has won every year since 2001.

ADAM

SCOTT

By Matt Hooper Images: © OMEGA Ltd, Rolex, USGA

Coming into the 119th Open Championship in July 1990 in St Andrews, the world’s leading two players were Greg Norman and Nick Faldo. Norman held a 3 point lead over Faldo, but Faldo was the two-time Masters Champion looking to win a fourth major title in contrast to Norman’s single victory. Following superb play by the pair over the first two rounds on the Old Course, Norman and Faldo were tied for the lead at 12-under-par, four strokes clear of the rest of the field. The anticipation of their head-to-head over the weekend for the greatest prize of them all, was at fever pitch. However, on the Saturday the Englishman shot 67 to the Australian’s 76 to comprehensively brush aside his and everyone else’s challenge. The head-to-head to rival Nicklaus and Watson’s Duel in the Sun of 1977 failed to materialize, but it gave The Open a much needed shot in the arm and was the start of the Norman-Faldo era. 25 years on The Open now returns to St Andrews with the last four majors won by the world’s number one and two, and the anticipation of a similar, but closer, head-tohead is also reaching fever pitch. This time it is a Northern Irishman, with four majors, at the age of 26 who could be taking on a 21-year-old American, who is coming off two successive wins at The Masters and US Open.

Since July 2013 McIlroy has won 8 tournaments around the world including 2 Majors and Spieth has won 6 titles, 2 of which are Majors. In Many respects the starting point for their truly great golf was the same event – the Emirates Australian Open.

The Old Course has a history of the best players in the world winning and contending down the stretch in The Open. In 1990 it was Norman and Faldo, 6 years earlier it was Seve, Langer and Watson and at the Centenary Open it was Nagle and Palmer.

In 2013 McIlroy ended the worst year of his career with a stunning comeback win at Royal Sydney against Adam Scott to give himself momentum coming into 2014. The Ulsterman won the BMW PGA Championship, The Open Championship, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and PGA Championship in a golden summer to cement his place as the world number one.

Now with the last four major titles in their possession these two golfing giants come to the home of golf with eyes of the world on them, 5 points clear of the third best player in the world and the only multiple winners of major titles since Angel Cabrera claimed a second major at the 2009 Masters.

Then last November Jordan Spieth stormed to victory with one of the all-time great final rounds at the Australian Golf Club to claim a first overseas title. He followed it up with a dominant 11 shot win in the Hero World Challenge and came into 2015 with real momentum. In March he won a dramatic playoff with Patrick Reed at the Valspar Championship and then stunned the world of golf at Augusta and Chambers Bay to win a Masters and US Open double. The scene is set for a truly great show on the Old Course, but hopefully the R&A don’t fix the draw to pair them together over the opening two rounds. We want these two playing together over the weekend, when they have earned it and set up a natural and exciting scenario.

St Andrews is arguably the fairest and purest test of golf in the world, and a glorious stage for the world’s greatest players to perform on. Of course this Open Championship is about much more than McIlroy and Spieth. But one can only dream of a scenario where they start Saturday a handful of shots ahead of the rest and slug it out over two epic days. The Open would be elevated by it, golf would be electrified by it and the fan would be captivated by it. The Open is here and so are the world’s two greatest golfers, on a collision course with history.

Gary Player It is 59 years since his Open Championship debut and 58 years since his first shot at the home of golf, St Andrews, now the Black Knight speaks to us about his Open and St Andrews experiences, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and golf in South Africa IMAGES SUPPLIED BY

INTERVIEW BY MATT HOOPER

GARY PLAYER INC. ESPN, ROLEX, MATT HOOPER, OMAR RAWLINGS

The Open is a time when we celebrate the history of the game, and each year’s championship adds to it. This year we celebrate 58 years since Gary Player made his debut at the home of golf. Golf has changed significantly in the last six decades. The prize fund for the 1957 Open was £3,750 ($10,500), when the world’s best come to St Andrews this July they will be playing for a share of £6.3million ($9.8million). The balls, the equipment, the clothing and how players are treated have all improved beyond recognition in the sixty years since Gary Player made his Open Championship debut. Even the most modest of professional or amateur playing in The Open this year will have a cosy room in a hotel, guest house or rented accommodation, for Mr Player that wasn’t the case when he visited St Andrews for the first time. “I’ve never forgotten my first Open Championship at St Andrews in 1957. My golf club in South Africa had to take up a collection to fund my ticket to Britain. I took the train from London to St Andrews, and I remember climbing off at Leuchars Station”, Player said. “It was so surreal; I just stood there for a moment. The realization had finally dawned on me. I was here at the Home of Golf, finally realizing my dream of playing this great Major at the Old Course.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I got to St Andrews I quickly found out that I did not have enough money to stay in a hotel, so I found a sand dune, put on my waterproofs and went to sleep. That along with those pot bunkers was an incredible learning experience and one that helped shape my career. Imagine a professional golfer today sleeping outside on the ground in this day and age.â&#x20AC;?

Player went on to finish 24th in his first appearance on the Old Course, it was a modest start to a career which transformed golf worldwide and made an enormous impact upon the status of The Open. Despite his incredible achievements one thing Gary failed to do was win The Open at the home of golf. “It was a disappointment (not winning in St Andrews) in the sense that I wanted to win every tournament I played. Winning The Open Championship at the Old Course would have been particularly satisfying because of the rich history associated with St Andrews”, said the 3-time Open Champion. “It is the birthplace of golf and still to this day is one of the most special destinations in the world. When you step onto the grounds of St Andrews, you can feel the rich and timeless history that includes the origins of this great game. Golf really has been a true blessing in my life, which makes visiting St Andrews that much sweeter. Having said that, I am blessed to have won The Open Championship three times over three different decades.” Despite not winning that first Open, Player has fond memories of it, even if the first shot wasn’t up to his very high standards! “My first experience of links golf was the first time I went to The Open at St Andrews, I was a nervous wreck walking to the first tee. It was my first time playing a links course. I was so nervous I missed the fairway with a big duck hook, and I kept thinking, please don’t go out of bounds. Luckily, the ball hit the out-of-

bounds stake and came back into the fairway”, Player said. He very quickly adapted to and embraced the challenge of links golf “I have always loved links golf because of its distinct challenges. On links courses, wind will almost always play a factor in decision making, especially when playing on an Open Championship course. This will make the player become creative and strategic at the same time. If it is windy, widen your stance and play the ball a little further back in your stance to hit at a lower trajectory. It’s also key to learn to play the ball along the ground, especially around the greens. Creative bump and run shots also are a must.” Gary Player played in The Open 46 times, 10 of which were at the Old Course in St Andrews so what he doesn’t know about playing the Old Course isn’t worth knowing. “You need Patience, accuracy, a very strong mental game and a bit of luck with the weather and your draw”, said Player. With 46 appearances, 3 wins and 12 top 10 finishes it would be easy for the South African to be accused of bias towards The Open as his favourite major, but he gives a convincing argument for it being the greatest championship of all. “Links golf is the way the game was meant to be played. The Open Championship has always been one of my favourites and yes, it does hold special memories. The Old Course is perhaps the greatest venue in golf. Having the opportunity to play on so many beautiful courses has been a dream come true.

The wonderful fans, unique weather and rich history is what makes The Open so special and is why I enjoy it so much. The tournament itself has not changed a lot. It has remained true to its roots and history.” Given the level of success Gary Player had in The Open it is unsurprising he has many fantastic memories of playing in the championship, but the one which stands out for the 9-time major champion is from the venerable links in Lancashire. “The 1974 Open at Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s is where I won my third and final Open Championship. There are two memories that still stand out the most after all these years. First, on the 17th I hooked my approach into the treacherous rough on the left of the green. I had to search on my hands and knees for that ball and it had gone into the rough right under the noses of the spectators. We found the ball with less than a minute to spare and I managed to scramble a bogey 5 from an impossible lie. Then on 18, my approach overshot the green and ran hard up against the clubhouse wall. I had to hit a left-handed chip with my blade putter and got it to within 15 feet, and was able to seal the victory.” Part of the joy of The Open is the variety of locations it visits, from the old links in the home of golf such as Carnoustie, Muirfield, Troon and Turnberry to the fun tracks of Birkdale, Hoylake and Lytham and the brutal test of

Royal St George’s. But there can be no question that The Open is at its biggest and best when staged here in St Andrews. Over the years many players have said that they think The Open should be played on the Old Course each year. “I have many favourite courses in the UK. All of the places where I have won both The Open and Senior Open Championships hold a special place in my heart. St Andrews is the home of golf. It’s a special place for all who love the game. There is so much history. I don’t think it would be a bad thing if the tournament was played there every year, but luckily that is not for me to decide. I especially appreciate all the venues that host The Open that are public golf courses, and always enjoy watching folks walk across the course immediately after the tournament. As soon as the ropes come down, the course becomes “a walk in the park.”

Gary Player won The Open three times, including 1968 at Carnoustie and 1974 at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s but the one he believes is his greatest was his first. “The Open was at Muirfield in 1959 and I remember getting there extra early to prepare. By the time we got to the last day, I was eight shots back of the leader. In those days we had to play 36 holes a day. But I refused to give up and even told one of my sponsors that tomorrow they would see a small miracle: I was going to win The Open. After an opening round 70 I was feeling very confident, and it seemed like everything began to click. I went out in 33, made a few birdies, but then I double bogeyed the last from the greenside bunker. The next two hours were agonizing as I waited in the club house with a small lead. I thought I blown the tournament. But, as we know, I won by two shots and became the youngest winner of The Open since the event became a 72-hole tournament”, said Player. Player’s final Open Championship appearance came in 2001 at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s, the year after which Tiger Woods secured the career grand slam and it was the peak of his dominant run in the game. Since his downfall began in 2009 the upper echelons of the game have changed remarkably. Now coming into this year’s Open Championship three young men (Rory, Rickie and Jordan) stand on the cusp of a new era. Undisputedly the leader of the pack is Rory

and Player is a massive fan of The Open Champion. “Rory McIlroy is such a fine young man with terrific parents who raised him well. He has a bright future ahead. He takes care of his body, exercises hard and eats proper food. You can certainly tell this from his transformation during the past few years. I truly believe we will one day call Rory a Grand Slam champion. Right now he is the most talented player in the world. He has the best swing on the tour. It’s so pure and effortless, not a lot of wasted movement. If he can become one of the top putters in the world, my, the sky is the limit for this young man.” It’s hard to pick against Rory McIlroy at The Open because he has so much talent, and has been playing tremendous golf this year. But it is hard to repeat as he is the defending champion. It’s hard to count out any of the European players because they are so familiar with links-style courses. There are others I have been watching closely. I would like to see Rickie Fowler or Jordan Spieth win The Open. Rickie is small in stature, like me, but has a fierce passion for golf and has come close so many times already in his young career. But oftentimes, the man with the great putting stroke finds himself holding the trophy on Sunday. So, Jordan Spieth will have a chance to win his third Major this year.”

With youngsters like Spieth, Fowler and McIlroy leading a new era there is no doubt the future of golf is in safe hands, but nobody has quite moved the needle like Tiger Woods, and probably won’t again. “Golf needs Tiger Woods to win more Majors. He is still young. I won The Masters at 42, so it’s not impossible to think he will have many more chances. He has to get that first one out of the way if he wants to think about catching Jack”, said Player “The next Major is always the hardest to win. With such a long drought in between, he needs to believe that he can and should win. I know he expected to win every tournament he entered before this drought. I remember watching how hard he practiced to prepare for The Open several years ago to capture his career Grand Slam. He arrived at St Andrews an entire week prior to the week of The Open, and practiced as hard and long as he could. And it paid off. If Tiger can regain that mentality he has a chance.” Whether or not Woods does return to the top of the game is very much in doubt, but what cannot be in doubt is his legacy of growing the game across America and in Asia. Both Woods and Gary Player were inspired by watching their heroes in The Open as a youngster.

The Open Championship has been broadcast across the world for over 60 years, beginning with news coverage and then moving into live coverage in the late 50’s and 60’s. “I remember being a young boy growing up in South Africa who saw The Open as the ultimate test in golf. I wanted to become a champion, and told my family that I would. Besides Bobby Locke, there weren’t many great South African golfers. We are a fairly small country. Winning The Open was a dream that motivated my teenage self, and I finally achieved this dream in 1959 with my first Major Championship win at Murifeld. As one of the four Majors in golf, The Open helps signify that one has to play golf on an international scale in order to succeed in this sport. The style of play is much different than with courses in America and many other countries. Golf was invented on links-style courses, so The Open is the truest test of a player’s skill. The sheer history and prestige of this event beckons to golfers in South Africa, to sportsmen across the world, and stands as a challenge to players who want to be the greatest in the game.”

Since 2013 The Open Qualifying Series has included tour events around the world, giving players from across the globe the opportunity to compete for spots in The Open in their home region. The Joburg Open has been an OQS event since 2014.

“I think it is absolutely fantastic to see the Joburg Open as an Open Qualifying Series event. I love to see the growth of golf in my home country, and by providing golfers with the opportunity to compete on the European Tour, this tournament helps push South Africans forward to competing on a more global scale”, said Player. “There are so many talented golfers for whom this tournament may be a springboard into competing across the world, so I’m excited to see the talent the Joburg Open has to offer each year. Even more, I hope it will inspire more youth in this country to take up this excellent sport and follow their dreams of competing on an international level. Of course, not every young golfer will become a champion, but golf is a sport that rewards you, both physically and mentally, for the rest of your life.” The Open and many of the other great tournaments around the world are broadcast on South African television, helping to inspire a new generation of South African golfers. However, there is no substitute for seeing their heroes in person. In 2013 the International Federation of PGA Tours were set to stage a World Golf Championships event in South Africa, however the Tournament of Hope did not go ahead due to a lack of sponsorship. As you would expect, the icon of South African sport has a view on how South African tournament golf can attract the best in the game.

“Even though there is so much talent in South Africa, too many of our best players are taking their golf game outside of the country. It’s hard to blame them because there is so much more money on the PGA and European Tours”, said Player. “This impacts how professional golf is played in our country. As a professional golfer, I made an effort to play at least four tournaments a year in South Africa. I think more South African golfers need to start playing more tournaments in their home country, and not just the same ones, to really bring golf around. We have the talent to put South African golf up against most any country in the world. By supporting our Tour, the media, the sponsors, and our fans, golf could gain more traction and attract the best golfers from around the world.” South Africa’s biggest event is unquestionably the Nedbank Golf Challenge, played each December on the Gary Player Country Club course at Sun City. The title has been won by many of the world’s greatest players in the last 40 years including Johnny Miller, Raymond Floyd, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam, Nick Price, Nick Faldo, Corey Pavin, Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia, Retief Goosen, Jim Furyk, Trevor Immelman, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson and Martin Kaymer. Most of these players returned year after year and the event went from strength to strength,

attracting the most vibrant and largest galleries of any tournament on the African continent. But the world’s greatest and most popular player, Tiger Woods, has only played in the tournament once. In 1998 he lost a dramatic playoff with Nick Price, and the event inspired him to create his own charity event, the World Challenge. Invariably the tournament has clashed with the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and Tiger Woods has never returned, his only other appearance in South Africa was at the 2003 Presidents Cup. Given the population split in South Africa it must surely be a source of frustration that he has not played at least once every couple of years in the Rainbow Nation. “Tiger is absolutely fantastic for the game. He has helped spread the popularity of the game to people from all backgrounds. I would love to see him play more in South Africa. If he did so, I think he would help bolster golf in the country and among our youth”, Player said. Right now, though, he needs to focus on getting his game back. He needs to regain his swing from the confusion of too many coaches. For a generation of South Africans though, it was the exploits of Gary Player on the global stage which inspired them to take up the game. Since the start of the 1990’s Ernie Els (4), Retief Goosen (2), Trevor Immelman, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel (1 each) have combined to win 9 major championships.

Something which fills Player with pride. “I am very proud of our South African golfers. They are gentlemen of the game. These men have so much talent, and so much hunger to win. For the size of our country, it’s remarkable to have the amount of Major winners we do” said Player. “South Africa has been a land of great adversity for many years, and I truly think that this adversity has helped shaped driven, resilient sportsmen and woman. I’m honoured to call golfers such as Els, Goosen, Immelman, Schwartzel, and Oosthuizen my fellow countrymen, as they have done a large amount to help advance golf in South Africa.” These are the star names of South African golf, and while the colour of a golfer or sportsman is largely irrelevant, it is remarkable that a country which is nearly 80% black has never produced an outstanding black golfer. “I think this could change very soon”, said Player. “Sport has the ability to bring people together from all walks of life. As Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope, where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.”

“And think of Tiger Woods. I remember how much of an inspiration he was to black children in South Africa when he was winning all those tournaments. They witnessed a black golfer become the most popular athlete in the world. That was so inspirational. Those kids watched first hand an incredible example of why race should never matter in sports, or in life for that matter. I hope Tiger has a comeback in him, because he is so important to the game. I foresee an athletic big man revolutionizing golf in the future. Imagine a LeBron James type of player dedicating his life to golf. A player that has raw power and coordination. Golf has never seen this before. We have had phenomenal athletes, from Sam Sneed and Ben Hogan to this younger generation that works hard in the gym.” Mr Fitness, the Black Knight and the Most Travelled Athlete are just some of the nicknames attributed to Gary Player. Whatever he may be known as there is no question that his passion for this great game is still burning bright. His contribution to the growth of the game across the world and to The Open Championship is almost without parallel. He has inspired generations of golfers in every corner of the world and still at the age of 79 continues to devote himself to the development of golf. So, fifty years after he completed the grand slam and sixty after his Open debut, it is only fitting that we doff our caps to golf’s global ambassador – Gary Player.

The 144th Open Championship will be the 37th and final for a true legend of British golf. Sir Nick Faldo won 3 Open titles in his career, the most comprehensive of which came here in 1990. 25 years on from that glorious week Matt Hooper talked to the 6-time major champion and former world number one. What are the highlights of your win in 1990? “The highlights were that I couldn’t miss, I played good and I holed the putts. I made very few mistakes and I was very consistent back then.” Coming to St Andrews were you on top of your game? “Yes, I had won the Masters and I went close at the US Open and coming here I knew I had to beat one man (Greg Norman).” “I have always loved St Andrews, I love the links and if you are doing it correctly its fantastic.”

Padraig Harrington is the only European in the last century to win back-to-back Claret Jugs, and despite those wins coming across the water at Carnoustie and in the North West of England at Royal Birkdale, the Irishman has plenty of reasons to be confident heading into his 19th Open Championship. Where do your two Dunhill wins sit in your career? “Well, they’re obviously quite high up with the fact that they are with a good friend and partner, JP. They are some of my fonder memories of tournament wins.” When did you play for the first time in St Andrews? “I played in the 1994 St Andrews Links Trophy” Which of your two Open Championship victories were more satisfying? “The first one was more exciting but the second one was more satisfying because I felt I was more in control the whole way along.”

It had been over half a century since Bobby Locke won his fourth and final Claret Jug, on the Old Course in 1957, but in 2010 Louis Oosthuizen ended that South African drought at the home of golf in emphatic style. The seven-shot victory was a romp to victory, as unexpected as it was his performances since have proven he is certainly a worthy holder of the name, Champion Golfer of the Year. St Andrews must be an inspirational place for you to play year after year since your Open win in 2010? “Yes, it is always great coming back here, we are fortunate to play here every year with the Dunhill. Standing on the 17th green looking down here brings back a lot of memories for me.” “I really can’t wait to play The Open again here.” When you were winning The Open on the final day, what was the point when you felt you had won it? “Well, after the tee shot on 17, I knew I was never going to go close to the road hole bunker, that was I going to take two clubs less and make a 5 and head to 18. I didn’t really worry about setting records. I just wanted to get in to see my family and friends so we could all enjoy the win.”

The definitive guide to the Old Course by St Andrews Links Caddie John Boyne With special comments on their favourite holes from Gary Player, Sir Nick Faldo, Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen and Sandy Lyle

1st, Burn, 376 yards, Par4

This should be a relatively straight forward par 4 with the tee shot heading down the widest fairway in golf - I paced it a few years ago at 143 yards wide across the walkway called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Shore Roadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which links the town to the West Sands beach via 'Granny Clark's Wynd'. There is no excuse for missing it really, though when Ian Baker-Finch drove OB left in 1995 there was a severe gust of wind that blew off his visor... The desired landing area is left centre of the fairway 240 yards from the tee, a driving iron or 3 wood, should suffice. This will leave the approach 90 yards to the front edge plus the pin position. The hazard on the hole is the burn that runs across the front of the green so I would always advise that you take enough club to hit the centre of the green and go for two putts, though if one drops in for birdie...hurrah! There are usually two front pin positions during the Championship, left and right about 6 & 8 yards on respectively and two back left & right. The front flags are sucker pins and I see no need to go chasing them, so do not.

2nd, Dyke, 453 yards, Par4

A super par 4. What was once a semi-blind tee shot became a true 'blind' drive as the tee was extended back 40 yards in 2005 onto the St Andrews Ladies Putting Green (more commonly known as the Himalayas) and the 2nd oldest 18 hole golf course in St. Andrews, circa 1867. Ideally the drive would land on the right side of centre keeping you away from Cheapeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bunker which sits at 298 yards left of fairway and 140 yards to front edge of the green. A three wood will probably be used from the tee leaving the player 150 yards into the front of the green though blasting the driver past Cheape's bunker will certainly appeal to the new modern golfer.

The pin is usually on the top tier on this the first of St. Andrews famous double greens and I would recommend playing it 5 yards past the front edge, allowing the ball to miss the upbank of the swale at the front of the green and any crazy bounces, and then allow it to gently roll down the slope towards the centre of the green. All four days' pin positions used to be on the upper half of this two tiered green but the first of the recent alterations to the Old Course has resulted in a new flag position becoming available on the lower green area directly behind 2 bunkers that have been moved forward 20 and 30 yards to the front right green side. This should make it interesting.

3rd, Cartgate (Out), 397 yards, Par4

The initial holes on the Old Course are played on the extreme right of the golf links and a subtle shift of the feet to the left on the rectangular tee boxes will have the golfer driving into the centre of these fairways. The 3rd is a short Par4, a look at the flag position will determine where you would like the tee shot to land and how far left you go to the safe enormous landing area. Once again a 3 wood should be enough, leaving the golfer a 100 yards to the front edge of the green plus his pin position, a good full wedge.

The trouble off the tee from the 3rd are small pot bunkers situated down the right side of the fairways. The 3rd hole has three placed at 247, 270 and a newly installed bunker at 290 yards, which obviously have to be avoided. Using a driver from the tee can take you too far into some rolling mounds, strange bounces, and awkward stances. If the drive is pulled over to the left side the golf ball is safely on the fairway but will leave an awkward approach that has to be struck across the large crescent shaped bunker, Cartgate, behind which a couple of flags will be placed during Championship week. We had a recent caddie here at St. Andrews with the nickname of 'Cartgate' due to the time he fell into the bunker while pacing backwards, on the green, giving a line to his golfer with the clubs still on his back! Classic.

4th, Ginger Beer, 480 yards, Par4

This, I believe, is one of golf’s unsung par fours, a great test with a long 277 yard carry over a small dune/hill and rough, that will be tough for the shorter hitters, to the safety of the expansive fairway. There is another route and that is down the right side of the dune/hill’s banking to a thin landing strip which was made slightly simpler a few years ago by the removal of a large intimidating gorse bush that sat about 180 yards in front of the tee now giving a clear view to this area. Two bunkers, as I hope you expected, sit down the right side at 240 and 290 yards and are, obviously, to be avoided.

Sam Snead, on his only visit to St. Andrews during the 1946 Open Championship (which he won) said, when given the line from the tee, that you had ‘to walk in single file’ using this route. The 21st Century professional does not have to worry about this so much as technology has moved on and the carry for the majority is now achievable. He does have to be aware that the large Cottage bunker sits at 340 yards from the tee.

The green has one bunker, 23 yards into the green on the left side and another new bunker installed front right of the green that has become one of the most frequented on the Old Course over the last couple of golf seasons. There are two small pot bunkers at the rear, over 50 yards deep, that come into play usually on the last day when the pin is placed behind the left bunker at 40 yards on from the front.

A solid drive will leave the approach to a sloping left to right green of 165 – 140 yards front edge, dependent on the strength of the drive.

There is a long left to right 'hogs back' sitting 21 yards into the green that slopes left to right with the majority of the pin positions placed over this. Land short of this ridge and it is tough putt with a couple of big awkward breaks.

5th, Hole oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cross, 568 yards, Par5

The first of the two par 5s and a really good birdie opportunity. If the professional walks off here with a par or worse he should be furious. The drive is to the left or left centre of the fairway as the right side has seven bunkers, referred to as the Seven Sisters, the main set of three sit at 265 yards and the last sits at 307 yards. Once safely on the left centre of the fairway a good solid wood or long iron to a raised welcoming green, that is close to 100 yards deep, should present a good two putt birdie. There is a deep gully at the front of the green and if the golfer is a wee bit greedy in trying to get close to the front green pin positions there is a danger of hitting the bank, no forward bounce and rolling down into it. An awkward chip or putt from this position tends to blow away the desired birdie.

6th, Heathery (Out), 412 yards, Par4

A blind tee shot that normally has the visiting amateur baffled in which direction to go. It is a little different when the Open is staged here as the grandstands (bleachers) and TV towers offer lines for the professional to take. This is a pretty simple par four that should offer up a birdie to most players.

A really good drive on the correct line will have the golfer carrying the bunkers sitting left and right at 285 yards and should get him close to the green on a hard running fairway. There is a small gully at the front of the green that offers protection for potentially three of the front Championship flags placed 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10 yards, over the gully's ridge, left and right. I have seen a few players putt their approach from the fairway down and up through the gully to nestle close to these front pins.

Six holes completed and if the professional golfer is worth his salt and the day is going reasonably well with his putter he could be -2 under par. The following six holes offer four short par 4s and two par 3s and a professional golfer with the (alleged) quality of these modern guys will be looking to pick up at least two more birdies, thereby achieving a score that he will attempt to keep intact as he goes through the strongest section of the links, 13th - 17th, and wanders sedately up the 18th.

7th, High (Out), 371 yards, Par4

One of The Old Course’s quirky holes is the 7th. Its fairway, once reached, criss-crosses from the right with the tee shot from the Par3 11th to the same expansive green. A lot of confusion abounds here when visitors play, without caddies, with wonderful bellows of FORE! emanating from the caddies on the 11th tee to warn the innocent golfers of their misdemeanour as they wander across the fairway as they progress to the 7th green. Brilliant fun. The golfers on the 7th fairway generally must wait to play their 2nd shots into the green because the Par3 11th are teeing off. I like my golfers to take the line from the tee on the left side of a bunker called Hill directly in front and sitting on the left of the 11th green at 320 yards and if they drive does drift a little right the beautiful Cockle Shell bunker protects the front of the green at 314 yards. A 250 yard drive will suffice leaving the golfer with 90 -100 yards to the front edge and 13 yards more to the ridge of this raised green that slopes gently down left to right.

There is a teardrop shaped area of the green on the right that is rarely used during a normal year of golf but which was brought into play in 2005 on the first day. It is awkward to get a yardage correct when it is ‘suddenly’ used and a lot of players and caddies have been found out here. Expect to see a lot of pacing to this ‘front edge’ if the flag is placed there.

8th, Short, 175 yards, Par3

This should be a straightforward Par3 and it is if you miss the yawning bunker at the front of the green. Land safely and you have two putts for a par. What is so difficult about that? I suspect that three pin positions will be directly behind the bunker at 8, 15 and 18 yards on from the front of the green. The fourth pin (not always the last day) is generally up towards the rear towards the raised part of the green at 45 yards on. The green depth is 50 yards and at the rear there is a steep down slope leading to a small pot bunker for those that chase this pin and go long.

When the flag is placed behind the front bunker I prefer my golfers to land on the right side of it leaving a simple putt towards the hole. Any golf balls landing to the left of these pin positions have some subtle borrows to contend with and, unusually on the Old Course, awkward putts.

9th, End, 352 yards, Par4

This is one of the holes on the Old Course that is played from a regular St Andrews golf club member's competition tee and can be described as a risk/reward hole as the drive, from the professional and our local big hitters, can easily reach the green, presenting the golfer with an outside eagle or good birdie opportunity. The decision on the tee is whether to take the green on? There are two bunkers near enough plum centre of the fairway, the first of which sits at 263 yards, the second directly behind at 297 yards and a new bunker was installed during the winter of 2013, on the left edge of the fairway at 300 yards from the competition tee.

The driving area has therefore been tightened on the direct line but most of the St Andrews golfers are hitting their wee white ball out right, away from the bunkers, towards the visitors 10th tee position leaving a simple pitch and run into the green. If you decide to play short then you hit 250 maximum, accounting for roll on the hard fairway, and leave a delightful 80 yards front edge plus the flag position to the cup. Simple really and a dead cert birdie as the majority of these guys are meant to have a sublime short game from within a hundred yards.

The alternative is to take the driver and blast it and, with the correct bounce, land on what is a flat green with an eagle putt. Surely a birdie is made at worst. It will be interesting to view which of the contenders for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Open have a game plan that they are going to stick to on the 9th, and those that have a plan but also a degree of flexibility dependent on the conditions prevailing.

10th, Bobby Jones, 386 yards, Par4

A par 4 hole. Drive a three or five wood short of the bunker that sits out on the right side of the fairway. The bunker has a 275 yard run out, and the golfer will have a 120 – 100 yards to the front edge of the green plus the pin yardage. What can go wrong? Some golfers will attempt to drive this green, it is reachable but this is an Open Championship on the most famous links golf course in the World and drives go wrong. As I hope you noticed the hole is called ‘Bobby Jones’ after the legendary American amateur golfer. The hole was named after Mr. Jones passed away in 1971 and a petition had come from the town people of St. Andrews, who dearly loved him, to the local council to remember him by. I like to think the reason that the 10th on the Old Course was chosen was that this was the last hole he officially completed when he first played here in 1921. At the par three eleventh he stopped writing down his score after double bogey sixes on the 9th and 10th, and then finding it difficult to extricate himself from Hill bunker on the left of the 11th green. For those curious he was out in 43 for the front nine.

11th, High (In), 174 yards, Par3

This is simply one of the great Par3s in world golf. I love this golf hole even with the pain it has given me over the years. The controversial alterations to the Old Course over the last 4 years really came to a head when the steep left section of this green was brutally ripped up and the slope softened creating at least one new flag position. This new section of green has bedded in well and the locals are getting used to it. The view from the tee tends to get the golfer's mind occupied by the two bunkers that guard the entrance to the green rather than focusing on getting the ball into the heart of the putting surface let alone close to the hole. ‘Hill’ bunker on the left is awfully deep and thin and saw the demise of Mr RT Jones in 1921, while ‘Strath’ bunker at the front is small and a wee bugger to get out of.

A small plateau on the rear of the green is used for one of the positions and there used to be three historically behind ‘Strath’ bunker. The altered area of green close to Hill bunker on the left should see a new flag position. This has pin has been trialled during the St Andrews Gold Medal when the best 60 golfers in the town play the Old Course so a few professional golfers should not cry too much when it is their turn to tackle it. There are no easy pin positions on this green. It can easily be a 'regulation' three putt green and after getting on in two shots it becomes a short par 5! Goodness it can be difficult when any kind of wind blows. It is generally used as the template for the speed of the greens for the rest of the golf course during the Open Championships.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love the 11th, there are a lot of great pin positionsâ&#x20AC;? Louis Oosthuizen

12th, Heathery (In), 348 yards, Par4

A short Par4, the green can be driven, what can go wrong? I gave up trying to explain this golf hole to visitors a long time ago and have over the last few years just given them their 150-160 yard club and asked them to simply hit centre of the fairway. From there we then hit their 170 yard club towards the green. Take two putts and walk off happy. There are five â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hiddenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bunkers in the middle of the fairway, four of them should not come into play for the professionals with a 256 yard carry required to clear but the one at 19 yards short of the green does catch quite a few. The green has a wonderfully small plateau, all of 12 paces wide, upon which to land your golf ball where the pin positions are. The legendary St Andrews caddie Tip Anderson said that his golfer, Arnold Palmer, was never to concerned about dropping off the back of the plateau as it was an easier putt to read from the rear than that from up the steep slope at the front.

Well we have now played a third of the links and to tell you the truth it has been a pleasant preamble up to this point. The professional golfer is sitting in a good position at -5 under the par on the Old Course and he only has six more holes to go. What could possibly go awry?

13th, Hole O’ Cross (In), 465 yards, Par4

The last six holes on the Old Course, let the fun begin. This magnificent par four plays as the second most difficult hole on the course after the 17th Road Hole not only during the Championship but also in day to day golf. The tee was extended in 2005 which cunningly brought the aptly named ‘Coffin’ bunkers that split the 13th and adjacent 6th fairways into play. A carry of close to 300 yards is now

required to clear the last of the ‘Coffins’. The ideal line from the tee is to drive over the first couple of ‘Coffin’ bunkers onto what could be regarded as the 6th fairway. From this position you have a simpler approach shot to the green. Any tee shot to the right of the ‘Coffin’ bunkers will leave a blind second through a narrow entrance that is guarded by a deep greenside bunker on the right and a horrendously thick matted ‘grass bunker’ at the

front. This nightmarishly thin entrance also has a down slope 4 paces on the green invariably kicking the approaching long iron a good distance past the Championship pin positions which aregenerally placed over three of the days behind the front right bunker. Forget going after the pin, unless on the 6th fairway from the drive, and accept the centre of this acre plus green and a two putt par. Good luck.

14th, Long, 618 yards, par5

Another hole that was increased in length in 2005, making it the longest par five on the Open rota of golf courses taking the mantle from Royal Troon’s par five 6th at 601 yards. They were not best pleased down the west coast of Scotland. I love this par five. A marvellous hole that has a variety of routes to the green, some that avoid the trouble and a couple that court it. The professional golfer often goes direct, they cannot stop themselves, but it is not always the best route to at least one flag position. The drive goes across an Out of Bounds wall with a 200 yard carry for the safe play and avoids a set of four devilish bunkers on the left side of the fairway, the ‘Beardies’, which sit at 238 – 280 yards. Once this is achieved a three wood, or less, can be struck with everything the golfer has to comfortably clear ‘Hell’ bunker and trying to run up the slope of this raised green.

If the green is not within range on the second shot perhaps the golfer should consider playing to the left of ‘Hell’ bunker onto the 5th fairway leaving him a comfortable 120-110 yards to the front edge of the green and a great angle to attack most pin positions with a wee short iron in his hand. This acknowledged local St Andrean route offers an opportunity for a birdie, takes the stress out of the hole and certainly secures a par five which many would take if offered it on the tee.

“If you love golf, you love a good challenge. Something that can test your physical and mental capability on the golf course.

I pride myself on my bunker play, but I have found if you try to layup and get stuck in there it becomes one of the most difficult holes in all of golf.”

“14 is a fantastic hole, it is tough, there are a lot of options and there is a lot going on.”

The 14th hole at the Old Course is such a challenge. It’s the longest hole on the course, but not only that, it is famous for the “Hell Bunker.”

Gary Player

Sir Nick Faldo

15th, Cartgate (In), 455 Yards, Par4

This is a favourite of mine on the course. It is not an extreme Par4 and seemingly not that difficult with a Stroke Index of 9. So what makes it so good to me? Answer: it is the first of the two holes on the old links that compliments my gentle left to right fade (slice) from the tee. Also we can now see the backdrop of the old town and know that within 75 minutes we should be having a pint of beer in the Dunvegan Bar, situated 120 yards from the 18th green!

A solid drive past â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sutherlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bunker at 260 yards from the tee takes the golfer to the left side of this fairway which is shared with the outward going 4th, Cartgate (Out). Over the years I have seen an extraordinary amount of approach shots to this green land short, at least a full club short. There are some undulations or folds on the fairway as it nears the green which produces an illusion to the eye, foreshortening the distance to the green. The golfer tends to believe the eye, even though he has the club for the yardage, and will play less than a full shot leaving him scrambling to make par. Trust your yardages and hit the club properly.

16th, Corner of the Dyke, 423 yards, Par4

In recent Opens at St Andrews if you had seen a professional golfer on the 16th tee with a driver in his hand he was regarded as an idiot! The majority of professionals have been laying up short of the Principle Nose bunkers with a driving iron leaving themselves around 160 yards to the front of the green. This is a real awkward golf hole. An out of bounds fence runs tight on your right side, the nest of three Principle Nose bunkers sit at 258 yards, heavy rough begins at this point down the left side of a very tight fairway and another hidden bunker, Deacon Syme, lies in wait at 303 yards in the fairway. It is no wonder that the golfers have played the percentages on this hole. Perhaps it is time for the more aggressive modern golfers to just hit the ball really hard with their driver from this tee, go find it, hit it again and putt it into the hole. It has a raised green really close to the OB fence that runs alongside the length of the fairway on the right, with a four foot ridge that begins at the front right and eats into the green by 17 yards. A lot of golf balls hit the front of the ridge and stop. No forward momentum to carry up onto the green. This is not the professional golfersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; favourite hole on the course.

17th, Road, 495 yards, par4

Finally we arrive at the infamous 17th Road hole. Some alterations were done to the front left of the green, 3 years ago, that brought the sloping towards the Road bunker more into play punishing wayward approach shots. The bunker itself has been moved a little and is wider than in previous years now resembling a rugby or an American football. I am sure you all know that the Championship tee was put back 40 yards, over the fence and pathway that the spectators used to crowd around. In Opens past the spectator really was amongst the golfers on this tee, so close I think that a wee breath freshener might not go amiss! From the re-positioned tee, the golf fans are still going to be allowed to ‘hustle’ around and breathe upon the golfers that are taking part in this year's Open competition. A dramatic dog-leg to the right for many the drive is played over the replica green shed that has the logo of the Old Course Hotel on it. The player will pick a letter, believe in his swing and let it go. Out of bounds is marked by a wall that separates the Old Course Hotel grounds and the 17th fairway.

To clear the wall and reach the safety of the fairway a drive of 250 - 275 through the air is required. The really strong players can aim outside the letter 'L' in Hotel and I am constantly surprised how close one can go to the face of the hotel.

From a right central position on the fairway he will be looking to hit a medium iron into this thinnest slither of a green. Nick Faldo in his victory here in 1990 played short, front right of the 17th green and made Par on each of the four days, not bringing the road behind the green into play. Once on the green there is a noticeable slope from the back of the green, right to left, and unfortunately the golfer generally proceeds to miss the birdie putt by not allowing for the large swing and always on the ‘low amateur side’. This 17th Road hole is the golf hole that every golfer wishes to play and there is always drama upon it and I see no reason to assume there will not be more this year.

18th, Tom Morris, 357 yards, Par4

A welcoming fairway awaits the drive from the golfer. Aim at the clock on the right side of the R&A clubhouse and it will be tickety boo! The 18th tee is tucked over on the right side only a few yards from the back edge of the 17th green and next to an active busy road, the massively wide fairway is there to be hit and it will all be about positioning. In years past few of the golfers took on the green, most of the players content to play a three wood left centre of the fairway. The golfer would then have a simple wedge approach to a massive green. Some forget that the approach shot to the 18th green pin position is uphill and will try to be too cute and this may explain why so many roll down into the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Valley of Sinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The modern day golfer plays more aggressive now and I believe if conditions are as we have them in this wee descriptive round that he will just blast it for the green, giving the crowds something to cheer about as they watch the golf balls roll up and over the Valley of Sin at the front of the 18th. Great fun.

Our professional golfer will most probably have dropped a few shots, between the 13th & 18th, on route to the sanctuary of the clubhouse. His total for the first days play is -2 under par. The dropped shots are most likely to be at the 13th, 16th and 17th. The Old Course can be simple to play and it can be tough to play. Let us all hope for an exciting 144th Open and a worthy champion golfer.

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On Tour This month we look back at the 115th US Open, the BMW PGA Championship, Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and preview the US Women’s Open and Ricoh Women’s British Open. ©BMW AG

ÂŠBMW AG

When Byeong-Hun An won the US Amateur Championship in 2009 at Southern Hills Country Club, he was the youngest ever to do so. At the age of 17 it seemed like this affable Korean was set for superstardom. But following his decision to turn professional in 2011 he decided to take his game to Europe, entering Qualifying School which in turn earned him a place on the Challenge Tour. After two years hard graft An won for the first time, at the Rolex Trophy in Switzerland in his third season on the tour. The win helped earn him a place on the European Tour for 2015 and now following an astonishing runaway victory at the BMW PGA Championship, the first Korean winner of the European Tourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship tournament is on his way to the majors and world golf championships. Byeong-Hun An is one more product of the European Tour system, and proof that Qualifying School is a valuable part of the professional tours.

Results: Byeong-Hun An

-21

Miguel Angel Jimenez

-15

Thongchai Jaidee

-15

Chris Wood

-13

©BMW AG

2015 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation Royal County Down Golf Club, Newcastle, County Down 28-31 May

Super Soren soars with playoff birdie to win dramatic Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Great Dane books July trip to the home of golf

When many of the world’s greatest golfers assemble for one of the world’s great national Opens on arguably the greatest golf course in the world you do sometimes get the unexpected. There were several things unexpected about this week, the final day in particular and the winner, Soren Kjeldsen, was not favoured at the outset. As this week developed though it became apparent that the gritty Dane, with a phenomenal short game and accurate long game, would not be doing the expected thing and disappear on Sunday. On a Sunday which saw the leading score fall from 7-under-par to 2-under-par, Kjeldsen produced his best moment of the day when it mattered most, in the playoff. A gloriously struck 221-yard 3-wood from the left centre of the 18th fairway into the heart of the green left him with an uphill putt for eagle. He calmly stroked the ball towards the hole, leaving himself 2 feet for birdie.

After his opponents, Bernd Wiesberger and Eddie Pepperell failed to make birdie, Kjeldsen had the chance for victory. He saw his putt do a near-360 degree tour of the hole, it dropped and smiles were abound. In that moment the raw emotion of winning one of the European Tour’s great events was there for the thousands around the green to see. It was the culmination to one of the most dramatic weeks of the 2015 European Tour season. Tuesday night rumours of David Beckham’s appearance in the pro-am were sweeping the town of Newcastle, after his apparent sighting in the Slieve Donard Hotel. The rumour gathered momentum, and Gary Neville and Paul Scholes were supposedly joining the former England captain. As it turned out none of the above teed it up in Wednesday’s Proam. The competition gave a glimpse into how tough the course would play for the professionals, with some holes that offered a chance and others which provided a stern test. The sense of anticipation was almost palpable.

First Round, Thursday Hosting duties and a heavy schedule seemed to be taking their toll on the world number one, as Rory McIlroy opened with a 9-over-par round of 80, his worst score since the 2010

Open Championship and most shots over par in his professional career. 9 bogeys and 9 pars see The Open champion currently sitting in joint last place, some 13 shots off the lead and maybe as many as seven off the cut at this point. Understandably McIlroy was frustrated after his round, “It’s disappointing, I want to go out there and play well, not just for myself as I said yesterday, but for a lot of other people” said Rory. Despite his poor result and current position on the leaderboard, McIlroy is remaining upbeat about his chances for the week ahead: “My goal starting off tomorrow is to try and make some birdies, make my first birdie of the tournament at some point and try and just claw my way back up towards the cut line and see what I can do.” McIlroy wasn’t the only star name to suffer on Thursday, and one of his playing partners almost matched his round of 80. Martin Kaymer shot an 8-over-par round of 79, featuring two double-bogeys and four bogeys. By contrast American Rickie Fowler was in comparatively brilliant form, shooting a level par round of 71 to put himself in contention for the lead. Fowler got off to a superb start birdieing his first two holes of the day (10 and 11) before bogeys at 14 and 16 pulled him back to level par. On his second nine he began

spectacularly with birdies at 1 and 3, but again, bogeys at 4 and 8 saw him fall back to level par.

birdies in the next 6 holes saw him post 67 to share with Germany’s Max Kieffer at the top of the leaderboard.

Fowler was happy but a little frustrated too, “I wish I could have gotten off to a little better start after I birdied the first two, continued that on. But all in all I am off to a good start, I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

Danny Willett’s fine 2015 European Tour season continued in the morning with a fantastic start to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Royal County Down. The Yorkshireman was part of the Great Britain and Ireland team which lost to the United States in the 2007 Walker Cup here, and has great memories of the course. “It’s a great golf course” said Willett. The Race to Dubai Number 2 got off to a fine start, birdieing the 11th and 12th and even bogeys at 15 and 7 couldn’t hold him back from posting an opening 69. “We drove the ball well and we were in a lot of good positions off the tee. We were never in the fairway bunkers, we were never in any real trouble” said Willet, who could close to within half a million points of Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy with a win. Padraig Harrington leads after the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open following a stunning surge on the back nine. Going out in level par 35 the 2007 Irish Open champion began the back nine with a bogey, but five

Padraig Harrington -4 Max Kieffer -4

Soren Hansen -3

Danny Willett -2 Soren Kjeldsen -2 Emiliano Grillo -2

Luke Donald -1

Second round, Friday World Number One, The Open champion and Irish Open tournament host Rory McIlroy will be confined to watching the weekend of his tournament from the comfort of the players’ lounge after a second round of 71 was far from enough to see him make the halfway cut. His fate was sealed by a double-bogey at the par four 15th hole after the first fourteen holes had given him hope that he could claw back the necessary deficit to make the cut. Until that point his play had been very steady, his putter just couldn’t get the job done on the greens and convert the birdie chances he had at the 1st, 2nd and 4th, but finally the first birdie of the week arrived at the par three seventh hole.

The roar that greeted the ball dropping into the hole was so loud and so vociferous you may have thought he had made a hole-in-one, had you not been standing next to the green. Throughout the crowd support for McIlroy was incredible, the encouragement and the noise was the same irrespective of the position he was in on the leaderboard. On the 8th he had another good chance for birdie, but his putt just held up on the right, instead of breaking into the hole as he had hoped. On the 9th he pushed his drive and was fortunate to escape the gorse, his second shot from rough found the green, where two putts would secure a par and an outward 34. Pars at 10 and 11 preceded a birdie at the par five twelfth and the bid to make the cut was in full swing. At 7-over-par he needed another two birdies to be sure of playing over the weekend. Pars at 13 and 14 were no problem, as with 16 and 18 both imminently birdie-able the task was still achievable. But disaster struck at the 15th when McIlroy made double-bogey and fell back to 9-overpar. That was it. Tournament over for the host and the pre-tournament favourite. It is the third successive Irish Open, following Carton House in 2013 and Fota Island in 2014 in which McIlroy has missed the cut. But despite his golfing failure Rory is very positive about this week’s event. “The Irish Open is back to what it should be, and all the work that we’ve done with the foundation and

all the people that we’re helping because of that, so there’s loads of positives in that sense.”

ROUND TWO LEADERBOARD

For sure Rory will be very disappointed with his performance this week, it was to all intents and purposes his home event on a golf course which is as close to home as it will ever get. It is his national Open and he only gets one week in the year to perform in front of his own people. So to miss the cut and miss it by four strokes, is a major blow.

DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH OPEN Richie Ramsay -3 Bernd Wiesberger -3 Soren Kjeldsen -3 Chris Wood -3 Tyrell Hatton -3 Rafael Cabrera-Bello -3

It should, however, not be understated just how much he means to the Irish Open and golf across Northern Ireland. His contribution to the Irish Open has been the biggest by any single player we have ever seen, maybe by any European golfer to an event on the European Tour. We are set for a truly wonderful weekend where anyone of the 68 players who have qualified for the final 36 holes can win. We could have an Irish champion, we could have an English champion or we could even, whisper it, have a Scottish champion. And the host will be there to see it unfold on Sunday afternoon. “You might see me on the 18th green on Sunday” said McIlroy.

Padraig Harrington -2 Luke Donald -2 Matt Ford -1

Cut: +5 Selected others Rickie Fowler PAR Francesco Molinari +2 Ernie Els +2 Martin Kaymer +6 Rory McIlroy +9 Sergio Garcia +1

Third round, Saturday Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen will take a two stroke lead into the final round of the 2015 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open after a Saturday 67. But his advantage could have been so much more. Incredibly the Dane reached nine-under-par after a third successive birdie at the 13th hole, and with the driveable 16th and the par five 18th to play he could reasonably have built an advantage of five or more. However bogeys at both 17 and 18 saw him finish at 7-under-par to lead by two from Max Kieffer and Rafael Cabrera-Bello. Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger and England’s Tyrell Hatton are all tied for fourth place at 4-under-par. Niclas Fasth is two shots further back and four players including Luke Donald are tied at 1under-par. Today brought the best scoring conditions of the week and right now you would say the winner will likely come from the top five or six on the leaderboard, but with poor weather forecast for Sunday it is anyone’s guess at a winning score or a champion. There is a growing confidence in the Max Kieffer camp that finally this could be the young German’s week. Just over 2 years have passed since his best career finish at the Open de Espana, where he was defeated by Raphael Jacquelin on the 9th extra hole in the

longest playoff in European Tour history. Now it seems that Kieffer has many of the shots required to be successful on a stage such as Royal County Down. After a disappointing finish to his second round the 22-year-old from Dusseldorf knew a good round was required today to keep himself in contention for that elusive first victory. Birdies at 1, 3, 7 and 8 helped him to an outward 32 to get back to -3 and within 2 of the lead. He began the back nine with a fabulous birdie at the par three 10th hole and then picked up the expected birdie at the par five 12th, which was wind assisted today. He saved his, and arguably the shot of the day for the par four 15th. His drive was cut off the left, with a left to right wind, leaving him some 200 yards into the green, with the pin at the back. The fifteenth green has run offs on both sides and the back, with the penalty for missing right being more severe than missing left. So with the wind coming hard from the left to right, the target was even more intimidating. When he began practising this week he was hitting the ball far too high to be competitive around this monster of a links, until his coach intervened, telling him that he had might as well go home now if he carried on hitting it that high.

So he worked on hitting a lower shot, and it was this which he used to devastating effect at the 15th, hitting a boring iron through the wind, which cut slightly and finished just over a yard from the hole. He calmly rolled in the uphill, right to left putt and headed for the last three holes at 5underpar for the championship. Over the last three holes he demonstrated his scrambling ability and made pars from difficult positions to sign for a course record round of 66. With so much on the line, tomorrow is a huge day in the short career of Max Kieffer, but his coach is someone who he has more than instruction to rely upon. Stephen Sweeney is one of the former assistant professionals at Royal County Down, and his guidance and intimate knowledge of this unique course will be invaluable come tomorrow afternoon. Rickie Fowler could have been going into the final day within a handful of shots of the lead, instead he will begin Sunday some 12 shots adrift of Kjeldsen following a disastrous finish. A steady round featuring a bogey at the 1st and a birdie at the 7th was brought spectacularly to life at the par four 16th hole, when he chipped in for eagle. A par and a birdie would have seen Fowler take his place in the last four groups on Sunday. But a quadruple-bogey 8 and the 17th and a triple-bogey 8 at the 18th ended any chance of victory for the popular American.

Padraig Harrington said yesterday he couldn’t afford any bad runs over the weekend, unfortunately his bad run today was from 1 to 18, as a double-bogey and seven bogeys ended his hopes, finishing 5-over for the championship.

Final Round, Sunday

Lee Westwood shot 74, Ernie Els shot 78 and Francesco Molinari shot 79, all on a day when the wind was at its least ferocious and the rain held off, in the main, until the evening.

Kjeldsen then bogeyed the second to hand even more initiative to the young German, who now held the lead alone at 6-under-par. Then on the third Kieffer, whose approach came up some 20 yards short of the green, hit a truly terrible pitch and three-putted, resulting in a double-bogey to hand the lead back to the Dane. He now held a share of the lead with Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger.

ROUND THREE LEADERBOARD DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH OPEN 1

Soren Kjeldsen -7

Rafael Cabrera-Bello -5 Max Kieffer -5

Bernd Wiesberger -4 Richie Ramsay -4

There was an early change on the leaderboard, when Max Kieffer birdied the first hole and Kjeldsen made a bogey to see the pair share the lead on 6-under-par.

The Austrian then handed the lead back to Kjeldsen, after three straight bogeys from the fifth. Kieffer bogeyed the sixth to fall even further behind, but actually made a shot up on Kjeldsen at the ninth when his bogey was in response to Kjeldsen’s double-bogey. The leaders were wobbling under the pressure and the incredibly difficult conditions.

Tyrell Hatton -4

Saturday night saw almost biblical rain, driving winds and Sunday’s forecast saw winds gusting upwards of 25 miles per hour across the links. We were set for the most unpredictable golfing conditions, and the scoring reflected that.

In fact it was really now a matter of the man who kept himself together would win. Wiesberger came back into the picture with birdies at 12 and 13, before another bogey at the fifteenth stalled his momentum. He bounced back immediately with birdie at the 16th and made par the final two holes to post 2under-par in the clubhouse. Kieffer three-putted both 13 and 14 to severely damage his chances, but hope was restored

with a magnificent birdie at the 15th. After Kjeldsen had three-putted the 17th it seemed like the German had an opportunity to push himself back into the picture, but he inexplicably followed the Dane in making bogey, ending his chances of victory and a place in The Open. Eddie Pepperell had by now matched Wiesberger’s score in the clubhouse and they were waiting to see if Kjeldsen would do what was necessary to end the tournament in regulation time. After pulling his second to the 18th he needed to get up and down to secure his fourth win on the European Tour. His first chip didn’t have the necessary touch and fell off the other side of the green, leaving himself an even harder chip back. He managed to get up and down and we were headed for a playoff. The tournament needed a stroke of genius to close proceedings and Kjeldsen provided it on the first extra hole. It was a rollercoaster day from start to finish. “I felt like I was in the driving seat pretty much the whole day and it was very difficult to get over the line” said Kjeldsen afterwards. The shot that in essence secured the win Kjeldsen said “I had 221 to the front, which is a good number for me with my 3-wood. I absolutely nailed it and I was pretty happy to hear that cheer.”

It is the fourth European Tour victory for a player who seems to specialize on winning on some of the hardest courses. His first win came at Gleneagles in 2003, where his winning score was 9-under-par and only 12 players broke par. His second win came at the 2008 Volvo Masters at Valderrama, where his winning score was 8-under-par and only 9 players’ broke par.

with more photos and accolades than any other but it never hosted the really big events.

“I think this type of golf certainly suits my game better than playing in the desert or something” said Kjeldsen.

But those events, prestigious as they may be, were minute in comparison to the 2015 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. Those events had the best amateur and best senior golfers in the world, but this event had some of the best golfers in the world in the prime of their careers. 300-yard drives, 250-yard irons and wedges designed to get them out of a dustbin. This week was total validation of Royal County Down as a major championship standard golf course, and it was total validation of the club as a venue for Tour events and potentially The Open.

Now, his fourth win, some six years after his most comfortable win at the Open de Andalucía, comes in one of the hardest weeks the European Tour has ever seen. At the end of the first round we had thirteen players under par, after Friday there were eight, through fiftyfour holes there were eleven and following a testing, pressure-packed final day we had just five players under par. It is testament to the character and skills of Soren Kjeldsen that he was one of those players each day and it is testament to this magnificent golf course that modern technology, fitness and styles could not bring it to its knees. In fact, Royal County Down brought them to their knees, Royal County Down was the real winner this week. For so long Royal County Down has been on the bucket lists of golfing tourists around the world, it was the course

In 1999 Royal County Down was given the privilege of hosting The Amateur Championship, from 2001 to 2003 the course was host to the Senior British Open and in 2007 the world’s best amateurs arrived for the Walker Cup.

Over 107,000 spectators attended Royal County Down this week, confirmation, if needed, that the Irish Open is back as one of the truly significant events in our game. On the subject of the 107,000 spectators, they are truly incredible. This week we had weather that probably most tournaments won’t see in a decade. We had a little sun, a lot of wind, showers that were really storms passing through, and hail and at the prize presentation we had some snow. Yet they stayed throughout, they stayed

an encouraged, cheered on and supported golfers they probably hadn’t heard of before and probably didn’t want to win. This week was one of the biggest success stories in European golf and so much of that has to do with the involvement of one man. The tournament host may not have made the cut, but Rory McIlroy was every bit the champion this week as he helped to deliver one of the most successful weeks the European Tour has ever seen. His influence enabled the tournament to recruit a new, ambitious and committed corporate backer in the shape of Dubai Duty Free; it helped to recruit several of the world’s greatest golfers to play in the tournament and it helped to energize the community and golf fans to make it a week to remember for Northern Ireland. 3 years ago at Royal Portrush was superb but it was really a peak in an otherwise very large trough in the history of the Irish Open. This week feels like a new beginning for this once great championship. Significant and global sponsors, a committed set of partners including the tourism boards of both Northern and the Republic of Ireland and a collection of enthusiastic global stars, who are ready to play in the Irish Open on an annual basis.

Royal County Down the star of one of golf’s greatest shows Many modern golf courses used by the tours of the world are designed to trip up the golfer, greens with crazy slopes and breaks, rough that is 6 inches thick just off the fairway and fairways which are either ludicrously narrow or incredibly wide. This week the golfers of the European Tour were presented with a fair but hard test. Much was made of the blind shots on the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 9thand 15th, as if Royal County Down is the only course with blind shots. The 2nd, 5th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 13th at Augusta National all have partially or entirely blind shots. This brought back the skill of caddying and the skill of the golfer to judge where to aim, making them have to execute the shot. The rough was very playable and only in certain spots was it so dense the ball could only be advanced a hundred yards or so. The greens were small and featured subtle breaks, heightening the skill level required to find the green and the skill of reading greens correctly. Players couldn’t just stand up and smash the ball onto the green, they had to seriously plot their way around these magnificent links. Many will say that the scoring would have been much lower had it been for the wind, it is

possibly the case that the winning score would have been a shot per round lower, but even without the wind these challenges still remain, the wind just makes it more difficult to execute. Not only was Royal County Down one of the most demanding tests of the year, it will surely be one of the most exhilarating experiences the players have all year. The 1st tee in the shadow of the Mourne’s and the view from behind the 1st green; the tee shot on the 2nd hole, where you feel as if you are perched on the edge of the Irish sea; The view from the third tee down one of the world’s great par fours; the awe-inspiring views from the fourth, eighth and ninth tees; the view as you walk over the imposing dune at the ninth hole and the walk down the back nine, which is framed by gorse and heather. This place is much like I imagine heaven to be, and at times it was much like I imagine hell to be as well. You can see the clouds gathering over the Mountains of Mourne, and in the next blink of an eye they are over you, these “showers” were 5-minute storms, with hail, pelting rain and even, at the presentation, a hint of snow. 5 minutes later you are back in heaven. Royal County Down has always been ranked very highly by other golf publications, and that was before an Irish Open had been played there. With new-found respect of many of the European Tour’s star players, and validation as a championship venue, surely its ranking will be even higher in the years to come.

Kjeldsen, Pepperell and Hatton qualify for The Open with performances at the 2015 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Soren Kjeldsen’s victory at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open gave him a three year exemption on the European Tour, and it also gave him a ticket to play in The Open next month. Kjeldsen was consistently in position to qualify throughout the week, but the other spots were constantly changing, with Germany’s Max Kieffer ruing a final day round of 77 which saw him miss out. Eddie Pepperell’s final round of 69 was enough to secure a playoff spot in the tournament, which in turn guaranteed his place in the field at The Open. Tyrell Hatton, playing in his second full season on the European Tour, finished in fourth place to secure Open qualification. Written by Matt Hooper, reporting for St Andrews Golf Magazine at the 2015 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation, at Royal County Down Golf Club. Matt is also a former Royal County Down Golf Club caddie.

The 115th Chambers Bay Report by Matt Hooper

Sensational Spieth set for superstar status after stunning success Masters champion adds US Open to 2015 Major haul; sets up shot at third in a row at The Open in St Andrews

ÂŠUSGA/Darren Carroll

2015 was billed as a Grand Year by us in the anticipation of Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson completing the career grand slam at The Masters and US Open, but following the year’s second major it is another shot at the grand slam that is on everyone’s minds. Since the start of 2013 Jordan Spieth has risen from 810th in the world to the undisputed world number 2, and last month at Chambers Bay he collected his second consecutive major title. He won the 115th US Open in remarkable fashion with a birdie-double bogey-birdie finish to edge Dustin Johnson by a shot in Washington State. Johnson, Spieth, Branden Grace and Jason Day were tied for the 54-hole lead on -4 but recent major success would be key for Spieth. “Whenever the heat’s on, my whole life, I’ve just kind of learned to focus a little more” said the 21-year-old Texan, who narrowed the gap to world number one, Rory McIlroy, with the victory. Jason Day kept up a gallant challenge for the title in spite of vertigo, but eventually fell away, and it seemed like Dustin Johnson, who had built a 2-stroke lead on the front nine, had crumbled on the back side. Heading into the last three holes Spieth was tied with Branden Grace on -5, only for the South African to push his tee shot on the driveable 16th out of bounds. Spieth made brave left-to-right putt for birdie on the same hole and from nowhere he had a three stroke lead with two holes to play.

Then it was Spiethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turn to show the nerves when contending for a major championship, he pushed his tee shot at the par three 17th into gnarly rough, leaving himself a very difficult recovery shot. He found the green but three putts later he was tied for the lead with Dustin Johnson, who birdied the 16th behind him. Spieth had the chance to post a stiff target for Johnson at the 18th, his second shot into the par five ended some 12 feet away from the hole, leading to a birdie and a 5-under-par total of 275. Johnson crushed his drive up the middle of the fairway and a 5-iron put him ten feet away from his first major championship, had he holed the eagle putt. He missed the putt and left himself some three feet to force a Monday playoff with Spieth. Inexplicably the winner of the 2015 WGCCadillac Championship missed and experienced yet more agony on a Major Sunday. For Spieth it was elation as he became just the sixth man to win The Masters and US Open in the same season. His win means that he and Rory McIlroy have combined to win the last four consecutive major championships heading to St Andrews.

ÂŠUSGA/Michael Cohen

©USGA/JD Cuban

Spieth walks away with US Open trophy but many walk away from Chambers Bay full of frustration and anger There can be little doubt or argument that the reasons the USGA chose Chambers Bay to host the US Open have their merits: The course is truly public and as so it makes the US Open a true national Open and it is in an area of the country which has never hosted a US Open before. However, the course and the condition of the course were not up to the standard that a major championship should set. Yes, we all crave something a little bit different from the normal through the air golf of the PGA Tour. But, that is what The Open Championship is for, not the US Open.

The course played as firm and fast as any links course, which is not a problem, but this had more the look of an Open than a US Open, it had more of an Open feel than a US Open too. The greens were severe, they were far too undulating, on some occasions this helped the players, but on many occasions it left them scratching their heads, and the condition of them should haunt the USGA and the owners of Chambers Bay forever. “Complete farce”, “Worst, most disgraceful surface”, “like putting on broccoli” were just some of the less harsh words used by the players when describing this year’s US Open course. Thankfully, we return to a proper US Open course in 2016. Oakmont for the ninth time.

The LPGA’s hot, hot summer

©Keith Allison

Park takes the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and makes history

Championship three straight years (20032005), while Berg won the Titleholders Championship in 1937, 1938, and 1939.

The KPMG Women's PGA Championship, second major of the year for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), promised to be a world-class for both the players and fans. A championship course and a world stage fulfilled the event’s needs and the goal of elevating women’s golf was accomplished. The PGA of America in close collaboration with the LPGA and their sponsor, KPMG, organized a first-class event where celebrating and empowering women was also one of the main purposes.

Players like Lexi Thompson and Sandra Gal caught fire and shot final rounds of 66 on Sunday to tied the low score of the week and finish in third place, at 12-under par. Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel also turned in notable scorecards to finish the championship at 11-under par and 10-under par respectively.

The players did their part on the Westchester Country Club course where Inbee Park played an outstanding golf and managed to claim her third straight KPMG PGA Women's Championship title with a 19-under par. Fans were able to witness the battle between Inbee and Sei Young Kim on Sunday, being Park who emerged triumphant after a final round of 68. With her three-peat Inbee made it into women's golf history and matched the record set by Annika Sorenstam and Patty Berg. Annika won the formerly known LPGA

"I do things that I can’t even believe," Park said Sunday night after conquering her sixth major victory. "I played great the last three days and I couldn't even believe myself, I made no bogeys for three days."

After her win at the second major of the year the 26-year-old South Korean player reclaimed the No.1 world ranking spot and overtook Lydia Ko, who missed the cut for the first time in 54 tour starts. This is Inbee’s third time as world’s number one; she held the position for the first time in 2013. The tour will get a week off and then head into a 4-week stretch where the Wal-Mart NW Arkansas Championship, U.S. Women's Open, Marathon Classic and the Meijer LPGA Classic will be played. Stacy Lewis will be the defending champion at Arkansas where she won in 2014 with 12-under par.

By Cristina Panama

©Keith Allison

The 70th

6-12 July, 2015 By Cristina Panama

Images ÂŠ USGA/ Fred Vuich

Prestige and class at the U.S. Women’s Open The third major of the year for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is up ahead on the calendar. After traveling around North America tour professionals will play one of the most prestigious events of the season, the U.S. Women’s Open. The 70th edition of the tournament will be held July 9th thru 12th at the Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This event is the oldest of the five majors on tour and also has the largest purse in women's golf, set at $4 million. The event began in 1946 and it has been considered a major since 1950, year in which the LPGA was founded. The United States Golf Association (USGA) will be conducting the tournament for the 62nd time. During it’s first three years the tournament was organized by the Women's Professional Golfers Association (WPGA) then by the LPGA four more years. American golfer Patty Berg was the winner at the inaugural event played at the Spokane Country Club in Spokane, Washington. During the 2014 edition Michelle Wie made her 11th appearance in the event at Pinehurst No. 2 and surprised us all by taking the title with 2under par. Wie’s career has been overwhelmed with big scenarios and high expectations that have cost her adjustments throughout the years. Her talent as a golfer was never questioned but she was not

performing at her highest level. With her title at the U.S. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Open Michelle is now part of the women's golf elite.

Championship Course The Lancaster Country Club was established 1900 and is considered one of Pennsylvania's oldest and finest private clubs. The Old Course was designed and shaped by William Flynn in 1920; it is made up by the Meadowcreek and Dogwood nines and considered the best 18hole combination. Players will need to have every part of the game in form due to the variety of shots that are required to succeed when playing in Lancaster. The course will be set up at 6,460 yards and will play to a par 70 (35-35).

Quality Field After 25 qualifying tournaments conducted around North America, Republic of China, England, Japan and the Republic of Korea only the best female golfers have earned a spot at the 2015 U.S. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Open. The starting field for this week is of 156 golfers that will battle their way thru the cut line after 36 holes. The low 60 scorers and ties will make it to the weekend. Professional golfers Alison Lee, Natalie Gulbis,

Alejandra Llaneza and Christel Boeljon are some of the players that secured a place in the field after playing at the different qualifiers. Amateurs Gaby Lopez and Emma Talley will also play in Lancaster after shooting 144 and 139, respectively. The rest of the golfers in the field were exempted based in multiple categories, which include winners of the past majors and the top 75 money leaders from the 2014 season. Fans will be able to follow some of the best players like Paula Creamer, Eun-Hee Ji, Cristie Kerr, Inbee Park, So Yeon Ryu, Stacy Lewis and Michelle Wie.

The leading contenders Defending champions are always one of the favourites to take the trophy home. Michelle Wie has been struggling with injuries all year long and has withdrawn from some of the season’s tournaments, raising doubts about whether she’ll be fit enough to defend her title. Among the favourites for this event is Inbee Park due to her recent victory at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Park managed to three-peat at the event and regained the No.1 spot in the world rankings. Stacy Lewis was runner-up in last year’s edition and along with Lydia Ko could also be considered as one of the favourites to win at the Lancaster Country Club.

Preview by Cristina Panama

Ricoh Women’s British Open: Same tradition different venue After a 4-week stretch on tour the fourth major of the year for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is here. The Ricoh Women’s British Open will be played July 30th thru August 2nd at the Trump Turnberry Resort in Turnberry, Scotland. This tournament was establish by the Ladies' Golf Union in 1976 and was envisioned to serve as the women's equivalent of The Open Championship. Until 2013 it was the only major recognized by both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour (LET). Two of the event’s editions (2007 and 2013) have been held at the prestigious Old Course of St Andrews. The 2007 tournament was a historic moment for women's golf. This was the first time that a women's professional event was ever played on the Old Course; being former world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa the winner with 5-under par. In last year’s edition it was Mo Martin who took the win after making an eagle on her final hole to finish 1-under par. Martin is known for her accuracy off from the tee (89.2 %) and the Royal Birkdale course suits her game perfectly. Some of the best players were still out on the course and Martin had to wait to be named the Women’s British Open winner. Suzann

Pettersen and Shanshan Feng finished tied for second with even par.

The Ailsa course The famous Ailsa course, named after the Marquess of Ailsa, who owned the land where it is built, will be the event’s host for the second time. In 2002 the British Open was played in this same course and it was the Australian Hall of Famer, Karrie Webb, who took the prestigious title. The Trump Turnberry Resort has also been the venue of major tournaments like The Open and the Senior Open Championship. The holes 7 and 17 are the only par fives on the course that regularly plays as a par 70 at 7,204 yards. Its iconic 18th hole was named Duel in the Sun in 2003 for the memorable finish between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus in 1977.

The field will be confirmed by a total of 144 players. A spot for the tournament is mostly granted based the performance from the golfers during the season on the LET and LPGA. Previous major champions or with a high ranking in the Women's World Golf Rankings will automatically have a place reserved for the event. Qualifying tournaments are also arranged during the year and the best scores are conceded a place in the field. Some of the past winners that would be playing this week will be Mo Martin, Stacy Lewis, Yani Tseng and Catriona Matthew. Players like Suzann Pettersen, Charley Hull, Lexi Thompson and Brittany Lincicome will also be part of the 21st edition of the tournament. After having a thumb injury during the last part of the 2014 season American player, Mo Martin, is back to full fitness and ready to defend her title. Despite not having the best start of the season Martin has managed to finish inside the top ten on one occasion and within the top fifteen in two events. We can count in Suzann Pettersen and Charley Hull among the favourites to take the win. Pettersen returned to the winner's circle in June and her coach change to Butch Harmon seems to have taken effect. While Hull, who won the LET Order of Merit in 2014, is considered one of Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stars.

As of July 1, 2015 OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING

RACE TO DUBAI

ROLEX RANKINGS

1 RORY MCILROY

1 INBEE PARK

2 JORDAN SPIETH

2 DANNY WILLETT

2 LYDIA KO

3 BUBBA WATSON

3 LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN

3 STACY LEWIS

4 DUSTIN JOHNSON

4 BRANDEN GRACE

4 HYO-JOO KIM

5 JIM FURYK

5 BYEONG-HUN AN

5 SUZANN PETTERSEN

6 HENRIK STENSON

6 SHANSHAN FENG

7 JUSTIN ROSE

7 ANNA NORDQVIST

8 JASON DAY

8 SO YEON RYU

9 RICKIE FOWLER

9 BRITTANY LINCICOME

10 SERGIO GARCIA

10 SEI YOUNG KIM

FEDEX CUP

RACE TO THE CME GLOBE

1 JORDAN SPIETH

1 INBEE PARK

2 JIMMY WALKER

2 LYDIA KO

3 BUBBA WATSON

3 SEI YOUNG KIM

4 DUSTIN JOHNSON

4 STACY LEWIS

5 RORY MCILROY

5 ANNA NORDQVIST

East Lothian Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golf Coast

By Marc Gentles

In association with

More and more visiting golfers to Scotland are taking advantage of the wonderful links courses on offer just 90 minutes from St Andrews on Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golf Coast, East Lothian. For centuries the game of golf has been played on traditional links courses such as Muirfield and the West Links at North Berwick. Whilst these are undoubtedly the most famous, there are a number of other great courses all offering a true links experience. This month we take a look at some of these courses, which ST ANDREWS GOLF TRAVEL builds into many of our toursâ&#x20AC;Ś Golf has been played over the links at GULLANE for more than 350 years. Today, Gullane Golf Club is one of Scotland's most prestigious member clubs, mixing the finest tradition with some of the most admired natural links land in the world. Gullane is blessed with superb turf and a climate that allows all year round golf. Host to the 2015 Scottish Open, visiting golfers enjoy dramatic coastal views over the Firth of Forth and on towards Edinburgh. Three courses are on offer including Gullane #1 (1884), which has a long history of hosting national and international championship golf including the 2013 Final Qualifying for The Open Championship. In addition Gullane #2 (1898) was laid out by the legendary Willie Park Jr and has also been used for Open Championship Qualifying as well as the Seniors Open Amateur.

LUFFNESS GOLF CLUB was established in l894 having been designed by Old Tom Morris. A challenging traditional links course, recently lengthened and with a second par 5 hole introduced, is a host for qualifying rounds of the Open Championship. However the main purpose of the Club remains to serve the needs of its members and visitors. The course can be hard – mighty hard – when the wind blows down the Forth and the rough is thick enough to whet the whistle of a hungry herd. There are distinctive bunkers too but, like all great courses, Luffness rewards the virtues

Scotland is a land of hidden gems – and for golfers KILSPINDIE GOLF CLUB is one of the finest, lying hidden among the nature reserve of Aberlady Bay, the quaint village of Aberlady, and the teaming waters of the Firth of Forth. Playing here you may witness sea-birds diving for food, migratory geese, and seals sunning on the sand. In the distance, you can see the profile of Edinburgh, its Castle, and the long extinct volcanic cone of Arthur’s Seat. The course is secreted away from the village via a few hundred yards of private, single-track road. Kilspindie is a favourite of any golfer who has played it: quick, deceptive greens; welldefined fairways; a good challenge, whatever your handicap! Kilspindie is reputed to be the 35th oldest golf club in the world, instituted in 1867.

LONGNIDDRY GOLF CLUB is another classic links in the heart of East Lothian. Mary Queen of Scots was known to be playing golf in the area of Longniddry in 1567 – ‘over the fields of Seton’ – shortly after the murder of Darnley and was admonished accordingly! It was another two hundred years, however, before the 7th Earl of Wemyss & March bought land at Gosford ‘to be nearer the golf’ and a further one hundred and fifty years before the 11th Earl of Wemyss invited Harry S. Colt to design and build 18 holes. Today the course occupies a modest 106 acres and measures 6,230 yards, but with four of the most celebrated course architects (Harry Colt, James Braid, Philip Mackenzie Ross and Donald Steele) having left their distinguished mark, it is always a joy to play.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for something a little newer, but equally enjoyable then THE RENAISSANCE CLUB will not disappoint. The club was founded on respect for the traditions of the game. Tom Doak was hired to create a world-class course with regard to his renowned ability to move very little earth; showcasing the natural features of an incredible property such as Renaissance. Today the course offers a tremendous test of golf and is hopeful of staging numerous national and international tournaments in the future

COMING IN AUGUST

TWELVE MONTHS UNTIL GOLF RETURNS TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES Plus REVIEW OF THE OPEN