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Packer, Player and the ‘fifth major’ This month, we share more excerpts from the recently-launched golf book Bump & Run: at the feet of the masters. Andrew Crockett ed@insidegolf.com.au
The Australian Open has a rich history. Beginning in Sydney at The Australian Golf Club (1904) as ‘The Australasian Open’ it now stands as one of the oldest National opens in the world of golf. Grand Slam golf champion, Gary Player, is the most prolific winner of the Australian Open tournament with seven victories. The great Jack Nicklaus won the tournament six times, Australians Greg Norman and Ivo Whitton (Amateur) won the tournament five times. The illustrious list of champions also includes major golf champions Gene Sarazen, Jim Ferrier, Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Bill Rogers, David Graham, Mark Calcavecchia, Steve Elkington, Geoff Ogilvy and Adam Scott. The 1960s and 1970s were the ‘golden era’ of professional golf in Australia, attracting the biggest names from around the world to come and win the Australian Open. In 1971 Nicklaus shot 19-underpar at Royal Hobart to beat a stellar field by eight shots and during his victory speech he referred to the Australian Open as ‘the fifth Major’. Australia was one of the premiere golf manufacturing countries in the 1960s with companies like PGF, East Bros and Slazenger making the best golf clubs on Earth. We made our own golf balls as well. It made financial sense for the big companies to pay their stars like Nicklaus, Player and Palmer to come to Australia and fine-tune the equipment. While the best golfers on Earth were in Australia promoting the brands they would also play the big tournaments, The Australian Open being the most coveted. There were other big money tournaments like the Wills Masters, Ampol and McWilliams wines tournaments that in the 60s had a bigger first prize than the British Open. Golf was humming in Australia. Kerry Packer entered the fray in the 70s, and thanks to him, Australia had the best television coverage of pro golf in the world. From the days when Ivo Whitton won five times to the historic battles between Jim Ferrier and Ossie Pickworth, to Thomson toppling the Americans it seemed the Australian Open had a continual rise in the arena of world golf…but then what happened? In 2013 the tournament struggles to keep up with prizemoney for National Opens in non-golfing nations like Turkey ($7 million in 2013). How did it all change so much? I spent a couple of years asking all sorts of people their opinions and the conclusions are quite intriguing. The Australian Open can climb back to where it belongs. With all those names on the trophy,
Seven-time Australian Open Champion Gary Player at the 1974 Australian Open, Lake Karrinyup CC - Perth. (Photo courtesy of Black Knight International archives) one would hope that all we need to do is put up the adequate prizemoney and the rest will take care of itself. Here are just a few of the many viewpoints from some of the greats of the game. “Well, back in the 1960s and ’70s, I came to Australia almost every year, and I not only enjoyed the trip because I loved the country, but I enjoyed my ability to play well down there. I had a great relationship with Slazenger. I think Slazenger was very important to bringing Gary Player and me to Australia. I think they were very important to the growth of the game in Australia, particularly Noel Morris who ran Slazenger at the time. He was a very forwardthinking, aggressive gentleman who I happened to like very much. He also did a good job in those years with the company. We looked at the Australian Open as being the fifth Major at that time. Unfortunately, with what’s happened with the global landscape in golf, countries with the population of Australia have a hard time competing on the world tournament stage. Australia, however, still produces a number of wonderfully talented golfers, including this year’s Masters Tournament winner Adam Scott, and a tremendous number of good athletes continue to represent their country well.’ Jack Nicklaus (1964, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1978 Australian Open champion). “Ah look, that whole Packer affair … I played a practice round with Jack Nicklaus and I talked to him about appearance money and all the rest of it. At that time the Australian Open was probably the equivalent of the third or fourth biggest tournament in America. Kerry Packer was putting up the dough. Jack said he thought the
Australian Open should be able to stand up on its own two feet as one of the biggest tournaments in the world, one that the best players in the world want to win. Jack actually went back after that practice round and gave his appearance money back saying he wanted it added to the prize money. Tournament director Tony Charlton said, “You can’t do that.” Jack said, “I’m doing it and I want it to go into the prizemoney pool.” And so it was …” Jack Newton (1979 Australian Open champion). “The worst thing to ever happen to Australian golf … I think the AGU did themselves a dis-service when they got offside with Kerry Packer in regards to the Australian Open. The way Kerry had the tournament run, by bringing out players like Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and the best players in the world and also put up the money for the tournament and televise every hole … with a camera on every hole it was the best televised tournament in the world. It also had the best television commentary in the world. For the AGU to get offside with somebody who was so involved and interested in promoting Australia, through the game of golf and the way he did it … was just absolutely unreal.” Norman Von Nida (1950, 1952 & 1953 Australian Open champion). •
Bump & Run: At the feet of the Masters
Australian author Andrew Crockett, a 3 handicap golfer, has spent two years interviewing many of the elders and legends of golf. With the assistance of Golf Australia, The Australian PGA, Inside Golf, The NSW State Library, The National Archives of Australia and players’ personal photo collections, the book boasts over 200 vintage images dating as far back as the late 1800’s. Prolific Australian watercolour artist Robert A. Wade (OAM) has kindly added his unique eye for art along with several young artists including Jamie Kasdaglis who painted the cover in a vintage 1930s poster art style. With a foreword by 2013 US Masters champion Adam Scott, the book spans 246 pages, houses 11 chapters and over 50 contributors from around the world. RRP: $50 www.bumpandrun.com.au
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December 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au