On paper, there is nothing especially intriguing about the 2014 Ryder Cup. Historians looking at a list of scores 100 years from now will see nothing more than the continuation of a pattern — a European blowout win at home. And because the final score was so lopsided, these hypothetical historians won’t even be able to read about a hero on the course, or to pinpoint a critical dramatic moment. Without knowing the details of how the blowout came to be, it would be easy to conclude that the Gleneagles Ryder Cup was, well … boring. In fact, those who remember 2014 will recall that this event teemed with melodrama, the most memorable bit playing out when Phil Mickelson made a very public rebuke of US captain Tom Watson — while Watson was sitting on the same stage — during the post-match press conference. If the score on the course looked rather bland by the time Sunday singles came to an end, the intrigue behind closed doors was exquisite.

On one side, you had a US system reeling from decades of losing, the particular heartbreak of blowing a big Sunday lead to the Europeans at home at Medinah in 2012 still fresh in everyone’s collective minds. That led Ted Bishop, PGA of America president, to make the maverick move of naming Watson to the captaincy in 2014. Not only was Watson beloved in Scotland as a five-time Open winner, but he was also the last American captain to win on European soil, back in 1993. In theory, the appointment made sense.

The problem was, Watson was seriously disconnected from modern players, and his instinctual approach to strategy and leadership would end up being very much at odds with what the Ryder Cup required. And it was Watson’s bad luck that on the European side, the captain who survived a tense nomination process would prove to be a brilliant strategist who plotted out his team’s manoeuvers to the last detail. Paul McGinley’s candidacy was challenged by both Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie, but when he was chosen, he set to work unleashing a comprehensive two-year battle plan designed to come together in Scotland.

Paul McGinley. Ian MacNicol

Watson had no idea what he was in for, and the ensuing debacle was notable for how precisely it showcased America’s Ryder Cup shortcomings in the most unflattering light. Decades of mismanagement were magnified, and when it was over, a public confrontation almost felt inevitable. And the great irony about Gleneagles is that by delivering such a thorough beating to the Americans, Paul McGinley and the Europeans may have woken them up for good.

The post The Massacre at Gleneagles: When Paul McGinley schooled Tom Watson at the Ryder Cup appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Amazingly, that wasn’t the case for one UK auction house, which mistook the autograph of the 15-time major champ for another legendary golfer with the same initials, Tom Watson. Whoops.

RELATED: Rare Tiger red shirt to fetch record interest at auction
Gold-plated Ping putters going quick

Not surprisingly, that mix-up made a big difference in the value of a signed golf ball. And one lucky/savvy collector took advantage of the situation. Thanks to Twitter’s “The Collectibles Guru” for spotting the error that led to a $3,000 pay day:

This Tiger Woods signed golf ball was mislabeled by a UK auction house as a Tom Watson autograph.

A savvy collector noticed this, bought the signed ball for $43, and just sold it for $3,037 at Golden Age Auctions. pic.twitter.com/nhVdYYAiOq

— The Collectibles Guru ? (@ericwhiteback) December 12, 2022

It’s not the $5.15 million that Tiger’s irons from 2000-2001 sold for earlier this year, but three grand is a nice haul.

So how did this happen? Well, other than the obvious “TW” confusion — and the fact that 99 percent of autographs are illegible — Titlelist golf balls signed by Tiger are rare. Woods switched to using a Nike ball in 2000 and signed with Bridgestone in 2016 after Nike shuttered its golf equipment business. Tom Watson, on the other hand, played Titleist golf balls for most of his career.

Regardless, it was an expensive bogey. And the latest reminder that in the world of golf — and golf memorabilia — there’s Tiger Woods, and then there’s everyone else.

The post Tiger Woods-Tom Watson golf ball mix-up leads to lucrative find for one collector appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

We’d love to hand out actual turkeys to each and every one of our honourees, but have you seen how much turkeys cost these days? Instead, we’ll continue to simply name golf’s biggest turkeys of the year — especially because there were a LOT of them in 2022. Let’s get to it.

Mito Pereira

We’re going to try to keep these light for the most part, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the guy who let a major championship trophy slip through his hands as if it was covered in turkey grease. All Pereira had to do on the final hole at Southern Hills to NOT lose in regulation was to NOT hit his golf ball into that creek down the right side … and he hit it in the creek.
Justin Thomas should really send him a turkey with all the trimmings as a thank you.

Danny Willett

Winning is hard.

3 putts from 4 feet and Danny Willett loses by a stroke. pic.twitter.com/mfljIjUAOt

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 18, 2022

Similarly, Willett had an all-time crushing loss when he went from having a four-footer for birdie and an easy win at the Fortinet Championship to three-putting and losing.
The only good thing for Danny is that it was the Fortinet Championship and not the PGA Championship, so not as many people will remember him losing as they will Mito. It didn’t help that Max Homa chipped in before Danny’s disastrous three-putt, and to Danny’s credit, he handled the situation as well as could be expected. But still, you can’t lose that tournament.

Sergio Garcia

Official W/D reason given https://t.co/dK93E4cxuV pic.twitter.com/bgs1rO8JfD

— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) September 10, 2022

Just like you can’t beg to play in the DP World Tour’s flagship event and then WD after you get off to a bad start and while the tournament, being held in England, has been delayed because of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Making matters worse, Garcia then showed up in Austin, Texas, for a UT football game that Saturday while the event played on (something he was later fined for).
Bad look.

Timothy Kelly

Worst bogey I’ve made all season. Left my golf shirts hanging in my hotel room in Huntsville. Time to suffer the consequences and drive back to get them. Luckily only 1.5 hours away

— Tee-k Kelly (@teekkelly) May 2, 2022

OK, let’s get into the “forgetful tour pro” portion of the menu. First, we have Kelly, AKA Tee-K, who forgot his entire golf wardrobe in his hotel. Tough. But at least Turkey, we mean, Tee-K got them all back. After spending a good amount of gas money, that is.

Adam Schenk

Nice round for a guy that missed his flight on Monday morning because he forgot his golf clubs at home when we left for the airport.

— Kourtney Schenk (@Kourtney_Schenk) October 27, 2022

And then there’s this guy, who forgot his golf clubs at home when traveling to a tournament. Yep, his golf clubs. How is that possible?! Thanks to Adam’s wife, Kourtney, for always keeping him in check. We’d say tour pros are just like us, but I don’t know any golfer who would forget his clubs going on a golf trip.

Syed Zaki

This guy is definitely NOT a tour pro, but apparently he said he was before playing in a PGA Tour pre-qualifier, where he fired a 69. For nine(!) holes. As you can see, he did manage to birdie a 231-yard par 3. Impressive. Before making 17 on the following hole. Impressive for different reasons. Hopefully, Zaki will be better vetted before trying to “compete” in another qualifier. Our thoughts go out to his playing partners that day. And anyone playing behind his group.

Whoever set up this pin

Today at the Girls 3A State Golf Tournament at The River Valley Golf Course in Adel, the average score on hole 18 was a quadruple bogey.

No, the golfers weren't bad, but this had to have been the most unfair pin placement I've ever seen. This slope gave the athletes no chance. pic.twitter.com/F7OyqIjbkO

— Jake Brend (@JakeBrendTV) May 28, 2022

There were plenty of high numbers at the Iowa Girls 3A State Golf Tournament as well, but they were mostly due to one of the most devilish pin positions in history on the 18th hole of the River Valley Golf Course in Adel.

Matt Moroz

Basically, Moroz was DQd from Korn Ferry Q-School for cheating. Multiple times. Across multiple days. And in multiple ways. “Finding” golf balls that had no way of being found? Check. “Finding” golf balls at the bottom of the cup that never had a chance of going in? Check. Bottom line, if you ever find yourself playing with this guy for any type of stakes, you better keep an eye on him.

Tom Watson

#gokartrollover#leftshoulderreplacement#foryoungerguys Thank you to my doc Felix (Buddy) Savoie and his great team #nopain! pic.twitter.com/wNjjf3d3KZ

— Tom Watson (@TomWatsonPGA) November 19, 2022

We never thought we’d be writing about this eight-time major winner riding a go-kart. That being said, if you told us Watson was going to ride a go-kart, we wouldn’t have been surprised that he’d wind up getting hurt doing so. Tom, you’re 73! Your go-kart days are well behind you! We shouldn’t have to tell you that!

Bryson DeChambeau

Bryson just got DEMOLISHED by a rope. ? pic.twitter.com/x6e4b0ixah

— Rick Golfs (@Top100Rick) September 18, 2022

Then again, you don’t have to be doing a dangerous activity to sustain an injury. You can be doing something like playing golf. Or, really, just walking. Such was the case with Bryson, who gave golf fans the biggest blooper of 2022 when he walked into a gallery rope at the LIV event outside of Chicago — and then acted like he’d been shot in the face:
Poor guy. At least, not too many people noticed. Kidding! Everyone in the world seemed to notice. Well, at least everyone on Golf Twitter.

Katie Sigmond

Speaking of viral moments, TikTok star Katie Sigmond treated her six million followers to a golf shot into the Grand Canyon. But after launching a golf ball — and part of her club — into this treasured landmark, she got slapped with three misdemeanours and a court appearance.
Apparently, the people at the United States National Parks System are as protective of their surroundings as the people at Augusta National.

Anyway, try not to do anything too dumb. We’ll be monitoring — for next year’s list.

You may also like:
Rare data shows how dominant Tiger was some 20-odd years ago
All you need to know on the new golf rules for 2023
Cam Smith right at home at Australian PGA Championship
Gainer leads the way at LET finale in Spain
Adam Scott making big changes for 2023
Cameron Smith eyes winning return to Australia
‘I thought I was dying. How golf kept me going’
PGA Tour University star earns trip to Dubai Desert Classic
Jumeirah Golf Estates secures 10-year deal for DPWTC
City boss Pep enjoys World Cup break in UAE
LOOK: Augusta’s new-look 13th hole revealed
Was Rory at his best in 2022? Take a look at the stats
Tiger’s latest victory in PGA Tour 2022 PIP standings
Legends of the fall: Rory and DJ among the big winners this autumn
Gareth Bale’s crafty World Cup golf hack
Take a look at the players who have qualified for the 2023 Masters — as it stands
Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup returns
LOOK: Rare Tiger Woods shirt up for auction
DP World Tour ‘Race to Dubai’ to return from 2023
LOOK: Prize money payouts at DP World Tour Championship
Rory deserves to brag after DP World Tour triumph
Rahm raises the bar with third DPWTC

The post Bryson DeChambeau, Tom Watson and a law-breaking social-media star: Golf’s biggest turkeys from 2022 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

#gokartrollover#leftshoulderreplacement#foryoungerguys Thank you to my doc Felix (Buddy) Savoie and his great team #nopain! pic.twitter.com/wNjjf3d3KZ

— Tom Watson (@TomWatsonPGA) November 19, 2022

According to a report by Golfweek, Watson was hurt on November 14 when the go-kart he was riding on his Kansas farm rolled over. Watson refers in his tweet to having a left shoulder replacement, the surgery performed on November 18 at Tulane Medical Centre in New Orleans by Dr. Felix “Buddy” Savoie, chairman of the school’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. A bio on the Tulane Orthopedics website lists Savoie as an expert in the areas of shoulder and elbow surgery and sports medicine.

Watson was planning to play in next month’s PNC Championship with his son Michael. In July, the five-time Open champion and eight-time major winner participated in the R&A’s Celebration of Champions during the 150th Open at St Andrews. And in January, be played in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai on the PGA Tour Champions, where he finished 41st in the 42-man field.

While Watson jokingly noted on his Twitter post that go-karts are #foryoungerguys, his favourite hobby in recent years has been horse-cutting, an active endeavour that is essentially separating and tracking a calf from the herd without using the reins. It was an activity that his wife Hilary, who passed away in 2019 after battling pancreatic cancer, got Watson involved with.

You may also like:
LOOK: Prize money payouts at DP World Tour Championship
Rory deserves to brag after DP World Tour triumph
Rahm raises the bar with third DPWTC
How Lydia Ko returned to LPGA glory
Get your FREE November issue of Golf Digest Middle East here
All set for showdown at JGE
How Bryson dropped 20 pounds with new diet
Look DPWTC Day 3 tee times
Fitzpatrick holds upperhand as Rory roars
PGA Tour to lose long-time and loyal sponsor
How South Australia landed the LIV gig
Who needs to do what to win DP World Tour Rankings race?
Rahm slates ‘laughable’ OWGR, open to LIV Golf players earning ranking points

The post Tom Watson undergoes left shoulder replacement surgery after go-kart accident appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
What might have been? That’s what Mito Pereira will be thinking for a while in the wake of the 104th PGA Championship. With 71 holes down, and one to play at Southern Hills, the 27-year-old from Chile needed a par on the home hole to close out a one-stroke win and become the first golfer from his homeland to win a major championship.

Instead, his drive found the creek right of the hole, and he could do no better than double bogey. Rather than of joining a list of rookies to win in their first PGA Championship appearance, he joins an ignominious group of golfers who have seen a major slip from their hands on the 72nd hole.

And, oh, what a group it is. Here are some of the most memorable 72nd-hole men’s major collapses:

Sam Snead, 1939 US Open
It was the one that got away for Snead after making a triple-bogey on the 18th hole at Philadelphia Country Club, falling two strokes back of a playoff between Byron Nelson, Craig Wood and Denny Shute. Snead never won a US Open, keeping him from being another member of the career Grand Slam club.

Ben Hogan, 1946 Masters
Herman Keiser’s three-putt on the 18th gave Hogan a birdie chance for the title. But then Hogan three-putted himself from from 12 feet for bogey that allowed Keiser to claim his lone major championship title. Hogan would get redemption with Masters wins in 1951 and 1953.

Gary Player. Bettman

Arnold Palmer, 1961 Masters
Palmer looked like he would be the first repeat winner at Augusta National, needing just a par on the 18th hole. After hitting the fairway, Palmer pushed his approach into a greenside bunker. He hit his third off the green, failed to get his fourth anywhere near the hole. An eventual double bogey allowed Gary Player to win and become the first international player to slip on a green jacket.

Doug Sanders, 1970 Open Championship
A short miss for par on the 18th at the Old Course cost Sanders the Claret Jug, dropping him into a playoff with Jack Nicklaus that he would lose the next day. Standing over the par putt, Sanders picked at a piece of brown grass, but then never restarted his putting routine, burning the right edge with his putt for victory.

Ed Sneed, 1979 Masters
Three shots in front with three holes left, Sneed proceeded to bogey 16, 17 and 18. It dropped him into a playoff with Fuzzy Zoeller and Tom Watson, the first of the sudden-death variety rather than a full 18 holes. Zoeller’s birdie on the second extra hole made him the second Masters rookie (and most recent) to win the green jacket.

Jean van de Velde. Getty Images

Jean Van de Velde, 1999 Open Championship
The Frenchman had a three-shot cushion stepping on to the 18th at Carnoustie, then proceeded to make all sorts of mistakes, starting with driver off the tee and then a third shot into the Barry Burn, en route to a triple-bogey 7. He could have made amends in a playoff, but eventually fell to Paul Lawrie.

Phil Mickelson.

Phil Mickelson, 2006 US Open
The most painful of Mickelson’s six runner-up finishes in the US Open came at Winged Foot, where Lefty needed a par to win, but hit a wayward drive, hit a tree with his second shot and tripped up with a double bogey to miss a playoff.

Tom Watson, 2009 Open Championship
A sixth Claret Jug and the honour of being the oldest winner of a major championship was there for the 59-year-old at Turnberry if he was able to make par on the 18th. But his approach just went long and he couldn’t get up-and-down from back of the green. He then fell to Stewart Cink in a four-hole aggregate playoff.

Dustin Johnson. Getty Images

Dustin Johnson, 2010 PGA Championship
DJ birdied the 16th and 17th at Whistling Straits for a one-shot lead, but pushed his drive on the 18th into a waste area. Surrounded by fans, he hit his approach to the green, and scrambled for bogey to seemingly get into a playoff with Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson. But rules officials alerted him behind the 18th green he actually grounded his club in the sand, which was a breach of Rule 13.4 and added two more strokes to his score.

You might also like:
Rory and the PGA have a major problem
18 takeaways from the PGA Championship
Justin has a drive to win
Mito the surprise leader at PGA Championship
Tiger withdraws ahead of PGA Championship final round
Zalatoris putting things right
McIlroy misses big chance at PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy swing analysis
Is Tiger’s style holding him back?
Rory leads the way at Southern Hills
Forget Dubai, check out the prices for drinks at PGA Championship
Dubai golfer Amelia McKee going pro

The post The most infamous 72nd-hole collapses in men’s major championship history appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By E. Michael Johnson
AUGUSTA — As Tom Watson prepares to join Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as honorary starters for the 2022 Masters, the significance of joining a select group hasn’t been lost on him.

“It’s such a great honour to tee it up with Jack and Gary,” Watson told Golf Channel in January. “They are icons in the game of golf.”

Although the honorary starters are at Augusta National in a ceremonial capacity, they are indisputably a hefty part of the tournament’s lore. It is why patrons, media and even numerous tour pros make sure to arrive plenty early on Thursday morning and head to the first tee as soon as allowed to grab a spot. It is watching history in person.

The tradition began in 1963 with Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod tabbed to do the honours. For nearly a decade leading up to that year, the pair often played nine or 18 holes together before withdrawing. The move to honorary starters merely formalised the arrangement.

Although neither won the Masters, both were major championship winners and had a connection to Augusta National. Hutchison won the 1937 PGA Seniors’ Championship and McLeod won the same event a year later — the only two times the tournament was held at Augusta National. Hutchison held the role until 1973 when he was 88 years old. McLeod continued alone until 1976 when he was 93.

After a brief hiatus, Chairman Hord Hardin revived the tradition in 1981 with Byron Nelson and Gene Sarazen taking on the role. Both among the game’s all-time greats, Nelson was a two-time Masters champion and Sarazen the owner of the greatest shot in tournament history, the albatross on No. 15 in 1935 that allowed him to tie Craig Wood and win in a playoff. In the early years of their tenure as starters they would not only strike the ceremonial swat, but like McLeod and Hutchison, play nine holes before retiring.

A little-known honorary starter fact is that Ken Venturi, who twice nearly won the Masters as an amateur, pinch-hit for Nelson in 1983 as Nelson was tending to his wife, who was ill. Other than that blip, Nelson, Sarazen and Sam Snead, who joined the pair in 1984, proved a fixture in opening the tournament, providing incredible cachet to the ceremony and making it a can’t-miss event.

Honorary starter Sam Snead watches as Gene Sarazen tees off during the 1984 Masters Tournament. Augusta National

The trio got the Masters off and running until 1999 before Sarazen passed shortly after that year’s Masters at 97. Nelson stopped after 2001, saying, “OK ball, one more time” before striking a reasonably solid final shot for an 89-year-old. Snead kept up the tradition one more year, with unfortunately an ugly flare to the right that struck a patron as his final swing at Augusta National. He passed the following month at 89.

The tradition lay dormant for a few years until Chairman Billy Payne asked Arnold Palmer — who played his first round in the Masters with Sarazen — to take on responsibilities. Although Palmer stopped competing in 2004, it took the four-time Masters champion a few years to come to grips with coming to Augusta National in a non-competing role.

“When I quit, I just wanted to think about not playing in the Masters, and get over that, and then I would be ready,” he said in 2007. “I’m ready.” Palmer also was asked at the time if he would twist Chairman Payne’s arm to have Nicklaus and Player join him. “To let them join me or to tell them to stay the hell away?” he joked.

Palmer went solo for a few years but in the lead-up to the 2010 Masters, Palmer asked Payne to have Nicklaus join him and the six-time Masters champion, who once said he did not want to be a ceremonial golfer, readily accepted the invitation.

“Billy called me and said that Arnold would like to have me do it with him,” said Nicklaus. “I’m old enough now, I can do that.”

In 2012, Gary Player completed ‘The Big Three’ by being asked to join the pair, a significance Player fully understood.

“Teeing off with Arnold and Jack is going to be very special,” said Player, a three-time Masters winner and the tournament’s first international champion. “I go back to Jock Hutchison. I always loved the history of golf. I stood there and watched Jock Hutchison hit off the first tee and watched that incredible swing of Sam Snead hit off the first tee. It’s got a lot of wonderful memories for me.”

Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer on the first tee at Augusta. Andrew Redington

The threesome started the tournament each year until 2016, when Palmer informed the club he could no longer continue in the role. That didn’t stop Palmer from being part of the proceedings, however.

“I plan to go out to the first tee with the chairman on Thursday morning and watch Jack and Gary sweat it out and hit the shots,” he said. And indeed, Palmer was there in his green jacket to join them. Palmer passed later that year and Nicklaus saluted Palmer during the 2017 ceremony by lifting his hat and raising it in the air as he looked toward the sky in perhaps the ceremony’s most emotional moment.

In 2021, Lee Elder joined Nicklaus and Player, and although he did not strike a shot due to physical limitations, his presence served as a poignant reminder of his legacy as the first Black man to play in the Masters in 1975.

Now it’s Watson’s turn, and it is certain to hold nearly as much meaning as his two Masters titles. Watson, who regularly plays with Nicklaus and Player in the Par 3 Contest, put the green jacket on Player in 1978. He also made sure to get a photo with Snead and Nelson in 2001 during Nelson’s swansong.

Now Watson joins the club and gains a new appreciation for the significance of being an honorary starter. Play away, please.

MORE
How will the amateurs get on at Augusta?
Every Tiger Woods Masters record
Our favourite groups to follow at the Masters
The entire field at Augusta, ranked

The post Masters 2022: The history of honorary starters — from Jock Hutchison to Tom Watson appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Joel Beall
Augusta National Golf Club announced Tuesday that Tom Watson will become an Honorary Starter beginning at this year’s Masters in April.

A two-time winner of the green jacket, Watson will join Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player for the opening tee-shot ceremony.

“I am honoured that Tom has accepted our invitation,” said Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters. “I look forward to commemorating his love for the game and impact on the Masters with his millions of fans across the globe as he hits a tee shot alongside two of the tournament’s other all-time greats, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.”

Added Watson: “​​Augusta National in April is one of my favourite places to be. With the many fond memories of both watching the Masters as a youngster and then competing in the tournament for so many years, I am greatly honoured to join my friends and fellow competitors, Jack and Gary, as an Honorary Starter in this upcoming Masters. In both of my victories, Jack was on my heels. And when Gary won his third tournament in 1978, I was there to help him put on the green jacket. Moments like those stand out in my career, and the opportunity to share the Honorary Starter tradition with Jack, Gary and the Masters patrons will be very special.”

Watson won his first Masters in 1977, birdieing the 17th hole to ultimately beat Nicklaus by two shots. He again bested Nicklaus by two (along with Johnny Miller) to capture the 1981 title. He also came in second three times. During a 15-year stretch starting with his 1977 win to 1991, Watson finished T-7 or better on 11 occasions; his “worst” outing in that stretch was a T-14.

Watson made 42 consecutive appearances at Augusta National. Only Nicklaus has more total under-par rounds, with Watson holding the record for most consecutive years (21) with at least one under-par score. His 72.74 scoring average is fifth-best in tournament history.

The tradition of Honorary Starters at the Masters began in 1963 with Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod—players who won the PGA Seniors’ Championship at Augusta National in 1937 and 1938—starting the tournament with ceremonial tee shots. Other players who have been Honorary Starters include Byron Nelson, Gene Sarazen, Ken Venturi, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Nicklaus, Player and Lee Elder.

The 2022 Masters begins April 7. Hideki Matsuyama is the defending champ.

The post Masters 2022: Tom Watson named Honourary Starter appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Huggan
CARNOUSTIE, Scotland — It is April 2018 and 12-year-old Maggie Whitehead is sitting at home in northeast England watching the Drive, Chip and Putt competition the Sunday prior to the Masters at Augusta National. “That looks like fun,” thought the youngster. “I’d love to play in that. So why don’t we have something similar over here in the United Kingdom?”

In search of an answer, Maggie wrote a letter to a man in St. Andrews. And that is how her on-going relationship with R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers began. Intrigued by the passion in her words, Slumbers—an enthusiastic advocate for bringing more young girls into golf—replied, inviting the then 7-handicapper to Carnoustie for the Open Championship.

That was exciting enough, but there was more to come.

“The highlight for me was meeting Tom Watson,” says Whitehead, now 15. “That was incredible. And such a great memory. Everything that has happened since I wrote that letter has been unbelievable. I didn’t know I was going to meet Tom until he walked through the door. I just knew I had a surprise waiting for me. We met in the media centre. I watched him do a radio interview. Then he interviewed me, and I interviewed him. That was really cool. I got to ask him about all his past experiences in the Open, which was really interesting. Just to hear him talk was wonderful. For me to see a legend like him in person was next level.”

Speaking of which, Maggie has moved onwards and upwards over the last three years. The 7-handicapper is gone—“for a while, I had a streak going where I cut my handicap in half every year from the age of 9,” she says—replaced by one who is the English Girls Under-16 champion and plays off plus-4. And this week she is back in Carnoustie, again at Slumbers’ invitation, where she played in the Tuesday pro-am preceding the AIG Women’s Open alongside her correspondent and LPGA pro Jessica Korda.

“I have kept an eye on Maggie’s progress, which has been considerable,” says Slumbers, who was regularly outdriven by his young partner. “Today was the first time we’ve played together though. I wish I was 15 years old again. I was very impressed. She has such a modern, powerful game. She strikes the ball really well and is fearless … unlike me over 60-yard shots. As I said to her on the way round, she needs to take her time before moving up through the grades. After she does her GCSE exams next year, senior golf is another level. She’ll find more girls who can play as well as she does. That’s the next test. And if she is good enough, she’ll keep moving on. But she has a great attitude. And she’s great fun.”

David Cannon/R&A
Whitehead and Slumbers played for the first time together in the pro-am on Tuesday ahead of this week’s AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie.

Indeed, Slumbers’ assessment is hard to fault, Whitehead’s long and straight driving especially striking. Off a tee that was admittedly well forward, she all-but-drove the green at the par-4 fifth, saving Slumbers the trouble of sweating over yet another 60-yard pitch. All of which was achieved with the classic confidence of someone in the middle of a purple patch of form. As well as claiming that Under-16 title, Whitehead was fourth in this year’s English Under-18 mixed championship and third in the Under-18 event for girls.

“I’m pretty happy with my overall record,” she says. “I’ve finished in the top 10 at every event I’ve played in 2021. Next year I won’t play as much though. I have my exams to focus on. I will be going to America in 2024 to look at a college. But that is something to look forward to. Collegiate golf is really the next level for amateurs.”

There might be something else in Whitehead’s future, too. Slumbers clearly knows a good thing when he sees it and an offer has already been made for the pair to compete in the Sunningdale Foursomes next year. In that event, men and women, professionals and amateurs compete alongside and against each other.

“I’m glad Maggie wrote her letter,” Slumbers says with a smile. “And I’m glad I replied as I did. The great thing about the R&A is that we have the ability to fulfil some dreams and let people have a chance. I couldn’t be more proud of Maggie. She has grabbed that chance with both hands.”

The post Meet the 15-year-old girl who has the ear of the most influential person at the R&A appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
A win is a win is a win. And when it’s a major, it doesn’t matter if you finish bogey-bogey to take the title, the key is to take the title.

But Jon Rahm went birdie-birdie on the 71st and 72nd hole of the U.S. Open on Sunday to cap a closing 67 at Torrey Pines and grab his first career major. And finishing birdie-birdie to win the U.S. Open isn’t just a spectacular accomplishment, but a rare one.

Correction, a VERY rare accomplishment. Only three times in the 120 previous playings of the championship has the winner finished with a pair of red circles to close things out.

To become the fourth then is a pretty big deal for the 26-year-old Spaniard. And it’s even more impressive when you actually realise who the other three are.

Turns out the first U.S. Open champion to win with back-to-back birdies was a man who became synonymous with the championship, Ben Hogan. He did it at Oakmont in 1953.

The next golfer to accomplish the feat? How about Jack Nicklaus, who did it when he won his fourth career U.S. Open title in 1980 at Baltusrol.

And the third golfer? Another all-time great in Tom Watson, who did it 39 years ago to the day at Pebble Beach.

Hogan, Nicklaus and Watson … pretty solid company to be keeping.

The post How Jon Rahm is now forever linked with Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Just as with the previous posts, I’ve relied on the knowledge of an able historian to help me navigate this difficult question. My guru on this journey was Laurie Rae, Senior Curator at the R&A. Mr. Rae gave generously of his time to help winnow 148 Opens down to the “best” 15. The wisdom is all his, the perceived errors in ranking all mine. Let’s begin!

15. 1954, Peter Thomson, Royal Birkdale

If there are two historical golfers who merit more attention than they get, they are Peter Thomson and Bobby Locke. Rae didn’t want to use the word “forgotten,” but I will. At least in America, Thomson and Locke don’t get the credit they deserve, possibly because neither took home an American major and possibly because they missed the early peak of televised golf. But for a period in the 1950s, they were dominant at the Open, winning eight of 10 claret jugs between 1949 and 1958. The ’54 Open saw Thomson claim the first of his five, and become the first Australian to capture the championship. He and Locke were among those who fought it out in the final round at Royal Birkdale, and though I couldn’t find footage of Thomson’s sand recovery on 16, I did find this delightful newsreel showing the action of the final holes:

14. 1937, Henry Cotton, Carnoustie

Cotton’s triumph in 1934 was critical because it broke a streak of eight straight American wins, but his victory in ’37 was even more important in that he defeated the entirety of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, all of whom had stuck around to play at Carnoustie after their 8-4 win in late June. Cotton’s brilliant final-round 71 came in torrential conditions, and he later said that it was one of the finest rounds of his career. With that result, he overcame a three-shot 54-hole deficit to defeat among others Byron Nelson. According to Rae, the Englishman’s win “maintained British interest in the championship itself.”

13. 1992, Nick Faldo, Muirfield

Photo by Getty Images

As Rae noted, Faldo was in the prime of his prime, going for his fifth major in six years. He had won the Irish Open, and at the start of this Open, he looked fundamentally unstoppable. He set a 36-hole record, beat his own 54-hole record and came into the final round leading by four shots. It looked like a coronation, but it was not—a miserable stretch from 11 to 14 saw him lose three shots, American John Cook catching him and taking the lead on 16. For Faldo, this “dominant” Open now became about resilience. Pulling himself together, he birdied two of the final four holes and squeaked out a one-shot win—a testament to perseverance and even acceptance in the face of what must have been massive disappointment, and the greatest of his three Opens.

12. 1927, Bobby Jones, Old Course at St. Andrews

Photo by Topical Press Agency

In 1921, a younger, more impetuous Bobby Jones became so angry at his play in the third round at St. Andrews that he tore up his scorecard and withdrew after 11 holes. He then insulted the Old Course, and the St. Andrews press fired back, writing “Master Bobby is just a boy, and an ordinary boy at that.” This, then, was a kind of comeback story, because in the interval, Jones had come to love both the course and the town. And as fate would have it, they loved him back. When he won by six shots, he was carried off the green by a jubilant crowd, and even asked that his trophy be kept in Scotland with the R&A. By 1958, Jones had become just the second American “Freeman of the City” in St. Andrews, an honor he shared with none other than Ben Franklin. At that ceremony, Jones said of the Old Course that, “the more you study it, the more you love it, and the more you love it, the more you study it.”

11. 1953, Ben Hogan, Carnoustie

What do you call it when the greatest golfer of his generation comes over for the first and only time in his life, had just a week to prepare for the links style, improved in every round and won by four strokes? You call it Ben Hogan being Ben Hogan. The win capped an incredible year in major championships that also saw him capture the Masters and U.S. Open. He remains the only golfer to ever win those three events in the same year.

10. 1984, Seve Ballesteros, Old Course at St. Andrews

I’ll be honest: I’m in this one for the little dance Seve did when he sunk his putt on the 72nd hole. But historically, it merits top-10 status for the incredible drama at the end. Tom Watson, heading into the final round tied for the lead, had one of his greatest chances to win what would have been his record-tying sixth Open. With two holes to play, Watson and Seve were tied. Seve had a putt to take the lead on 18, while Watson was struggling to make his par on the road hole. The drama can best be seen starting at the 44:30 mark here:

Seve’s putt instigated a two-shot swing, perhaps one of the most famous in major championship golf, and added his name to the list of legendary winners at the Home of Golf.

9. 1896, Harry Vardon, Muirfield

This was the first of Vardon’s record six Open Championship wins, and though Rae said that every one of them was noteworthy enough to merit inclusion on the list, this one stood out because of how Vardon out-duelled his great rival J.H. Taylor over a 36-hole playoff. While the tournament’s final round came on a Thursday, the playoff wasn’t played until Saturday, since both Vardon and Taylor had to play a different 36-hole tournament on the Friday. Taylor won that one, but Vardon beat him at Muirfield. Taylor would win again, though, and in fact there was a 21-year period where Vardon, Taylor and James Braid won 16 championships between them. “They were the superstars of the Open,” Rae said.

8. 1868, Tom Morris Jr., Prestwick

At the time, Tom Morris Jr. (if you’re wondering, yes, I was slightly disappointed that Rae didn’t call him “Young Tom Morris”) was the youngest player in Open Championship history at 17. Prestwick was a 12-hole course, and the three rounds of the championship were all held on a single day. Morris Jr. set a record when he shot 51 on his first round, which was then bested by his father, who shot a 50 in the second round to take a one-shot lead. In the final round, though, Morris Jr. struck back, carding a 49 to beat his dad by three shots and win his first Open (which came with a massive £6 prize). This was the first of four straight Opens victories for Young Tom. As Rae pointed out, his story is all the more poignant because of his untimely death—Morris Jr. died on Christmas Day 1875 at age 24 from a pulmonary haemorrhage. “There were often very few competitors at this time,” Rae said, “but the golf was no less impressive and the champions no less dominant than they are today.” Morris Jr. remains the youngest Open winner in history, and his father is still the oldest.

7. 1972, Lee Trevino, Muirfield

In terms of the greatest shots in Open history, Trevino’s chip on 17 on Sunday ranks near the top. He had bungled the par 5 up to that point, and had hole out for par while Tony Jacklin, tied for the lead, had a 15-footer for birdie. It looked very much like Jacklin would head to the final hole with at least a one-shot edge. “I really felt, on the 17th, like I’d broken him,” Jacklin would later say. But in one of the great feats of match-play-within-stroke-play golf, Trevino turned the tables. Watch it play out, including Jacklin’s subsequent putts, starting at the 3:45 mark:

For Jacklin, who had watched Trevino hole out twice the day before, the loss was unbearable. Later, he said, “I was never the same again after that. I didn’t ever get my head around it—it definitely knocked the stuffing out of me somehow.” Jacklin had already won the Open in 1969, luckily, and would go on to transform the European Ryder Cup team as its captain, but what shows the emotional swings of better than that moment, which gave Trevino his second straight claret jug?

6. 1961, Arnold Palmer, Royal Troon

Photo by Bob Thomas

The impact here was more wide-ranging than any drama on the course, in which Palmer beat Dai Rees by a shot. What really mattered was that Palmer was the first American champion since Hogan in 1953, and his win did more to increase the status of the Open in America than anything before. According to Rae, a figure as beloved as Palmer, who believed so much in the history and importance of the Open as the oldest of the majors—this was his second trip over, having finished runner-up in ’60—and who wanted to win it so badly, fundamentally changed how the tournament was viewed in the eyes of American professionals. Many had stopped making the trip due to travel concerns, the low prize money and various other reasons. Palmer’s victory completely changed the perception. You can see it in the results—the long American dry spell was over, and in the 60 Opens that started with his win, Americans have won more than half. In his unique way, Palmer made it matter again.

5. 1970, Jack Nicklaus, Old Course at St. Andrews

It seems like the great ones always manage to get a win at St. Andrews, and for Nicklaus, this was the first of two. Interestingly, Doug Sanders only needed a par on the 18th hole to pull out the victory, but he missed a three-foot putt after being distracted by something in his eye line. Despite Sanders’s disappointment, he battled hard in the 18-hole playoff. It came down to the 18th hole, when Nicklaus took off his yellow sweater and hit one of the most famous shots of his career—a drive that actually flew over the green, travelling about 360 yards in total.

He chipped close from there, made his birdie putt and beat Sanders by one. At the end of this video, you can see Nicklaus, thrilled beyond self-control when his winning putt caught the right and edge and fell, actually threw his putter in the air, which nearly managed to hit Sanders as it fell.

4. 2016, Henrik Stenson, Royal Troon

“Some of the finest links golf you’d ever seen,” Rae said, and really, what more needs adding to this incredible fight between Stenson and Mickelson? It ended with Mickelson cooling off, just slightly, but Stenson never did, tying Johnny Miller’s major record (for a winner) with a final-round 63, and set a cumulative Open record with his 72-hole score in relation to par of 20 under. In many ways, it was also the best possible result—Mickelson had already won his Open in 2013, and Stenson was a player who deserved a major, but was starting to look like he might never get one. To win the Open, as a European, felt appropriate, and secured Stenson’s legacy. Plus, there was that record-setting final putt:

3. 2000, Tiger Woods, Old Course at St. Andrews

It seems like every major has its quintessential Transcendent Tiger year, in which the GOAT demolishes the field in ways that defy belief. The Masters in 1997, the U.S. Open in 2000, and maybe, at a stretch, the 2006 PGA. For the Open Championship, it was back in the greatest year of his great career, 2000. This was the “Millennium Open,” at the most famous course in the world, and 239,000 spectators watched him post a then-Open record 19 under, beating his nearest opponent by eight strokes and securing the career Grand Slam at the age of 24, the youngest to achieve the feat. Rae reminded me of an incredible facet of his performance: In 72 holes of superb course management, he didn’t find a single bunker. Remarkable anywhere, but especially at St. Andrews. And it’s also worth remembering that coming on the heels of his crushing Pebble Beach win, it legitimately seemed like Tiger might never lose again. This was a kind of dominance we’d never seen before, and haven’t since.

hoto by JONATHAN UTZ

2. 2019, Shane Lowry, Royal Portrush

Call it recency bias, and in fact I implied as much to Rae when he ranked it second on his list. I made a small note to adjust the ranking later—the privileges of a writer/dictator—but the more I thought about his argument, the more sense it made. The Open, more than any other major, is about history, and the significance of holding the first Open in Northern Ireland since 1951 is about as historical as it gets. In the interlude, that country fell into decades of religious and political conflict, and the symbolism of the R&A returning to Royal Portrush was enormous. To pull off a safe event, embraced by the people, and for an Irish golfer to win … well, it didn’t matter that the final day lacked drama. “It made your heartbeat quicker to witness it,” Rae told me, and in the end, I agree with him—the historical importance is unmatched.

1. Tom Watson, 1977, Turnberry

Students of the game knew No. 1 without having to scroll down, or else would have been enraged to find anything else in the top spot. “The Duel in the Sun” between Watson and Jack Nicklaus was simply one of the greatest golf spectacles ever, and one that, to quote Rae, “will forever be spoken about.” It was about the great rivalry between the two men, it was about the sportsmanship on display, and, of course, it was about the golf. “It went beyond natural chronology,” Rae said. “It was legendary.”

Watson, 27, and Nicklaus, 37, matched each other score for score in the first three rounds at Turnberry, hosting the Open for the first time, pulling away together where by the end, they were 10 shots better than anyone else in the field. In the closing stretch, where Watson birdied four of the final six holes for the dramatic victory, but perhaps it’s best summarized by a quote from that final-round Saturday, when Watson turned to Nicklaus and said, “this is what it’s all about isn’t it?”

“You bet it is,” Nicklaus replied.

The post The 15 best Open Championships, ranked appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.