THE Old Course at St Andrews will host the 150th Open Championship from July 14-17.
Here, we take a look at some of the most memorable moments to occur at the most-used venue for the game’s oldest major championship.
Costantino Rocca, 1995
When Rocca duffed his chip on the 72nd hole into the Valley of Sin, his chances of winning the 124th Open looked to have disappeared. However, the Italian somehow regained his composure and, as clubhouse leader John Daly looked on, holed his long birdie putt to force a play-off, dropping to his knees and thumping the turf with both fists in celebration. Daly won the four-hole play-off by four shots.
Seve Ballesteros, 1984
Although playing in separate groups, the final round of the 1984 Open effectively became a thrilling duel between Ballesteros and five-time winner Tom Watson. As Watson was making a costly bogey on the 17th after firing his approach over the green and close to the wall, Ballesteros was coaxing in a curling birdie putt on the 18th before celebrating with a memorable fist pump which would go on to become his personal logo.
Tiger Woods, 2000
A month after smashing one major record with his 15-shot win at the US Open, Woods set another with a 19-under-par total. Ernie Els, second in the previous two majors, led him by one after the first day, but thereafter it was a one-man show. Els and Thomas Bjorn were next best on 11 under and the world number one’s margin of victory had not been beaten since Young Tom Morris’ 12-stroke win in 1870. Woods remarkably did not find a single bunker all week.
Arnold Palmer, 1960
Arnold Palmer made his eagerly-awaited Open debut in 1960 having already won the Masters and US Open that year, but still had to come through a 36-hole qualifier to take his place in the field. Palmer’s participation breathed new life into a championship that had been lacking American stars and although he broke par the first three days and closed with a 68, Australian Kel Nagle beat him by one.
Doug Sanders, 1970
After saving par from the Road Hole bunker in the final round, Sanders needed to par the 18th to finish a shot ahead of Jack Nicklaus and left himself with a short putt for the title. Standing over the ball, Sanders thought he saw a small pebble on his line and stooped to pick it up, but failed to reset himself after realising it was just a mark on the green. He eventually jabbed at the ball and saw it dribble past the hole, with Nicklaus winning the following day’s 18-hole play-off by a shot as both men birdied the last.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here