History of Golf - Scottish Perspective Palmer, Player, Nicklaus, Watson, Faldo and Woods. PRE 1400: THE ORIGINS OF THE GAME Throughout recorded history, every civilisation has played a game with a club and a ball. Pangea for example, as described by Roman scribes, would appear to be the father both of modern hockey and the Celtic games of Shinty and Hurling. In one form or another, the variant games of present day golf were clearly enjoyed throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. The game persisted over the centuries and the form that it took and rules that were applied varied as widely as the terrain the game was played over. In short, the game consisted of knocking a ball from one pre-designated place to another where the ball was to be struck off a predetermined object in the least number of blows. Games often extended from village to village. That this game was ousted from the towns and onto the commons land beyond is one possible solution to the question of how it all began.

Whatever the exact origins, it is known that by the 15th century, "kolf" as it was known in the Netherlands and "goff" as it was referred to in England, was a pastime enjoyed by Kings and Commoners alike. It's kinship to the Great Game however, remains entirely questionable. So widespread was the game of "Gowf", as it was known in Scotland, that an Act of Parliament was passed to prevent the playing of the game on Sundays and thus preserve the skills of Archery. The citizens of Aberdeen, St. Andrews and Leith on Scotland's East Coast were the principal "gowfing" miscreants and it was no coincidence that rolling sandy links land was commonplace here. On this very terrain, a game that started with a cleek and a ball took on a form that started an evolutionary process that continues to this day. The question of how it all began may be of pressing concern to some but to the Scot, it is sufficient to know that the game was born on the links land of eastern Scotland. Here, the game has been nurtured for over five hundred years and from here, it has been raised to the great game played and loved by millions throughout the world.

1750 - 1850 : THE ROBERTSONS OF ST ANDREWS This was the period when golf as we know it today came to be. It was in this time that many of today's great golf clubs were founded and the leading players of the era started to gain renown. The great club-makers and ball-makers of the era began to emerge and the clubs produced by these skilled craftsmen were coveted to the extent that forgeries became commonplace. Top players began to regularly gather for 'meetings' when medal and match-play rounds were organised, with distinctions made for the first time between amateur and professional players. Allan Robertson, of the famous ball-making family in St Andrews, is widely credited as being the first golf professional. But before Allan, his Grandfather Peter was described as a professional golfer and although history knows little of this man, his reputation survived him and his prowess was widely acknowledged. One epic contest in 1843 was between Allan Robertson and Willie Dunn, two of the best players of that time. The challenge was held over 20 rounds (2 rounds per day over 10 days) and it was Robertson who triumphed - two rounds up with one to play.

The Robertson dynasty in itself reflects the emergence of the great game. The family can be traced back to one Thomas Buddo, a ball-maker in St Andrews in 1610. His daughter married a Robertson and from this pair was bred the stock that led to Allan himself and along the line produced generations of ball-makers. At least four separate Robertson families employing over 25 hands were engaged in making balls in St Andrews during the mid 18th Century. Allan by the way, who died in 1859, became the first man to break 80 on what is now the Old Course in 1853. 1850 - 1890 : THE MORRIS AND PARK ERA If golf as we know it had its birth in the dim and distant past of the 17th century and its upbringing under the Robertson family on the links of St Andrews, then its adolescence occurred abruptly between 1848 and 1852. Three highly significant events occurred in St Andrews that were to turn the game from the parochial into the global.

The first of these events was the discovery of the "gutta percha" based ball, known as the "gutty" by James Patterson in 1848. More importantly, the durability of this new ball in turn encouraged the development of iron-faced clubs and so continued the process of evolution. Then in 1852 the railway came to St Andrews and with it the progenitors of the millions who have made the pilgrimage since. Now the links was played by all and sundry throughout the year and not simply restricted to the busy spring and autumn meetings. The R&A erected it's now famous clubhouse in consequence of the railway, scores of ex-pat colonialists retired to the town and families took up residence so that their sons could attend the University, which was gradually assuming a stature comparable with Oxford and Cambridge. If the 'gutty' transformed the game, the railway certainly transformed the town of St Andrews. The third event of this period, which comes in two parts, is surely one of the most important events in the long history of the game.

Every individual who has made a living out of hitting a golf ball should hold April 20th 1851 as the nativity for that was the birth date of Young Tom Morris, one of the game's greatest early exponents. Similarly, every green-keeper, designer or administrator should express some word of gratitude on the 1st of July for it was on that day in 1851 that Old Tom Morris left for Prestwick to create the first purpose built golf course on the links of Monkton parish. It was in 1860 that the first Open Championship was held at Prestwick and was contested by eight leading professionals. The first winner was Willie Park for which he received a red Morocco leather belt with silver clasps as the first prize. The Open continued to be held at Prestwick for 11 years and the Morris's dominated the early events. Old Tom had won the event four times by 1867 and Young Tom subsequently completed a quartet of wins, after which he was allowed to keep the Belt.

Young Tom Morris was raised on the links of Prestwick Golf Club and it was there that he honed a game that was as revolutionary as the new iron clubs that he had purpose made by Stewart in St Andrews. Irons that were previously resorted to for a bad lie were now used for driving, lofting, jiggering and putting. Young Tom Morris also knew his worth and he demanded and obtained a good living from the flair that he brought to the game. In this sense he was the first true modern professional golfer. There may well have been greater players since Young Tom but if there has been, few have left a greater legacy to the game. The Morris's accrued an incredible record, with Old Tom winning the Open in 1861, '62, '64 and '67, while Young Tom won in 1868, '69, '70 and 72. Across the Firth of Forth in Musselburgh another family came close to matching them when Willie Park Sr. and Jr. won the Open six times between them. Willie Sr.

won the first Open in 1860 and again in '63, '66, '67 and '75. His brother Mungo Park won in 1874, while Willie Jr. won in '87 and '89. Old Tom and Willie Sr. won all but one Open (1865) prior to the emergence of Young Tom. Both were much-loved figures and were responsible for the standards of sportsmanship with which the game is synonymous today. 1890 - 1914: THE GREAT TRIUMVIRATE This era will always be remembered for the mark left on the game of golf by John Henry Taylor, Harry Vardon and James Braid. Known as the great triumvirate, they collected sixteen Open Championships between them and have left an indelible impression on the game of golf. Harry Vardon hailed from the Channel Island of Jersey and Henry Taylor from Devon in England. The emergence of Vardon and Taylor before the end of the 19th century attests to the rapid spread and widespread play of the game. Both had already established themselves as Open Champions before they were joined by James Braid.

The three between them collected 16 Open titles and 13 second-place finishes and almost completely excluded a host of great Scots players from the records of the game during that particular period of time. John Henry Taylor won the first of his five Open titles in 1894 at St George's in England, now Royal St George's, while Harry Vardon pipped Taylor in a play off in 1896 to land the first of a record six titles. James Braid won his first of five Open Championships in 1901 to join Vardon and Taylor as the dominant forces of the day. Though also winning the French Open, unlike Vardon and Taylor, Braid never made the transatlantic crossing to enjoy the spoils of the newly emerged golfing scene in the USA. While Vardon won the US Open of 1900 during a tour of America where he played in approximately 80 matches and winning 70 of them, Braid's decision to remain at home was well rewarded as an exhibition match player. Braid also established himself in course design, building Gleneagles and Nairn to name but two of his many jewels.

What started as a trickle of Scots golfers to the US, became commonplace by the turn of the century when anyone who could swing a club on a Scots links was able to find a lucrative niche as a professional in the US. The early US Open Champions were all Scots born players who, as teachers and mentors produced players that would come to further transform the game. One notable such player was Willie Anderson from North Berwick in Scotland, who won the US Open four times including a present day record of three in a row from 1903 to 1905. 1920 - 1939 : BETWEEN THE GREAT WARS The First World War decimated Scottish golf. Every village war memorial attests to the numbers who fell in France and few clubs are without a memorial to some rising star, who played out his last match on the fields of Flanders. Some great players survived but the consequence of terror gutted their game. Those that came through unscathed were few in number, determined never to see the like again and often took the decision to play in America - golf's promised land. There was one notable exception in the mercurial George Duncan.

Born near Aberdeen, George served his time as a carpenter before rejecting his trade and the offer of professional football with Aberdeen FC to become the professional at Stonehaven, before moving to the lucrative South and acclaim. He won the first post-war Open at Deal in 1920 when Sandy Herd at the age of 51 was runner-up. Duncan also played in the Ryder Cups of '27 and '29, captaining the side in 1931. Scottish golfers were sorely tried by the wave of first generation Americans that returned to assault the Championships after the War. These players transformed the game, bringing a flair and lifestyle that induced some disquiet in the home based players. Though life in America did not suit all tastes, with the Dunne's and Willie Park Jr. among those who went and returned, there were many more who did not make the return journey. Alistair Mackenzie and Donald Ross from Dornoch were just two who left an indelible mark on America as course architects.

The Smiths from Carnoustie, Ben Sayers from North Berwick, Tommy Armour from Edinburgh, the Simpsons from Elie and many others from St Andrews all left lasting impressions in the States and left Scotland bereft of its best and dearest. Jock Hutchison was the last St Andrews born player to win the Open, while Paul Lawrie was the last native Scot when he won at Carnoustie in 1999. After Jock's win, the Open was dominated by the American, Walter Hagen who won the first of his four Open titles in 1922 at St George's and followed up with victories in '24, '28 and '29. Together with his compatriots Jim Barnes (1925), Gene Sarazen (1932) and the incomparable Bobby Jones who won in 1926 and '27, this was an unprecedented period of Open Championship domination by US players. The year 1922 saw 20 years old Gene Sarazen burst onto the scene in dramatic fashion, landing both the US Open and US PGA Championship, retaining the latter the following year after a play off with Walter Hagen.

Hagen bounced right back after this setback and won the next four PGA Championships from 1924 to 1927. 1923 witnessed the mercurial talent of Bobby Jones winning the first of his four US Open titles and Jones followed this with victory in the Open at Royal Lytham in 1926, retaining it at St Andrews in 1927. The Ryder Cup was held for the first time in 1927, when the United States, captained by Walter Hagen, took on and comprehensively defeated their counterparts from Great Britain & Ireland. 1946 - 1960 : THE EMERGENCE OF THE WORLD GAME If the First World War decimated Scottish golf, the second came close to gutting it completely. The First War took the players - the Second War took the golf courses. The Scottish links lands border long sandy beaches, usually in remote places of low population density. As a result, it did not take a brilliant military mind to reason that the links beaches would make for ideal disembarkation sites and the courses equally perfect places for airborne landings.

The huge concrete blocks that were erected to stop the movement of tanks from the beaches can still be seen today. The hallowed fairways of the Old Course were staked with massive wooden poles to prevent aircraft landings and Turnberry made the ultimate sacrifice when it was turned into a runway. Few courses remained unscathed - golf was not only suspended for the duration of the War, it was very nearly extinguished. US golf became pre-eminent and though the Americans may not have been entirely responsible for winning the war, they did win the battle of post-war golf. One could argue that not having experienced the social and economic upheaval of Europe or the long interruption of play, they were infinitely better prepared for the resumption of golfing hostilities. Equally, the sheer numbers that were now playing golf in the US made pre-eminence statistically inevitable. Whatever the reason however, American golfers certainly came to the fore, following the War years. The US domination of the Open Championship itself however, did not occur after the war as it had in the pre-war era of Hagan and Jones. Sceptics argue that the Americans did not play because doing so would have resulted in loss of earnings at home but history tells a different story.

Though Sam Snead won the first post-war Open at St Andrews in 1946 and Ben Hogan was victorious in his only visit to Carnoustie in 1953; every other major figure in US golf had come and gone with notably less success. English players were dominant in the immediate post-war years, with Cotton, Burton, Faulkner and Daly (Irish) all winning. It was the Colonials however, who were to do the real damage as far as the Open was concerned. Bobby Locke from the Transvaal, a first generation South African Irishman and Peter Thomson, an Australian of solid Scots stock were about to take the golfing world by storm. These two overwhelmed golf in a period of a few years when Locke won in 1947 and '51 and Thomson in '54, '55, '56, '58 and again in '65. Indeed, Thomson never finished worse than second from 1952 to 1958. Their achievements, although less impressive in the US, were nevertheless significant. Thomson beat Hogan on his home turf to take the Texas Open, while Locke was the leading money winner on the US tour.

Both these players found their spiritual home on the Scottish links where their best golf was played. Locke was a near resident visitor throughout his life and Thomson now has his home in St Andrews, only a wedge away from the R&A. 1961 - TODAY: THE TRULY GLOBAL GAME OF GOLF The record books do not lie and Scottish Golf, though healthy at home, was faring ill abroad. The game had become truly global with players from Taiwan and Japan threatening for major honours. The Swedes were gathering amateur honours throughout Europe and there seemed no end to the talent emerging from Spain. American Golf had come into maturity with a vengeance in the form of Arnold Palmer. Palmer played the game as it should be played - with verve and a swashbuckling style. Palmer was of course idolised in his own country but he found real appreciation in the discerning crowds that lined the links fairways of the Open Championship. Together with Tip Anderson, his St Andrews caddie, Palmer was lord of every links he surveyed. In Palmers absence in 1964, Tip Anderson carried the bag of Tony Lema through the most testing gales on the Old Course.

It was Lema's win more than any other event that put paid to the excuse that the game had changed and that the new form of golf required only an accurate lofted shot to a soft pulpy green - a shot at which the Americans were clearly adept. The leader board of the '64 Open showed that Jack Nicklaus and plenty more US stars could play the chip-and-run under the wind as well as any that had gone before and as well as any of the home bred players. The reason for the Scottish golfing hiatus during this period may be simply statistical, as the game had grown to the extent that the numbers now playing in every developed country dwarfed the numbers playing in Scotland. There is no doubt that the game itself had changed with the new courses that were being built throughout the world. American architects led by Robert Trent Jones were building courses that were both long and difficult. Greens were soft and holding in contrast to the hard running greens of the links. The grassy fairways presented another type of problem as the ball sat up on the lush grasses and required club contact quite different to that on the tight lies of the links.

Possibly of greater significance was the early adoption in the US of the 'big ball' - the 1.66-inch ball that required a different strike and made for greater control. Great exponents of the game poured out of the US and the US Tour was becoming a multi-million dollar industry with even mediocre golfers, grossing millions of dollars not only through tournament play but also through commercial endorsements. Tip Anderson was still caddying at home in St Andrews when he attained celebrity status in the US without ever setting foot outside the British Isles, backing Palmer in a beer commercial. Television coverage ensured star-status for many players and the American College System, to their credit, acted as a virtual conveyor belt of talent. Following the foundation of the European Tour and the opening of the Ryder Cup to European players, sponsorship grew and European golf blossomed into a money market comparable to that of the US tour. One final ingredient was required however - a star with the charisma of a Palmer and the appeal of a Nicklaus. And so as they say, a star was born.

1979 saw a smiling young genius becoming the first Spaniard to win the Open, with Jack Nicklaus coming second in the race for the Claret Jug for a record seventh time - Seve had arrived on the world scene. The 1980's began with Seve Ballesteros becoming the first European to win the Masters and at 23 years old, the then youngest champion. Nicklaus however, continued his remarkable career with his fifth double-major year, winning his fourth US Open and fifth PGA title. Seve won his second Masters title in 1983 and the following season, he collected his second Open Championship when finishing two strokes ahead of Bernhard Langer and Tom Watson, who was attempting to equal Harry Vardon's record of six Open Championship successes. Lee Trevino won his second US PGA Championship in 1984, made all the more special by the fact that only eight years previously, he was seriously injured having been struck by a lightning bolt. Germany's Bernhard Langer turned the tables on Ballesteros in 1985, beating him in the Masters and gaining revenge for his two-shot defeat in the Open the previous year.

1985 also witnessed the first European success in the Ryder Cup and two years later the US team tasted defeat again but this time on home soil. The Masters of 1986 was perhaps the most thrilling of all. A fantastic late surge from the Golden Bear saw him win his sixth Masters title at the age of 46 - his 21st major victory in an as of yet unparalleled career. The glory days of Scottish golf briefly returned in 1985 when Sandy Lyle triumphed in the Open Championship at Royal St George's and the amiable Scot added a further major title at the Masters in 1988. Though Ballesteros won his third Open with a scintillating final round of 65, domination of the world game by Nick Faldo had already begun when he won his first major title at Muirfield in 1987, shooting par on every hole in his final round. Two years later, Faldo shot an amazing closing 65 to force a Masters play off with Scott Hoch, which he duly won on the second extra hole. Faldo's best year came in 1990 when he became the only player since Nicklaus to defend his Masters title.

Just a few months later, Faldo played the most devastating golf of his life in winning his second Open title at St Andrews and he duly added his third Open two years later, again at Muirfield. Greg Norman's second Open success came at Royal St George's in 1993. His two-stroke victory over Faldo prompted the late, great Gene Sarazen to comment that this was the greatest championship of all time. Major champions have come and gone over the years, with O' Meara, Olazabal, Stewart and Lawrie among those whose names are now etched on the most prized possessions in golf. Not until 1994, did a player with the potential to match the greatness of past legends, come along. Speculation started when Tiger Woods won the US Amateur Championship, continued when he retained it the following year, grew when he became the youngest ever champion at the Masters and climaxed as he stormed to six wins out of six starts in the 1999/2000 season. Though Tiger may have a long way to go to be classed in the same league as Palmer and Nicklaus, there are not many who would bet against it.

Martin Laird seeking US Masters win with help from Sandy Lyle - Mirror Online Sport Martin Laird seeking US Masters win with help from Sandy Lyle MARTIN LAIRD will seek advice from fellow Scot Sandy Lyle as he aims to become only the third debutant to win the US Masters. Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email MARTIN LAIRD will seek advice from fellow Scot Sandy Lyle as he aims to become only the third debutant to win the US Masters. The Arizona-based Glaswegian will travel to next week’s first Major of the season as the new No.21 in the world after his victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida. Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 is the only player since the Second World War to win at Augusta National on his first appearance. But Laird intends to tap into the knowledge of Lyle, who famously triumphed in 1988 and who now plays on the US Seniors Tour. Laird said: “I’ll try and get a hold of Sandy Lyle and see if he’ll play a round with me.

He’s been there plenty of times and knows his way around it.” The 28-year-old, who joined the US Tour after going to college in Colorado, has already carried out a reconnaissance mission to Georgia with his fellow pro Mark Wilson. Laird, who has made the cut once in five Major appearances, said: “I loved the whole experience and it was great to get out there before all the chaos of Masters week. “It was so quiet and we had the course pretty much to ourselves. It obviously wasn’t in tournament condition but it was wonderful to get a feel for the place. “Like everyone on a first visit, I spent a lot of time standing and staring. “It’s an awesome place, but it was good to get that out of the way so that when I arrive for the tournament I can focus on playing. “I loved the golf course. I feel like it really does set up pretty good for me with hitting it high. And I know those greens will get real firm like this, and obviously putting is probably the strongest part of my game right now and that’s really what it all comes down to coming down the stretch at Augusta. “I can’t wait to get there.

“It’s a place where I think I could do well.” Laird’s second US Tour trophy (above) came despite dropping five shots in the first 11 holes of his final round. But as those around him faltered, he two-putted from 86 feet on the final hole to win with a closing card of 75 – the highest last-round score ever by a winner at Bay Hill. But for Laird, even more important than his £675,000 prize money was the chance to meet golf legend Palmer for the first time. Laird said: “It really does not get any better than to meet him coming off as the champion of his tournament.” The Scot’s victory was the 11th by a European golfer on the PGA Tour since the start of May last year, including the last two Majors in the States. Steve Marino finished just one shot behind Laird while Justin Rose hit a closing 68 to finish two back in third by closing his eyes while putting.

He explained: “That’s a drill I do a lot on the putting green and I make more than I miss, and I figured, I’ve been making nothing so why not give it a try.” Tiger Woods tied for 24th with defending Masters champion Phil Mickelson. Laird’s victory and that of Paul Lawrie at Spain’s Andalucian Open on the same day have lifted Scottish golf, which has been in the doldrums since Colin Montgomerie’s decline. Laird added: “We just need to get experience and to have two wins in one week is obviously huge.” Like us on Facebook Most Read Most Recent Most Read Most Recent Remembering Sandy Lyle's victory in the 1988 Masters at Augusta | Sport | The Guardian That 1980s sports blog Remembering Sandy Lyle's victory in the 1988 Masters at Augusta Lyle fought off the American challenge to win his first Masters with one of the great shots of golf history Sandy Lyle hits a bunker shot on the 18th hole during the final round of the 1988 Masters.

Photograph: Brian Morgan/Getty Images Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog, part of the Guardian Sport Network Thursday 4 April 2013 06.49 EDT First published on Thursday 4 April 2013 06.49 EDT Share on Messenger Close European golf was certainly in rude health during the 1980s, a fact reflected in one major tournament in particular: the US Masters. From Seve Ballesteros' victory in 1980 through to Nick Faldo's win in 1989, the green jacket sat on the shoulders of a European golfer five times, as the Augusta National became a home from home for the continent's finest players. By the time of the 1988 tournament, Ballesteros had won the Masters twice – and should and could have won again in 1986 and 1987 – and Bernhard Langer's first major in 1985 was the ideal start to a year in which Europe won back the Ryder Cup after a 28-year hiatus.

Despite this success, there was one thing was missing for British golf fans, namely a first winner from the home nations. Step forward Sandy Lyle. The formbook Lyle was in good form prior to arriving at Augusta, having beaten Ken Green in a play-off the Sunday before to win the Greater Greensboro Open in North Carolina. A course record of 63 during the second round set up Lyle's win, although he could be thankful that Green three-putted the last to force the play-off, allowing the Scot to birdie the first extra hole and take the £100,000 prize. Lyle's second US PGA tour win took him to the top of the US money list and gave him the perfect boost before his US Masters bid, even if the day exhausted him: "Winning in such a tension-packed day has drained me a little, but I feel ready for Augusta." At 18/1 he looked a decent bet for his second major, although all the usual suspects were gathered in the field to challenge for the coveted first major of the season.

Greg Norman was the tournament favourite at 7/1, hardly surprising as he had come so close in both 1986 and 1987, losing out to the inspiration of Jack Nicklaus in the former and the heartbreaking destiny of Larry Mize and that chip in the latter . Seve's recent record put him at 8/1, but the British duo of Ian Woosnam (33/1) and Nick Faldo (40/1) were not heavily fancied by the bookies. Woosnam's 1987 form had left him completely, with his switch to new clubs not paying dividends (take heed Rory McIlroy), as missed cuts at the recent Players' Championship and Greater Greensboro Open emphasised. Faldo had at least made the cut during Lyle's win the weekend before, but his form was such that he finished a massive 27 shots behind the winner, hardly suggesting that he was about to mount a serious push for the Masters. Tom Watson, Curtis Strange and Ben Crenshaw apart, the Americans did not seem to pose a great threat, highlighting the relative lack of strength in their ranks at the time.

The Thursday If Lyle needed an omen, he could have spotted it in one of the tournament starters, Sam Snead, who was the only man to pull off the Greater Greensboro/US Masters double in 1949. But as the first round got under way in windy conditions, the early running was made by reigning US PGA champion, Larry Nelson, and the unknown Robert Wrenn. Both men shot 69 (three under par) and held a two-stroke advantage over Lyle, Langer and Americans Mark Calcavecchia and Don Pooley, the only men on the course to break par on a testing Thursday. Lyle's round included five birdies and, as the rest of the field struggled in the wind, he was content with his work: "I've got to be fairly satisfied in those trying conditions." The other main contenders experienced varying fortunes: Norman shot a 77, but that paled into insignificance in comparison to Woosnam's debut Masters round of 81. The Welshman walked off the course immediately afterwards and asked to be left alone.

Ballesteros' 73 put him well in the mix, although a four-putt at the short 16th tarnished an otherwise impressive round. Crenshaw and Watson went round in level par 72, yet Strange (76), Mize (78), Ray Floyd (80) and Lee Trevino (81) were already struggling. A 75 by Faldo meant he sat in the top 30, along with Scotland's Ken Brown, who was enjoying a much better Masters debut than Woosnam. Paul Mayo, the current British amateur champion, shot an 81, faring a lot worse than the previous winner David Curry, who could be mightily proud of his 74. The Friday Fortunately for the players, Friday would bring much better weather, and generally the scoring was down as a result. Lyle made the most decisive move, his 67 containing six birdies, including a run of five threes in six holes on the front nine, as he reached the turn in 33 shots.

"I couldn't have asked for a better or more solid start," said Lyle, in a rather understated way, his 36-hole total of 138 giving him a two shot lead at the halfway point over Calcavecchia. Two shots further back was a very grumpy Fuzzy Zoeller, whose round of 66 was apparently not enough to please the 1979 champion. "It's like war out there. It's a joke - nobody's having any fun," moaned Zoeller, who went on to complain about "tricked-up greens" and bored spectators, obviously unaware that Lyle was probably having a whale of a time. Other Americans prospered in the more benign conditions during the second round: Fred Couples' 68 pushed him up to a share of fifth along with Watson (71), Chip Beck (70) and Langer (72). Craig Stadler matched Calcavecchia's 69, and was seven shots behind Lyle, alongside Ballesteros and Crenshaw.

Ray Floyd's 69 ensured he would be staying for the weekend, but for overnight leaders Nelson and Wrenn the day was not so cheerful; their rounds of 78 and 75 proving to be a sign of things to come for the pair. The cut-off mark fell at 151 (+7), which meant an early departure for Woosnam, Trevino, Curry and Mayo. Nicklaus, Faldo and Norman all made the weekend, yet their chances were slim, unless they could tear up the course in the next two days. Ken Brown scraped through right on the cut-off point, hoping for a solid weekend to push him into the top-24 and an automatic qualification spot for next year's event (his final round 78 ended any hopes of a return though). The Saturday For a period on the Saturday, all looked rosy for Lyle. He reached the 13th tee holding a four-shot lead over Calcavecchia, with an ideal chance to stretch his lead further on the very birdieable par five.

Not for the last time over the weekend, Lyle found the most inopportune moment to locate water, his tee shot ending up in a ditch, the resulting bogey almost feeling like a couple of dropped shots. Calcavecchia bogeyed 14, but his eagle at 15, coupled with another dropped shot at the 16th by Lyle, cut the lead down to just one and bringing with it a sense of unease to British golf fans watching the excellent BBC golf coverage at home. A Calcavecchia bogey at 17 restored Lyle's two-shot lead held from the previous day, both men eventually shooting 72 to stay at the head of the leaderboard. Calcavecchia may not have made up any ground on Lyle, but the rest of the pack were circling behind. Crenshaw's run of three birdies in the closing five holes in his round of 67 put him level with Calcavecchia, the 1984 champion handily placed for a charge on the Sunday. Couples, Zoeller and Langer were four shots off the pace, with Stadler, Ballesteros and Pooley a further shot adrift.

Even Ray Floyd had dragged himself back into the reckoning, his superb 68 meaning that even after his disastrous opening round of 80, the American was now within seven of Lyle, a not insurmountable deficit in a major, as we have learnt down the years. Despite the gathering menace, Lyle was remaining focused, his words prior to the final day extremely prophetic: "Sunday is the day. I've got to win it now. If I take a real kamikaze dive, I've got to try to slow things down and come out of it." How true. The Sunday Sunday April 10. A day indelibly etched into the mind of one Alexander Walter Barr Lyle, thankfully for the right reasons, but at certain stages during his round it looked as if the wheels were about to fall off in a spectacular way.

Everything was going so well; after ten holes of the final round, Lyle had stretched his lead over Calcavecchia and Stadler to three shots, but soon Watson's words of the previous evening were sounder wiser by the second: "If you don't feel that heavy pressure on the back nine, you're not human." Lyle was about to discover that back-nine feeling on the final day of a major, with Amen Corner - holes 11, 12 and 13 at Augusta - proving particularly savage. A bogey on 11 was just an appetiser to the perils of the short 12th hole. As Lyle's tee shot found water - and my dad uttered a few expletives in front of the television - the look on the face of Lyle told the full story. His double-bogey five spelt danger, as up ahead first Stadler made it a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard, before Calcavecchia's birdie on the 13th gave him the outright lead for the first time on five under par.

Lyle's nightmare was unfolding in front of millions of distressed British golf viewers and with Langer and Pooley also moving to four under, the scene was set for a shootout between the leaders over the remaining holes. The next few hours were bad enough for me to try and sit through, trying with all my might to prevent myself chewing all of my finger nails off, so I'm not totally sure how Lyle, Calcavecchia, Stadler and the rest managed to survive the crushing pressure of the final few holes. Greg Norman had set the score to beat in the clubhouse, his storming final round of 64 coming a little too late to matter, although his three under total of 285 was at one point looking promising, as the on-course leaders were only three in front of the Great White Shark. The closing holes at Augusta have always been synonymous with drama and the conclusion of the 1988 Masters was yet another chapter in the rich history of the tournament.

The 15th and 16th holes in particular would be pivotal; Langer's chances were extinguished when he bogeyed 15 after his second shot found water and Pooley dropped shots at both 14 and 15 to fall from the pack. Stadler birdied 15 to join Calcavecchia on six under, but immediately gave the shot back after a poor tee shot at 16. Calcavecchia himself fluffed a chip at 15 and would have to make do with only a par, yet Lyle did not take advantage, his eagle chip shaving the hole on 15 and his birdie putt also slipping past. Crenshaw moved to within two of the lead at 15, to leave the leaderboard reading Calcavecchia -6, Lyle and Stadler -5, Crenshaw -4, with Couples also moving to -4 at hole 17. Lyle needed a moment of inspiration and it arrived at the par three 16th. His 7-iron - not for the last time in the tournament - was struck sweetly, as was his birdie putt that brought him level with Calcavecchia.

All of the leaders played par golf on the closing holes, Calcavecchia's total of 282 now the benchmark, meaning that Lyle stood on the last tee needing a par four to force a play-off or a birdie three to win the title outright. Unsurprisingly, Lyle erred on the side of caution, opting for a 1-iron for accuracy off of the tee, but perhaps understandably under the intense pressure, tugged his tee shot into a bunker. Holding his hands behind his head and looking visibly deflated, Lyle's hopes now rested on the lie of his ball in the sand. Fortunately lady luck was smiling upon him. On approaching his ball, Lyle must have been delighted with what he found. His ball was sitting up on the upslope of the bunker, and although the situation was not ideal, it could have been a lot worse. Reaching for his trusty 7-iron once more, the world looked on as Lyle addressed his ball for the shot that would arguably define his career. He needed a good contact, and my did he get one. Picking the ball off the sand perfectly, Lyle watched in anticipation, following the flight with intensity.

As the ball flew directly over the flag and landed twenty feet past the flag, BBC commentator Peter Alliss immediately assessed the situation perfectly : "That could spin. It could spin". He wasn't wrong; Lyle's ball began to check back towards the hole, the natural slope of the green and the inch perfect approach combining to bring the Masters title ever closer. Lyle had been slightly unsighted on playing his second shot due to the contours of the last hole at Augusta and on hearing the huge cheers of the galleries, later admitted to wishfully thinking that he might be only two-feet away. The reality however was that Lyle was now faced with a ten-foot putt to become Britain's first Masters champion. As soon as Lyle sent his ball on the way to the hole it never looked for a moment as if it was going to miss. Lyle immediately raised his arms to the air, beginning a jig of delight on the final green and embracing his caddie Dave Musgrove in the immediate aftermath of his triumph.

His winning birdie was the first time since Arnold Palmer in 1960 that a man had reached the last requiring a birdie to win and achieve this feat, an indication if any was needed of the prestigious company Lyle was now joining. The celebrations Lyle's father Alex had been with his son every step of the way, and was probably the proudest man at Augusta as Larry Mize presented Lyle with his green jacket. "I have always dreamed of winning here and now I have. What a moment. It's unbelievable. I feel simply great," an elated Lyle said in one of his many interviews after his second major win. He faced his struggles along the way, but contained enough mental strength in his locker to drag himself across the line. And who could ever forget that masterful bunker shot at 18 that ultimately proved the difference in the end? 'Yankee Doodle Sandy' trumpeted the Mirror headline, as British sports fans delighted in such an historic moment, which would turn out to be the first of four consecutive wins by a Brit at Augusta.

The year would continue to provide much joy for Lyle; he won the British Masters at Woburn and rounded off his year nicely by winning the World Matchplay at Wentworth, after being a losing finalist four times previously . Lyle, aged 30, appeared to have the golfing world in the palm of his hand during his marvellous year but such is the fickle nature of the sport that he would never scale such heights again. His form would dip so dramatically that he missed the cut while defending his Masters title in 1989, and failed to even make the Ryder Cup team that successfully retained the trophy at the Belfry. It would be churlish though to end this article on such a negative note. I for one will always be grateful for the fine memories Sandy provided during his stellar career, and the rollercoaster of emotions that he put us all through on that final Sunday at Augusta, complete with one of the most memorable shots and stunning final holes ever in major championship history. BMW International Open: the lowdown - European Tour European Tour After the enthralling drama of the US Open Championship, it is back to European soil for the BMW International Open in Germany. Here is all you need to know.

Rewind Spain's Pablo Larrazábal shot a flawless final round 66 to win his fourth European Tour title, finishing one shot clear of Sweden’s Henrik Stenson at Golfclub München Eichenried. Stenson had surged into contention with a round of 65 that featured five birdies and an eagle on the long 11th, but Larrazábal kept his nerve to win the title for a second time, having also triumphed at the same venue in 2011. This year’s tournament returns to Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof, in Cologne, where Fabrizio Zanotti claimed his maiden European Tour title two years ago, and where Masters Champion Danny Willett earned his breakthrough title in 2012. Bite-sized history David Feherty won the first BMW International Open in 1989 and to date, no-one has managed to defend the title.

Six Major Champions have lifted the trophy: Paul Azinger (1990 and 1992), Sandy Lyle (1991), John Daly (2001), Martin Kaymer (2008), Danny Willett (2012), Ernie Els (2013). Azinger and Thomas Bjørn (2000 and 2002) are the only multiple winners. The field Masters Champion Willett returns to the scene of his maiden triumph in 2012. The Englishman defeated Australian Marcus Fraser in a four- hole play-off, having previously recorded 19 top ten finishes on the European Tour. Stenson celebrates the tenth anniversary of his victory in the tournament, having also finished runner up 12 months ago and in 2014. Sergio Garcia will be hoping to continue his fine recent form, having followed his win in the AT&T Byron Nelson on the US PGA Tour last month with a tied fifth finish in last week’s U.S. Open.

There is a strong German representation, including Marcel Siem and Max Kieffer, both of whom will be hoping to become the first home winner since Martin Kaymer in 2008. Meanwhile, Denmark’s Bjørn will be chasing a third victory, having previously claimed the title in 2000 and 2002. The course Golf Club Gut Larchenhof will be playing host to the BMW International Open for the third time. Previously the venue for the German Masters for 11 consecutive years from 1998-2009, the course measures 7,229 and was designed by 18 time Major Champion Jack Nicklaus in 1996. The key stats • There have been 24 different winners from the previous 27 editions of the event. • The BMW International Open began in 1989. This tournament has the longest consecutive sponsor of any current European Tour event, now in its 28th year. • Fabrizio Zanotti made European Tour history at the 2014 BMW International Open. The 32 year old became the first player from Paraguay to win a European Tour event and i.

In the process, Paraguay became the 36th different nation to win on tThe European Tour. • The first five-man play-off in European Tour history took place at the 1992 BMW International Open. Former US Ryder Cup Captain, Paul Azinger, prevailed against Glen Day, Anders Forsbrand, Mark James and Bernhard Langer. • The last three European Tour events to be played at Golf Club Gut Larchenhof have all been decided by play-offs. In the 2009 German Masters, James Kingston defeated Anders Hanson. In the 2012 BMW International Open, Danny Willett edged out Marcus Fraser and in 2014 Fabrizio Zanotti beat Grégory Havret, Rafa Cabrera Bello and Henrik Stenson.

Question: Which golfer Sandy triumphed at the US Masters?
Answer: Lyle