The 2005 PGA Grand Slam of Golf / Players / Michael Campbell Michael Campbell became the first New Zealander to win a major since Bob Charles captured the British Open in 1963. (Photo: Getty Images) Persistence Pays off at Pinehurst When Michael Campbell tamed an ultra-tough Pinehurst No. 2 to win the U.S. Open in June, the New Zealander completed an amazing comeback from a major slump and lifted the spirits of an entire nation back home. By George Willis, New York Post Sure, golf's most famous names were there: Tiger, Phil, Vijay and Ernie. But when the week of the 105th U.S. Open arrived, there was one star that stood above the rest: Pinehurst No.2. The famed course crafted from the genius of Donald Ross had everyone in awe. It's 7,214 yards of firm fairways and crowned greens posed an intimidating challenge to finish four championship rounds at even par or maybe match the 1-under par the late Payne Stewart shot in winning the last Open played there in 1999. "You'll get the best player in the field winning this week," Ernie Els predicted.

It was thought only golf's best, the top 10 or so players in the world, would be equipped to handle Pinehurst during a sun-baked week; maybe Tiger, Phil, Vijay or Ernie. But when dusk arrived on Father's Day, it was a longshot New Zealander who stood on the 18th green, crying into his cap, celebrating his first major championship for himself, his family and his country. Michael Campbell barely earned a spot into the U.S. Open. He was a sectional qualifier in England, needing birdie on the final hole to join the 156-player field. And it wasn't until Sunday that he was really noticed, holding steady on the back nine and eventually surviving the ultimate test of golf that all others failed. Wearing a tattoo-like design on the back of his white shirt that means "inner strength, be strong," Campbell was a model of consistency, completing a magnificent 1-under-par 69 on Sunday to outlast Tiger Woods by two strokes. This wasn't one man's victory; it belonged to a nation, as Campbell became the first New Zealander to win a major since Bob Charles captured the British Open in 1963.

"I think for the first time I actually made the front page of the newspapers back home with the All Blacks," Campbell said referring to New Zealand's famous rugby team. "They're champions and heroes of mine and to knock them off their pedestal for the one week means a lot to me." It wasn't just the All Blacks Campbell thought about. There was Charles and the Maori people of New Zealand, who needed a golf hero. "To win this major championship, obviously I do it for myself, but also the people back home," he said. "I won this for the people back home, all the sports fans." It was a victory that didn't come easily, not when someone named Tiger is on your tail. Woods, who had won his fourth Masters two months earlier in an epic duel with Chris DiMarco, looked liked he'd played himself out of contention for the second leg of the Grand Slam after starting his final round bogey-bogey. That left him eight strokes behind third-round leader Retief Goosen, who was just beginning his final 18 holes. "After that start, I'm sure most people wrote me off," Woods said. And why not? Facing that kind of deficit with as tough as No.

2 was playing, the gap seemed insurmountable even for the incomparable Woods. But the winner of nine major championships was focusing on a more simplistic goal. "If I could somehow post even par, that might be able to sneak my way into a playoff," he said. Woods would need help and he got plenty. Goosen had won his two previous U.S. Opens at two of the toughest venues in recent years, Southern Hills in 2001 and Shinnecock in 2004, where he carded a final-round 1-over-71 to beat Phil Mickelson by a stroke on a day when the field averaged 78.7. Capturing his third U.S. Open seemed only a formality after Goosen chipped and putted his way to a three-stroke lead after 54 holes. His shiny red 3-under-par offered little evidence he would close with one of the worst rounds of his career. It began with a double-bogey on the second hole, followed by bogeys on 3, 5 and 6. By then, his lead was gone, but not his poor play.

He finished with an 81, leaving him tied for 11th. "I couldn't make a putt to save my life and that was pretty much the end of the story," Goosen said. "If I didn't misread it, I had the wrong pace. I haven't putted this badly for a long time." The South African wasn't the only contender rendered putt drunk. His playing partner Jason Gore, a Nationwide Tour player, ballooned to an 84 after starting the day three shots behind Goosen. Built more like a linebacker than a golfer, the 31-year-old from Valencia, Calif., became the people's choice after climbing up from being 818th ranked in the world to a share of the lead after 36 holes. But the fairy tale ended on Sunday. "I just didn't swing (the clubs) well and I didn't make any putts," Gore said of his final round. "But it was still awesome. The whole deal was overwhelming and I can't wait to try it again." Olin Browne, another qualifier, was also three shots back after 54 holes. But he managed only an 80 on Sunday.

Browne, however, had a front-row view of excellence, playing the final round alongside Campbell. With much of the weekend attention on Goosen, Gore, Browne and a lurking Woods, Campbell was hardly noticed until he found himself leading the tournament after an even-par front nine left him 1-over. "I was sandwiched there just doing my own thing, patiently waiting and waiting," Campbell said. Truth is Campbell had been waiting 10 years to recapture the magic he experienced at the 1995 British Open, where he owned the 54-hole lead before finishing third. In the decade since, he battled unfulfilled potential and wavering confidence. He fell as low at 371st in the world in 1997 and climbed as high as 14th in 2001. There was a wrist injury that threatened his career, an ill-fated attempt at playing the PGA Tour in 2003, and persistent doubts that had him contemplating giving up the game. "I remember throwing my golf bag across the room in a hotel room one time," he said. "I thought this is it, it's all over.

I was about to get an ax and chop them up in two pieces and throw them away. But my wife (Julie) was very supportive. She believed in me and got me going again." Campbell was going strong by the time he reached the back nine on Sunday. He birdied the par-4 10th and added another at the par-3 12th. The lead was his, but there were roars ahead. Woods was mounting a charge. A distant 5-over par after his two opening bogeys, Woods stopped the bleeding with birdies at the par-5 fourth hole and the par-4 seventh. After a bogey on the ninth, he made birdies at the par-5 10th and the par-4 11th to get to 2-over. When he drained a 5-footer on the par-3 15th, he trailed Campbell by two strokes. "I heard the roars when Tiger birdied 15," Campbell said. "I knew what was going on." Many have crumbled at the sound of those roars, but Woods couldn't get any closer.

He missed a five-footer to save par on the 16th and three-putted the 17th. "I didn't feel comfortable with my putter all week," said Woods, who finished runner-up in a major for the second time. "It was frustrating because I could never get the speed right. If you can't get the speed right, you can't get the line right because speed determines line." Campbell had few problems with speed and line. He drained a tournament-high 16 birdies, the final one coming on the par-3 17th, where he had chipped in from the bunker for birdie on Saturday. This time he drained a 20-foot putt to give him a three-stroke lead going to the final hole. "The 17th hole will always be in my mind forever," Campbell said. "I played it in, I think, nine shots, three birdies and a par. If I ever design a golf course, 17 will be in it: same distance, same dimensions of the green, same." By the time he arrived at the 18th green, the celebration had begun.

A three-putt bogey left him at even-par for the tournament, the first time a U.S. Open champion failed to break par since 1998. It was time to let the emotions pour out, the years of struggle, the doubts, the rededication to his game and all those people in New Zealand. "I could feel them, how proud they were of me," Campbell said. He thought of Charles, he thought of his mother, his dad and his sister, who were in New Zealand, his wife and kids, who were in England, and his grandmother, who was watching from the heavens. "She passed away when I was 16," Campbell said. "She said to me, 'Michael, you will change people's lives.' She instilled confidence in me. "I know she's with me right now." Right there on Pinehurst No.2, where the perfect U.S. Open venue produced a special U.S. Open champion.

Top 10 sportspeople of the decade 1998-2008 - Sport - NZ Herald News Top 10 sportspeople of the decade 1998-2008 3:00 AM Monday Feb 9, 2009 SHARE: To mark the tenth anniversary of nzherald.co.nz, we're rounding up some of the highs and lows of the last decade. Below we list our top 10 sportspeople since 1998. 1. Michael Campbell - Golf No matter how far down the rankings Campbell slides he will always have that memorable day at Pinehurst to fall back on. In winning the US Open in 2005, 'Cambo' became only the second Kiwi behind Sir Bob Charles to triumph at a major, holding off the great Tiger Woods in the final round to win by two shots as the other leaders crumbled around him. The US Open victory started a golden run for Campbell, who went on to tie for sixth at the PGA Championship two months later before winning the richest prize in golf, the HSBC World Match Play Championship, in September of that year.

2000 was also a vintage year for Campbell, winning several tournaments, including the Johnnie Walker Classic and the German Masters, to shoot to 14 in the world rankings. Campbell has had a rough time in recent years but finished 2008 strongly before tearing a muscle in his shoulder. NZ Herald report 2. Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell - Rowing The golden girls of New Zealand sport cemented their place in history when they became the first crew to successfully defend the Olympic women's double sculls title in Beijing last year. Caroline and Georgina, who have since retired, were warm favorites in Athens in 2004 and rarely troubled on their way to a first gold medal. However, things were a little different for the three-time world champions in Beijing. The twins crept under the radar after having a rocky buildup to the event, including failing to make the A final at a World Cup regatta in Poland in June. In Beijing, they won their heat comfortably but the final was a scrap right down the line, the twins edging out the German and British crews in a photo finish by .01s. Continued below. Herald on Sunday report 3.

Rob Waddell - Rowing, Yachting Waddell has forged stellar careers in both rowing and yachting, switching between Olympic and America's Cup campaigns since 1996. Waddell's crowning glory is his Olympic single sculls gold medal in Sydney, 2000 but over the last 10 years his record reads as follows: two single sculls world championships, two America's Cup campaigns and two Olympics - all while dealing with a heart condition he kept secret until it surfaced during the deciding Olympic trial against Mahe Drysdale last year. More Motorsport NZ Herald report 4. Sarah Ulmer - Cycling Ulmer fulfilled her immense potential at the Athens Olympics in 2004 when she became the first New Zealander to win a cycling gold medal, blitzing the field in the 3000m individual pursuit. Ulmer, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, entered Athens as the reigning world champion and had no trouble living up to that billing, breaking the world record twice on her way to gold, including slashing two seconds off the time in the final. NZ Herald report 5.

Scott Dixon - Motorsport Scott Dixon put his name alongside New Zealand's motorsport greats by becoming the first Kiwi to win the prestigious Indy500 race last year. Dixon went on to capture his second Indy Racing League title, the first coming in 2003 in his rookie season, equalling the record number of six victories along the way. Dixon tested with Formula One team BMW Williams in 2004 and has had discussions with other teams but has indicated he will continue racing Indy cars for a few years yet. "I don't want to give up what I have here [in America]," he told the Herald in December. NZ Herald report 6. Valerie Vili - Athletics At just 23, Vili is set for a long reign at the top having already won all there is in shot put. The Rotorua-born Aucklander capped off a memorable three years in Beijing last year, adding Olympic gold to those won at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2007 World Championships.

Vili went to Beijing as New Zealand's greatest medal prospect and she didn't disappoint, throwing a personal best of 20.56m on her way to gold with only one other competitor passing the 20m mark. Along with a host of world junior titles, Vili also won silver at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and bronze at the 2005 World Championships. NZ Herald report 7. Richie McCaw - Rugby Since making his debut for the All Blacks with a man-of-the-match performance against Ireland in 2001, Richie McCaw has set the benchmark for loose forward play around the world. McCaw has gone on to captain the All Blacks in 33 of his 70 tests and has also had great success leading Canterbury and the Crusaders. Has twice been named New Zealand player of the year (2003 and 2006) and in 2006 was recognized by the International Rugby Board as the world's best player. McCaw copped a severe dose of criticism following the 2007 World Cup disaster in France, with many, including an official report, questioning his leadership abilities.

But the Otago-born openside responded in superb fashion the following year, lifting his game to another level as the All Blacks won the Beldisloe Cup, Tri-Nations and the Grand Slam. Herald on Sunday report 8. Russell Coutts - Yachting Regarded as one of the world's finest sailors, Russell Coutts has won the America's Cup three times - twice in the last 10 years - and holds an unbeaten record when racing for the Auld Mug. Despite his recent success, Coutts is a divisive figure in New Zealand due to his decision to walk out on Team NZ for Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi syndicate. Coutts missed the 2007 America's Cup because of a falling out with Bertarelli but has since been picked up by another billionaire, US software tycoon Larry Ellison, and will skipper Oracle in the next regatta (whenever it is). NZ Herald report 9. Stacey Jones - League Stacey Jones is one of the all time greats of New Zealand rugby league, if not the greatest.

Jones set all sorts of records with the Warriors in the NRL, including most games (238), most tries (75) and most points (654), and is the only player to be made a life member of the club. The diminutive halfback played 47 tests for the Kiwis, scoring 17 tries, and in 2005 helped break decades of Australian dominance by inspiring the Kiwis to a 24-0 victory over the Kangaroos in the Tri-Nations final in Britain. Jones' solo try in the 2002 Grand Final defeat to the Roosters was a moment of rugby league magic and the only blot on his career was that he was never able to capture an NRL premiership. However, with the 'little general' coming out of retirement this season with the Warriors, that may be set to change. 10. Irene Van Dyk - Netball South Africa's loss has definitely been the Silver Ferns' gain. Since joining the Ferns in 2000, Van Dyk has become the team's most valuable and recognised player, posting shooting percentages that have rarely been seen in netball before.

The Waikato/BOP Magic shooter played an integral part in New Zealand's dominance over Australia between 2003-2006, in which they won the World Championships and Commonwealth Games. It would be fair to assume that without her, the Ferns may not have had the same success. In 2003 Van Dyk received the Halberg award for New Zealand sportswoman of the year, while her 72 caps for South Africa and 85 for New Zealand have seen her become the most capped player of all time. 50 greatest Open Championship moments - Telegraph The Open 50 greatest Open Championship moments Jean van de Velde's adventures at Carnoustie in 1999 are among the most memorable of recent years but we've uncovered 49 more that have taken our fancy over the years. 36. Too many clubs spoil the broth, 2001 Photo: GETTY 29. Norman in awe - of himself, 1993 Photo: GETTY 24. Ben Curtis gets it right first time, 2003 Photo: AP 22.

Justin Rose's amateur dramatics, 1998 Photo: GETTY 15. Nick Faldo par for the course, 1987 Photo: GETTY 6. No one can live with Tiger Woods, 2000 Photo: GETTY 1. Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson go head-to-head, 1977 Photo: GETTY Comments 50. Pampling goes pear-shaped, 1999 Jean van de Velde's final-day adventures at Carnoustie were preceded by those of Australia's Rod Pampling, the first-round leader after being the only man to equal the par of 71. It all went pear-shaped in the second round, though, as Pampling slipped to an 86 and missed the cut, only the second first-round leader to do so in Majors history after Joey Sindelar did likewise at the 1993 US Open. 49. Daly holds his nerve, 1995 Big John Daly's victory in the 1991 US PGA Championship, which he only scraped into as the ninth reserve, was beginning to look like even more of a flash in the pan by 1995.

He had managed only two other wins on the American Tour, with as many visits to rehab for alcohol-related problems, and his long-driving game didn't seem to be ideal for St Andrews and its delicately placed hazards. But Daly kicked off with a 67, and although he started the final round four behind Michael Campbell, the New Zealander soon slipped out of contention on his way to a 76. Daly carded a 71, and seemed to have the Open won when his only remaining rival, the Italian Costantino Rocca, needed a long putt of around 60 feet from the so-called "Valley of Sin" on the last hole. But Rocca's ball curved round into the hole, and Daly was suddenly faced by a play-off – but held his nerve to take the trophy. 48. Charles starts classic quiz question, 1963 For years the affable New Zealander Bob Charles was the answer to a standard quiz question: "Who is the only left-hander to win a Major?" Charles's win came at Lytham in 1963 when, putting like a demon, he beat the American Phil Rodgers in the Open's last 36-hole play-off.

He was later joined in the left-handed club by Phil Mickelson and Mike Weir, and in 2005 Charles – by then Sir Robert – lost another claim to fame as the only Major-winner from New Zealand when Michael Campbell won the US Open. 47. Boxall's lies in agony, 1991 Englishman Richard Boxall was handily placed in the third round at Birkdale in 1991, just three shots off the lead as he came to the ninth tee. He had woken up with an aching leg, but thought little of it. But after teeing off at the ninth he collapsed in agony. His playing partner Colin Montgomerie turned round to find Boxall lying on the ground. He had broken his left leg. "I was out for 10 months," he remembers, "and went from the comfort zone of having a few quid behind me to needing the money." 46. Evans roughs it up, 2002 Journeyman pro Gary Evans had his moment of glory at Muirfield in 2002.

A second-round 68 propelled him up the leaderboard, and a fabulous final-day charge left him vying for the lead of a very open Open. But disaster struck at the 17th, when his second shot veered into deep rough and couldn't be found, even though most of the crowd were looking for it. Evans took a penalty drop, chipped up near the green and holed a huge putt to save par – but the penalty was critical, as he ended up one shot off the Open's first four-way play-off, from which Ernie Els emerged victorious over Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington and Thomas Levet. 45. 'Young' takes over 'Old', 1868 The year after his father was the oldest winner of the Open, "Young Tom" Morris became the youngest, emerging triumphant by two shots at Prestwick, helped by the tournament's first-ever hole in one, at the eighth. Morris was just 17 years 161 days old. He won the next three Opens, too, in 1869 (Old Tom was second), 1870 and 1872 (there wasn't one in 1871).

44. Older the better, 1862 "Old Tom" Morris, after whom the 18th hole at St Andrews is now named, won his fourth title at Prestwick when he was 46 years 99 days old, the oldest winner of the Open. Morris's 13-stroke victory in 1862 was the largest winning margin in any Major until Tiger Woods won the 2000 US Open by 15. 43. Whitcombe's windy win, 1938 A member of a great golfing family – his brothers Ernest and Charles also played in the Ryder Cup - Reg Whitcombe had followed Henry Cotton home in 1937, and went one better at Sandwich the following year. Strong winds disrupted the final day: at one hole the amateur Cyril Tolley blasted a one-iron over a water hazard only to see the gale blow the ball back into the drink, and elsewhere the Exhibition Tent blew down. The Manchester Guardian reported: "What a riotous time the wind had!

It reduced players to the level of handicap golfers." The short-swinging Whitcombe coped better than most and carded a final-round 78 – only one player bettered this – to win by two shots. 42. Nakajima bunker's chance, 1978 It was an eventful year for Tommy Nakajima. At the Masters in April 1978 he had spoiled his chances of beating the cut by taking a record 13 strokes to complete the 13th hole at Augusta, but at St Andrews in July he was well up the leaderboard when he came to the 17th in the third round. On the right of the treacherous green in two, he overcooked his putt and watched dismayed as it tumbled into the steep-faced Road Hole bunker. And there he stayed, for quite some time, unable to extricate his ball: he eventually limped off to the last with a nine, his challenge in tatters. Nakajima collected himself next day with a 71, finishing seven off the lead – five of those dropped shots coming at the one hole. 41.

Vardon grip is born, 1914 Harry Vardon, who was born on the Channel Island of Jersey, dominated British golf in the early part of the 20th century along with Scotsman James Braid and JH Taylor, from Devon. They became known as "The Great Triumvirate", winning 16 Opens between them. Vardon was arguably the greatest of them, winning six Open championships – still a record number – the last at Prestwick in 1914 when he was 44, when he finished three shots clear of Taylor. His lasting legacy is the "Vardon Grip", the hold on the club still favoured by most top golfers today, in which the little finger of the right hand is rested on top of the index finger of the left. 40. Kel putts to glory, 1960 The hot favourite for the centenary Open at St Andrews was Arnold Palmer, who had already won the year's first two Majors, defeating a promising young amateur called Jack Nicklaus by two to win the US Open the previous month.

Palmer was in contention throughout, and started the final round – which was delayed a day by torrential rain, as the Valley of Sin was under three feet of water – four behind the surprise leader, 39-year-old Kel Nagle. The Australian had never finished in the top 10 of a Major before despite being a serial winner on his national tour. Palmer tamed the Old Course with a 68 – but Nagle held on. Palmer's birdie at the last meant Nagle had to hole a ticklish 10-footer at the 17th, the Road Hole, to stay ahead, and he made it with "the best putt of my life". At the 18th, Nagle produced "the best shot of my life" – a nine-iron to within three feet of the hole – to seal victory by a shot. Palmer wasn't to be denied long: he won the Open in 1961 and 1962. 39.

Hayes' feverish round, 1977 The 1977 Open at Turnberry is best remembered now for the epic last-day shoot-out between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus but the second-day highlight was a record-low round of 63 by Mark Hayes, from Oklahoma, which put him back in contention after a 76. Playing his first Open, Hayes, using a new cross-handed putting technique for only the second time, hadn't realised he was on for the record, as he was having difficulty with his yardages: "I have a lot of trouble figuring out the distances over here." It might have been even better, as he chose the wrong club at the 18th and dropped a shot. Hayes could not keep it up, and eventually finished ninth. Since then there have been six more 63s at the Open: by Isao Aoki in 1980, Greg Norman in 1986, Paul Broadhurst in 1990, Jodie Mudd in 1991, and Nick Faldo and Payne Stewart in 1993. Of them all, only Norman went on to win. 38.

Jones sounds his equaliser, 1926 The great amateur Bobby Jones was locked in a grim struggle with his fellow American Al Watrous – who had been two ahead with five to play – going down the back nine at Lytham in 1926. When Jones found the rough 170 yards from the 17th hole he seemed to be in trouble, but he pulled out his trusty mashie – known as "Old Equaliser" – and, into the wind, spirited the ball over sandhills and close enough for the par that all but ensured the first of his three Open titles. The mashie now hangs in the clubhouse. On the final day Jones left his player's badge at his hotel at lunch, and had to pay half-a-crown to gain entry onto the course to complete his win. 37. Park lights up, 1889 Willie Park Jnr, the son of the winner of the first Open, won himself in 1889, in the last tournament staged at Musselburgh, before the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers moved up the road to Muirfield.

This one was played as late as Nov 8, and a gloomy day meant that part of the proceedings was played out with the players being illuminated by street-lighting (the next year's Open had a more sensible starting date at the end of August). Park, who in 1896 had written the first instructional book by a golf pro, won £8 after beating Andrew Kirkaldy in an 18-hole play-off. 36. Too many clubs spoil the broth, 2001 Everything looked rosy for Ian Woosnam when he birdied the first hole of the final round at Lytham to move into a share of the lead. But as he arrived at the second tee his caddie, Miles Byrne, realised that he had left a driver Woosie had been trying out on the practice tees in the bag – meaning he had an illegal 15th club in there. A shocked Woosnam reported the breach to an official, and copped a two-stroke penalty, without which he would have finished second (or possibly better, as he was shaken by the incident). "It's the biggest mistake he will make in his life.

He won't do it again," said a philosophical Woosnam afterwards. "He will have a severe bollocking but I am not going to sack him. He's a good lad, he just has to watch what he's doing." So Byrne survived – but not for long. A fortnight later Woosnam did sack him, after Byrne overslept and missed the start of Woosnam's final round at the Scandinavian Masters. 35. Lyle ends barren spell, 1985 Sixteen years after Tony Jacklin won, another Briton took the Open when Sandy Lyle lifted the Claret Jug at Sandwich. He was three shots behind the third-round leaders David Graham and Bernhard Langer, but was much steadier on the final day, when the other two both shot 75s. Lyle looked in trouble at the 14th, after driving into heavy rough and moving his recovery shot less than 100 yards, but he sank a 45-foot putt for a birdie, and his eventual 70 was enough to keep him a shot clear of the fast-finishing Payne Stewart. Lyle was the first home-based Scot to win the Open since James Braid in 1910.

34. The inseperable pair, 1876 After two trips around St Andrews in 1876, Scotsmen Bob Martin and Davie Strath were inseparable. The Open's first play-off loomed – but it didn't happen. Strath was unhappy about an incident at the 17th, when his shot to the green hit one of the previous group, who were still holing out. Strath's ball finished closer to the hole than it might have, and the R&A committee investigated. They eventually ruled that a final decision would be taken after the play-off. Strath, however, felt that any decision should be taken beforehand, and refused to take part, leaving Martin to win by a walkover – literally, since he went through the motions of going round the course. 33. The Hoylake Tango, 1967 The popular Argentine Roberto de Vicenzo finished third in the Opens of 1948 and 1949, and second in 1950, but despite four more top-10 finishes, his chance seemed to have gone by 1967, when he was 44.

But he played consistent golf at Hoylake, taking the lead after a third-round 67 and finishing with a par 70 for a two-shot lead over Jack Nicklaus: only Old Tom Morris (46 in 1867) has won the Open at a more advanced age. The following spring De Vicenzo might have won the Masters too, but signed for the wrong score and finished a stroke behind the winner. 32. Lee knows best, 1969 Tony Jacklin looked set to repeat his 1969 Open triumph after a confident start at Muirfield in 1972. He followed a 69 with a 72, to share the lead with Lee Trevino, and led down the back nine in the third round until "SuperMex" produced an electrifying assortment of chips and long putts that enabled him to birdie the last five holes and take a one-shot lead into the final day. Still Jacklin hung on, and victory seemed assured when he reached the 17th green in three while Trevino was off the green and facing an awkward downhill lie.

But Trevino chipped in again: Jacklin visibly sagged and three-putted, and instead of the lead he'd expected he was suddenly two behind. Trevino parred the last to claim his second successive Open, while Jacklin didn't even finish second (Jack Nicklaus pipped him by a shot) and never again threatened to win a Major. "I had the heart ripped out of me," he said. "I stepped off the 18th a shattered man, broken by what had happened." 31. Bobby slides away, 1982 Californian Bobby Clampett arrived at Troon in 1982 on a high, having just finished third in the US Open. His purple patch continued when he carded successive rounds of 67 and 66, to lead by five at halfway. Even a third-round 78 – not helped by an eight at the par-five sixth – left Clampett clear, but not by much, and he faded to a final-round 77, and joint 10th. Tom Watson picked up his fourth title after Nick Price dropped four strokes in the last six holes to lose by one. 30.

Duncan does Deal, 1920 If there had been a halfway cut at Deal for the first Open after the First World War, Scotland's George Duncan would probably have missed it: he had shot a pair of 80s, and was 13 adrift of the leader, Abe Mitchell, the man whose figure adorns the top of the Ryder Cup. But that overnight lead dissolved in the third round, as Duncan recovered to a 71 while Mitchell struggled to an 84. The new leader, Len Holland, slipped to a 79 in the final round, and Duncan nipped through on the blind side with a 72 to win by two. 29. Norman in awe - of himself, 1993 Greg Norman had more than his share of epic collapses in Majors, but for once the boot was on the other foot at Royal St George's in 1993, when Nick Faldo and Corey Pavin led by one into the final round.

Faldo, who had shot a 63 in the second round, finished with a none-too-shabby 67, but Norman pipped him by one after carding a 64, the lowest final round ever by an Open winner. His final aggregate of 267 was the record low for any Major at the time (beaten since by David Toms and Phil Mickelson at the 2001 US PGA). Norman said: "I am not a person who boasts, but I'm in awe of myself in the way I hit the golf ball today. It was just perfect." Four years previously Norman had also finished with a 64 – including birdieing the first six holes – to share the lead, but lost a play-off to Mark Calcavecchia at Troon. 28. Putt black, 1974 The "Man in Black" claimed his third Open title at Lytham, becoming only the third golfer to win in three different decades (his first title had come in 1959). Player shared the lead after the first round, and led outright for the rest of the tournament.

He eventually won by four strokes from Peter Oosterhuis, enough of a cushion to be able to afford a left-handed shot using his putter at the final hole after his approach shot finished up too close to the clubhouse wall to give him a right-handed swing at it. 27. Lema's champagne moment, 1964 A brace of 68s set Tony Lema on the way to a comfortable victory at St Andrews, in his first Open. Despite having arrived in Scotland only two days before the tournament, and using a putter borrowed from Arnold Palmer, Lema ended up five clear of Jack Nicklaus. He finished in the top 10 of eight of the 15 Majors he played between 1963 and 1966, beating the cut in all of them. "Champagne Tony" – so named for his habit of cracking open a bottle of bubbly after his victories – seemed set for a stellar career – but his chartered plane crashed on a golf course in Illinois in July 1966, killing Lema and his pregnant wife. 26.

Locke almost locked out, 1952 Bobby Locke's march to the third of his eventual four Open titles was nearly halted when, returning to his car for his clubs on the final morning, Locke discovered that the garage he had stabled it in near his Blackpool hotel was securely locked. Luckily the local milkman knew who the garage owner was, and helped Locke retrieve the keys. He made it to the Lytham course with a few minutes to spare – he just had time to change his shoes before hurrying to the tee – but composed himself enough to produce two good rounds and pip Peter Thomson by a stroke. The American Bill Rogers had a similar fright 29 years later: leading into the final day (he eventually won by four strokes) Rogers was held up at a level crossing for nearly half an hour, and made it to the first tee with 30 seconds to spare. Locke himself had another close shave in 1957 when television footage showed that he absent-mindedly replaced his ball in the wrong place on the final green at St Andrews. After an investigation, the R&A decided not to impose any penalty, and Locke won again. 25.

Persistence pays for Nick Price, 1994 "IF at first you don't succeed..." might have been Nick Price's motto coming in to the 1994 Open. It was his 16th championship – no one else had waited so long to win (the next-longest is by Mark O'Meara, who won his 14th) – although he had finished second twice, in 1982 and 1988. At Turnberry, Price was on fire, starting with a 69 and adding a 66 and 67. Even so, with the course playing easily, he only shared the third-round lead with Brad Faxon. But it was the Swede Jesper Parnevik who stayed the course on the final day as Faxon dipped to a 73. Parnevik was two in front at the last, but bogeyed it while Price, in the group behind, sank a 50-foot putt for an eagle at the 17th. Price held his nerve on the final hole for a 66 and a one-shot victory. He won the next Major, too, the US PGA at Southern Hills. 24.

Ben Curtis gets it right first time, 2003 Ben Curtis, from Ohio, qualified for the 2003 Open at Sandwich by virtue of 13th place at the Western Open a fortnight before, which was his best placing in any Tour event at the time. He was ranked 396th in the world. On the last day Nick Faldo rekindled memories of his finest years by climbing to within one of the lead, only to drop three shots over the last four holes. Thomas Bjorn also had one hand on the Claret Jug: he was two up with three to play, but drove into a bunker at the 16th and twice saw his chip-shot snuggle back into the sand. "It was an expensive mistake," observed the crestfallen Bjorn afterwards. The only one left standing was Curtis, 26, who beat Bjorn and Vijay Singh by a shot and became the first player since Francis Ouimet took the US Open in 1913 to win the first Major he had entered. 23.

Gene Sarazen and David Russell are two in to one Fifty years after first playing there, Gene Sarazen returned to Troon, and holed his tee-shot at the 126-yard seventh, the "Postage Stamp", on the first day. "For many years the hole had haunted me," he said. "I feared it, so when I walked on to the tee and faced the wind, I must admit I was nervous. I selected my five-iron as I was determined not to be short. When the crowd roared and I realised the ball was in the hole, I felt there was no better way to close the books on my tournament play than to make a hole in one on the Postage Stamp." Next day Sarazen's tee-shot found the bunker – but he holed his sand wedge for a birdie. Sarazen had won the Open in 1932, the only time it was played at Prince's in Sandwich. Within an hour of 71-year-old Sarazen's ace, the 19-year-old English amateur David J. Russell holed in one as well. 22.

Justin Rose's amateur dramatics, 1998 Seventeen-year-old Justin Rose was the darling of the Birkdale crowds in 1998. A second-round 66 left him just one shot off the lead, and although he faded with 75 in the third round he kept in contention on the final day, ending up by holing his approach shot from an unpromising position for a birdie at the final hole, to tumultuous applause. Rose finished fourth, the best performance by an amateur in the Open since Frank Stranahan was second behind Ben Hogan in 1953. 21. Willie Parks sets the ball rolling, 1860 The first Open was played in one day, over three rounds of a 12-hole course at Prestwick. There were only eight participants, and the winner (by two shots) was Willie Park, whose brother and son would both win the Open, too. Park, who later made golf equipment, won a belt for his achievement, but no money – that didn't come until 1864, when Old Tom Morris pocketed £6. 20.

Sam Snead's grand 'slam', 1946 "Slammin' Sam", the all-time leader on the American tour with 82 tournament victories, never did win the US Open, but he was the first post-war winner of the British one, at St Andrews in 1946. He didn't entirely endear himself to the locals by observing on arrival that "it looks like an old abandoned kinda place", and he ruffled more feathers when he had to be tracked down at his hotel for the trophy presentation, but Snead, driving powerfully, ended up four in front of Johnny Bulla and Bobby Locke. He survived a skirmish with the fifth in the final round, pulling his tee-shot into "Hell Bunker", then chipping out straight into a gorse bush. Snead salvaged a six, and went on to win. 19. Seve Ballesteros does it the hard way, 1979 Seve had given the eventual winner, Johnny Miller, a scare in 1976, and three years later at Lytham he went one better, entrancing the crowd with remarkable saves after typically wayward drives.

In the final round he hit the fairway only nine times, and at the 16th drove into a temporary car park – he got a drop and pitched the recovery on the edge of the green, then holed the 30-foot putt for a birdie. Ballesteros ended up three in front of Ben Crenshaw and Jack Nicklaus. 18. Hats off to Lee Trevino, 1971 Lee Trevino won the first of his back-to-back championships at Royal Birkdale in 1971 – the 100th British Open – but even the showy "SuperMex" was outshone by the Taiwanese Lu Liang-Huan, who enchanted the crowds by doffing his pork-pie hat to the gallery after each good stroke, of which there were many – he shot three 70s and a 69, putting the wind up Trevino, who lost two of his three-shot lead with a nervy seven at the 17th. Lu was helped by a stroke of luck at the final hole, when a wayward approach shot struck one of the gallery, which kept the ball in play.

The spectator, Lillian Tipping, was not so lucky: she was concussed and had to be taken to hospital for stitches. "I feared for her," said Lu. "I hit her really badly, but I went over and she said to me 'Go on Mr Lu – get a birdie for me!'." Both Lu and Trevino made fours in the end, so Trevino won out by a stroke. 17. Peter Thompson's hat-trick, 1954-56 Peter Thompson won five Opens in all, three in a row from 1954, and completed his hat-trick (a unique feat in the 20th century) at Hoylake, taking the lead after a pair of 70s and never relinquishing it. He was second in 1957, and won again in 1958 before picking up a fifth title seven years later. Thomson loved links golf, and never won any of the other Majors.

Arguably his most memorable shot sealed his first win, at Birkdale in 1954, when he plopped a difficult bunker shot at the 16th two feet from the pin – "the finest pressure shot of my life" – and holed the putt for a birdie four. 16. Bobby Jones and the "Impregnable Quadrilateral of golf", 1930 This was Jones's greatest year, and his last in serious golf. He won the Open at Hoylake, his third title, and while in the UK added the Amateur Championship as well. Back home he won the US Open and US Amateur championships, to complete a grand slam of sorts (both amateur championships were regarded as Majors in those days), an achievement famously described by George Trevor, of The New York Sun, as the "Impregnable Quadrilateral of golf". 15.

Nick Faldo par for the course, 1987 Nick Faldo was always remarkably consistent, but he outdid even himself in the final round at Muirfield in 1987, parring each of the 18 holes and finally shaking off the overnight leader Paul Azinger – his rival Ryder Cup captain in 2008 – who bogeyed the last two holes after leading into the 17th. Faldo won two more Opens – at St Andrews in 1990 and back at Muirfield in 1992, following which – after being given a hard time in the media – he famously thanked the press "from the heart of my bottom". 14. Jack Nicklaus completes the set, 1966 By 1966 the "Golden Bear" was only 26, but he had already won the other three Majors and needed the Open Championship to become only the fourth player (after Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player: Tiger Woods followed) to win all four during his career. Nicklaus led after two rounds, but dipped to a 75.

But he recovered in the first Open scheduled to go into a fourth day with a 70, which proved enough to give him his complete set, one stroke clear of Doug Sanders and Dave Thomas. Nicklaus won again in 1970 (this time beating Sanders in a play-off) and 1978. 13. Broken glass trips up Harry Bradshaw, 1949 Harry Bradshaw, an Irishman, might have won the Open at Sandwich in 1949 but for an unfortunate incident in the second round when his drive at the fifth came to rest in some broken glass from a beer bottle in the semi-rough on the right of the fairway. He would probably have been entitled to a free drop, but the rules weren't quite clear and Bradshaw, worried about incurring a penalty later, decided to play the ball from among the fragments of glass, but only moved it about 30 yards. It didn't seem terribly important at the time, but as Bradshaw and the South African Bobby Locke went shot for shot over the last two rounds it assumed greater significance. They ended up tied for the lead – and Locke won the 36-hole play-off by a dozen shots.

Pictures of Bradshaw playing the ball out of an almost complete bottle were set up afterwards. 12. "Phantom putt" costs Hale Irwin, 1983 Hale Irwin won the US Open three times, but never won the British version: the closest he came was at Birkdale in 1983, when Tom Watson claimed his fifth and final title. In the third round Irwin, faced with a tap-in at the 14th, casually flapped back-handed at the ball, and missed, costing him a shot. He ended up one behind the leader. Asked later about the one swing he'd like to have again over his career, Irwin replied: "Not even a swing. The phantom putt, 1983 British Open. Went up to backhand a six-incher, missed it, finished second to Watson by one stroke. Careless." 11. Max Faulkner's full Irish, 1951 The only time the Open has visited Northern Ireland was in 1951, when the venue was Royal Portrush, in the north near the Giant's Causeway.

The winner was the charismatic Max Faulkner, who denied Bobby Locke a hat-trick. Faulkner, a colourful dresser from Sussex, had enough of a cushion after 54 holes – six strokes – to be able to afford a 74 and still finish two clear of Antonio Cerda, though stories that he signed autographs before the final round as "Max Faulkner, Open champion 1951" are thought to be apocryphal. Faulkner went on winning on the European Tour until he was 52, when he won the Portuguese Open in 1968 – the year before Tony Jacklin became the next home-grown winner of the Open. Brian Barnes, who later won the British Senior Open at Portrush twice, was Faulkner's son-in-law. 10. Henry Cotton's deal is no deal, 1934 In the second round at Sandwich, Henry Cotton took a huge lead after following his first-round 67 with an epic round of 65, a record at the time (he had warmed up with a 66 in the qualifying round). Cotton held on to win by five despite a final circuit of 79.

The manufacturers named the "Dunlop 65" ball in honour of this round, and it remained a best-seller for decades. Cotton didn't make much money from it: after he threatened legal action, Dunlop agreed to pay £150 a year, as long as he continued using the ball. He did, but later observed: "It was not only the first, but the worst, deal any sportsman can ever have made." 9. Tiger Wood's honours his father, 2006 It was a different, more sombre Tiger Woods who came to England in July 2006. Two months before, his inspirational father Earl had succumbed to cancer. Tiger took two months off to grieve, then travelled to Hoylake determined to win in his father's memory. And he did so in style, starting with rounds of 67 and 65 before a third-round 71 left him just a shot in front of Chris DiMarco, Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia. But Woods kept them at bay with a superb final round, plotting his way round the unfamiliar course – it hadn't staged the Open for 39 years – with a stunning display of precision golf.

He hit 86 per cent of the fairways overall in the four rounds, after deciding before the tournament not to use his driver off the tee. An eagle at the fifth on the last afternoon knocked the stuffing out of Garcia and Els, and, although DiMarco hung in there, Woods always had at least one shot in hand. As they walked up the final fairway, Tiger's caddie Steve Williams said: "This one is for Dad." Woods duly holed his final putt for 67 and a two-stroke victory, and dissolved into tears. "I guess all my emotions had been locked in up until that point," he admitted. "I miss my Dad so much. I just wish he had been here to witness this – he loved watching me grind my way round in an Open. He was always on my case about thinking my way round a course and not letting emotions get the better of you. I think I succeeded on both counts today." 8. Gary Player holds his nerve, 1968 The "Man in Black" won his second Open at Carnoustie in 1968, taking the lead with a fabulous shot at the 14th in the final round.

Player was tied for the lead at the time with Bob Charles and Billy Casper, but nervelessly arrowed his second shot, a blind three-wood, two feet from the flag for an eagle three. It wasn't quite all over: at the 17th, Player salvaged par when a superb 60-footer from the edge of the green ended up stone dead, while Jack Nicklaus just missed a birdie chance. Player, who also won in 1959 and 1974, held on to beat Charles and Nicklaus (who hooked his tee-shot out of bounds at the sixth and dropped two shots) by two and Casper by three. The joint leader after a windy first round was the leading British amateur of the period, Michael Bonallack, while Tony Jacklin gave notice of things to come by sharing the halfway lead. 7. Tony Jacklin wins in glorious technicolour, 1969 After a long drought of 18 years without a British winner – Max Faulkner in 1951 was the previous one – Tony Jacklin won at Royal Lytham. He started with a 68, but at halfway was three behind Bob Charles.

However, Charles dipped to a third-round 75, and Jacklin took the lead with a 70, then held on confidently to take the title by two strokes on the final day. Two years earlier, Jacklin had become the first golfer to make a televised hole-in-one; and this was the first Open to be broadcast on colour television. The colourful Jacklin, the son of a Scunthorpe lorry driver, had a brief spell at the top – he also won the US Open the following year – but his displays sparked new interest in golf in Britain, and inspired watching youngsters such as Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam. 6. No one can live with Tiger Woods, 2000 Tiger Woods started the new millennium with a stunning victory at St Andrews, shooting four sub-70 rounds (67-66-67-69) and never finding himself in a bunker all week. The untouchable Woods finished at 19 under par (another Open record), eight strokes clear of Thomas Bjorn and Ernie Els.

This was the second leg of the "Tiger Slam": he'd already won the US Open (by a record 15 strokes), and added the PGA Championship later in the year, then took the Masters early in 2001, so Woods uniquely held all four Major titles at the same time. Nick Price, his playing partner for the first two rounds on the Old Course, summed up the difference between Tiger and mere mortals: "He cut a three-wood off the tee at 17, and I smoked a driver. He was a yard past me." Mark Calcavecchia, the 1989 Open champion, put it more pithily: "He's the best who ever played – and he's 24." 5. Doug Sanders forever a nearly man, 1970 Doug Sanders had finished second to Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield in 1966, but seemed set to go one better at St Andrews in 1970 when, after three under-par rounds, he stood on the green at the last over a putt of less than three feet for the title.

As the lilac-clad Sanders addressed the ball, he suddenly hesitated, then bent down to brush a wisp of dirt – real or imagined? – away from his line. There was some nervous twitching in the crowd, Sanders stepped back into position, and pushed the ball about an inch past the right of the hole. Next day, on the Sunday, he lost the 18-hole play-off to Jack Nicklaus by one shot, and never did win a Major (this was his fourth and last second place in one). Later Sanders sportingly told Nicklaus: "I gave it to you on Saturday, but you won it on Sunday." 4. Carnoustie right up Ben Hogan's alley, 1953 The great American Ben Hogan rationed his tournament play after a near-fatal car accident in 1949. Four years later, he entered only six tournaments – and won five of them. That included the first Open of the new Queen's reign, on his only appearance in the championship. Hogan won the £500 first prize despite the unfamiliar conditions and being unused to the smaller British ball used at the time. He spent a week familiarising himself with the course, and it paid off.

He was especially impressive at Carnoustie's tough sixth hole, taking brave lines there – into the narrow gap separating the fairway bunkers and the out-of-bounds fence on the left – and it was later renamed "Hogan's Alley" in his honour. Hogan rounded off his triumph with a final-round 68, a new course record, to stay four clear of a chasing pack that included the American amateur Frank Stranahan and the future multi-Open winner Peter Thomson. Hogan had already won the Masters and the US Open, but was denied a shot at a unique Grand Slam by the calendar – the US PGA finished in Michigan the day before the Open started in Scotland. It was his sixth win in the last eight Majors he had entered, but he didn't win another one. 3. Padraig Harrington stutters over the line, 2007 History almost repeated itself when the Open returned to Carnoustie: Padraig Harrington was one ahead going to the final hole, but found the water twice and took a six.

Harrington had seemingly clinched the title when he eagled the 14th to go nine under, but butterflies – possibly inspired by thoughts of Van de Velde – kicked in on the 18th. Earlier in the year Harrington had presciently observed of the last that "I wouldn't feel comfortable on that tee unless I had a three- or four-shot lead", and he was right. His tee-shot skidded skittishly across the bridge before plopping into the Barry Burn, then he took a drop and promptly rifled that into the same stretch of water which had scuppered Van de Velde eight years before. But Harrington composed himself to put his chip sufficiently close to hole the putt and escaped with a six. It shouldn't have been enough: Sergio Garcia needed only a par to win, but he dropped a shot. Harrington held his nerve in the four-hole play-off to become the first Irish winner of the Open since Fred Daly in 1947. 2.

It all goes wrong for Jean van de Velde, 1999 Standing on the tee at the last at Carnoustie, Jean van de Velde looked set to become only the second Frenchman, after Arnaud Massy in 1907, to win the Open (or indeed any Major). He needed only a six at the par-four "Home" hole to seal the deal. "Car-nasty" was playing hard to get on its return to the Open rota after 24 years: knee-high rough kept scoring high, but Van de Velde, after a first-round 75, had battled back to lead after following a 68 with a 70, which left him the only man to equal par after three days. He maintained his lead to the last, but then the wheels fell off in sad, spectacular fashion. His tee-shot at the last veered onto the 17th fairway, and his attempted recovery zoomed to the right into the heavy rough. An attempted chip then plunged into the Barry Burn, although the ball itself sat just clear of the water on a rock.

What happened next almost left the BBC's Peter Alliss speechless: Van de Velde took off his shoes and socks, waded in to the water, and considered playing his ball as it lay. Wiser counsel prevailed, and he took a penalty drop, but knocked that into a greenside bunker. Now needing to chip in for the six that would still win him the title, he left the bunker shot eight feet from the pin – but somehow holed it for a seven and a place in a four-hole play-off. "It's more Jacques Tati than Jack Nicklaus," sighed Alliss. Nerves shot, Van de Velde started that with a six, and finished three shots behind the rather surprised winner, Aberdeen-born Paul Lawrie, who was 10 strokes behind going into the last round, a record deficit for the eventual champion. 1. Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson go head-to-head, 1977 This was the year a strokeplay event turned into matchplay. Jack Nicklaus, twice an Open winner, and Tom Watson, the champion of 1975, were bracketed together throughout four enthralling days at Turnberry, which staged its first Open under almost unbroken sunshine.

Nicklaus and Watson started with a pair of 68s to trail the first-round leader John Schroeder (son of the 1949 Wimbledon champion Ted) by two, then moved up within one of the halfway lead after a pair of 70s. They shook off the opposition with twin 65s on the third day to turn the last 18 holes into a shoot-out. They traded birdies along with the lead – Nicklaus was two up with six to play – but reached the 17th all square. The 71st hole all but decided the destiny of the title. After a perfect chip from off the green, Nicklaus missed a four-footer: Watson didn't, and grabbed a one-shot lead. It wasn't quite all over. At the last Nicklaus drove into a gorse bush, but somehow muscled the ball onto the green, then holed a big birdie putt. Watson was only two feet from the hole, but took his time before sinking the putt that gave him another 65 and the second of his eventual five Open championships, by just one shot. Hubert Green was a very distant third, 11 strokes behind the winner.

"I won the Open, those two guys played another game," joked Green. Hall of fame - About the Game - golf.co.nz - powered by DotGolf CHARLES RICTHIE HOWDEN The game of golf was introduced to New Zealand in Dunedin in 1871 and the man behind this was Charles Ritchie Howden who became known as the Father of New Zealand Golf. In this modern era his name will not be well known to a lot of golfers. However, through C R Howden and the members of his family, we can be very thankful for his passion and desire to bring the Royal and Ancient game to our country. Howden was the sort of Scotsman on whom the early prosperity of Dunedin was based and by 1871 he was financially secure, as well as young and enthusiastic enough to be a driving force behind the development of the game. Born in Edinburgh and educated at the Royal Academy, Howden came to New Zealand at the age of 23 and worked on sheep runs in Otago. He later entered the wine and spirit business in Dunedin and started the New Zealand Distillery Company, a firm which flourished until it was closed by legislation, and which provided a healthy payment in compensation.

So the story of Howden is not only about introducing golf but also home grown whiskey. In September 1871 a dozen players gathered to form a club and Howden became the first Club Captain of the Dunedin Golf Club (later the Otago Golf Club). In 1872 the City Council gave permission for a course to be laid out and it was Howden who was the designer. For various reasons the course closed down five years later and business interests took Howden back to Great Britain. Fortunately he returned in 1889 and, soon after, new initiatives surfaced and there was interest in golf in Otago, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. By the time Charles Howden passed away on 28 August 1928 at the age of 90, his name had become legendary in New Zealand Golf. It is fitting that the man who introduced the game to New Zealanders and who was recognised for many years as the Father of New Zealand Golf be inducted into the New Zealand Golf Hall of Fame. Howden arrived in New Zealand as a 23 year old in 1862.

On 11 September 1871 Howden was elected the first Club Captain of the Dunedin Golf Club. After leaving New Zealand in 1881 Howden returned in 1889 and his initiative once again sparked a fresh start for the game. Howden and his family started golf in Dunedin, Wellington, Masterton, Invercargill and influenced many other regions. Howden lived to the age of 89 and will always be remembered as “the Father of New Zealand Golf”. MICHAEL CAMPBELL New Zealand Golf along with the golfers of New Zealand would like to acknowledge the achievements of Michael Campbell, the boy from Titahi Bay who has marveled us with his play for nearly 20 years. Known as "Cambo", this proud New Zealander and Maori has represented his country with pride and there is no other Kiwi sportsman that we love to follow when playing at his very best. As a golfer, Cambo blossomed in his early 20's and his amateur career, which included victory in the 1992 Australian Amateur Championship, signaled to the golfing world that a very special professional career is about to start.

His final achievement as an amateur came in Canada when along with Phil Tataurangi, Stephen Scahill and Grant Moorhead, New Zealand finished seven strokes ahead of a star studded United States team to win the 1992 Eisenhower Trophy. Three professional wins in 1994 set Cambo up for a stella 1995 year when at The Open Championship at St. Andrews he slept on a two shot lead going into the final round. His escape from the Road Hole bunker on his way to a third round 65 is still talked about today, but in the final round the magic could not be repeated and Cambo finished one shot behind in 3rd place. The year featured a win in the Alfred Dunhill Masters and elevation to number 28 on the Official World Golf rankings. Four wins in the year 2000, included a very special New Zealand Open Championship, but it was five years later that Cambo stopped the nation when he outplayed Tiger Woods to win the 2005 US Open Championship. That day is recorded in New Zealand sporting history as one of our greatest.

What followed was perhaps the most sublime golf ever played in his career when he finished 5th in The Open and 6th in the US PGA Championship, before winning the World Match Play Championship. This incredible journey could not have been possible if it were not for a huge amount of support from a very close whanau, of which there is too many to mention. However his wife Julie and son's Thomas and Jordan can be very proud, as all of New Zealand is, in honouring Michael Shane Campbell, CNZM and admitting him to the New Zealand Golf Hall of Fame. STUART JONES New Zealand Golf and the golfers of New Zealand acknowledge the incredible career of Stuart Jones. It is without doubt that Jones was the greatest amateur golfer this country has ever produced with an unprecedented record which is still talked about today. Jones was dubbed “The Emperor” by the doyen of New Zealand Golf journalists Sir Terry McLean, who acknowledged his outstanding record which occurred during a period when competition was fierce with the talents of Bob Charles, Ross Murray, John Durry, Ted McDougall, Ross Newdick and Walter Godfrey all champions in their own right.

He will always be associated with Hastings Golf Club at Bridge Pa where his career started in 1947. A scalding received from a Wairakei geyser cut short a promising rugby career, but he took to the game of golf with such enthusiasm that within two years he became club champion. This signalled the start of an illustrious career where for years many marvelled at his ball-striking skills as he won title after title. From his early success at Bridge Pa his achievements quickly blossomed and he began to be the player to be reckoned with at first provincial, then national and ultimately international level. He represented New Zealand from 1953 to 1975, playing in seven Eisenhower Trophy events. His most notable achievements came when he won two professional events and the 1967 Canadian Amateur Championship. Together with seven New Zealand Amateur titles Jones’ record is unlikely to be matched in this modern era.

With such an outstanding record it was little surprise Jones was named the first-ever Hawke's Bay Sportsman of the Year in 1966, invested as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1977 and elected to the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame and awarded life membership of the Hastings Golf Club. Stuart Jones has not just been a standout – he has been a legend. Stuart Jones’ record and love of the game stands tall and we are extremely proud to acknowledge his phenomenal career of achievement and longevity by admitting him to the New Zealand Golf Hall of Fame.

Stuart Jones’ record is unmatched and includes: - New Zealand representative from 1953 to 1975 - Seven appearances at the World Teams Championship, known as the Eisenhower Trophy - Winner of the New Zealand Foursomes title in 1960, 1963, 1965 and 1972 - Winner of the New Zealand Amateur title in 1955, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966 and 1971 - Winner of the North Island Amateur in 1953, 1966, 1970, 1972 - Winner of the South Island Amateur 1964 - Winner of two professional events - Winner of the Canadian Amateur title in 1967

Question: When he won the US Open in 2005, which man became only the second New Zealander, after Bob Charles, to win one of golf's major championships?
Answer: MICHAEL CAMPBELL