eclipsed all rivals with his third win at Hoylake in 1930. This was the year of the Impregnable Quadrilateral or Grand Slam. Was he a finer golfer that Hagen? Or was it that as an amateur he appealed to the Corinthian spirit espoused by the British establishment? Whatever, this did not bother Hagen. “I don’t want to be a millionaire,” he said. “I just want to act like one”. Among the extraordinary winners
of the Claret Jug was Sam Sneed. He crossed the Atlantic once before World War II and again in 1946 when he won The Open. He never came again as he won just £200.00 and reckoned it cost him about $1,000.00 (about £350.00) to make the return trip. Ben Hogan won the trophy at Carnoustie in 1953 but never made the journey again. It seems likely that back then the rewards were simply not great enough to tempt them to compete. Still, they were both absolutely great golfers who added luster and glory to The Open. It just would not have been the same without such names engraved on the Trophy. The trend of wonderful tournaments continues in recent years. Had Jean Van de Velde won would he have filled the Jug with the appropriate liquid? Did Padraig Harrington’s son fill it with ladybirds? Did Darren Clark have time to fill it with that wonderful dark stout so popular in his part of the world?
Tiger Woods shed tears for his father at Hoylake in 2006 when he navigated his way to victory and held the Jug aloft.
It may be a replica but today’s Claret Jug is still charged with all the history, sporting greatness and sportsmanship of the original
Tiger Woods shed tears for his father at Hoylake in 2006 when he navigated his way to victory and held the Jug aloft. And if Tom Watson had won the tournament at Carnoustie I believe the trophy would have melted with the emotion of the occasion. So when the Champion golfer is announced by the Secretary of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Peter Dawson, on 20th
July
Above: Peter Thompson in 1956
Right: In 1947, Fred Daly said the trophy had never
been to Ireland before and that he hoped the change of air would do it good
and presented by our Captain Alistair Beggs, the trophy shall be handed over to a mighty champion. It may be a replica but today’s Claret Jug is still charged with all the history, sporting greatness and sportsmanship of the original, and there is no doubt that the winner will have demonstrated all the credentials and skills needed to have followed in the footsteps of the giants of the game of golf. n
ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB 2 014 MAGAZINE
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