heart of the green. It was the moment when we really


knew he had it won and I really was there! I cannot remember on which night of The Open it was, but asleep in our house behind the 5th green I was awakened by a terrific thunderstorm. Looking out of the window I saw the flag on the 5th struck by lightning. The simultaneous crack of thunder I have never heard the like of since. The rain was torrential. Ear ly in the morning before play


started I went to the green to inspect the damage. There was none to the flag or hole, but spreading out from the hole were about six, one inch wide wavy lines of burnt grass each about twelve feet long. As I recall the course otherwise showed not


the slightest sign of the


storm, being dry and brown throughout the Championship.


…NIC KO WILLIAMS Throughout the 1960s The Open championship had been dominated by the “Big Three” of Palmer, Player and Nicklaus, and by 1967 the latter was always the bookies’ favourite. But the player who had always struck


a chord with my old friend Philip Stern was Roberto De Vicenzo and it was he whom I was determined to follow as much as possible during the tournament.


…AUDREY WILLIAMS Things were very different then. As the Captain’s wife I was not invited to The Open as it was an exclusively male tournament. As far as I can remember there were no


parties or social activities at the Club and, if there were, I was certainly not involved. I wasn’t invited to the closing round or


ceremony but I was able to witness the presentation of the trophy from the stand with the rest of the family - son Bruce was three at the time. Unfortunately I wasn’t introduced to


Roberto or any other player. I vividly remember the huge clap of thunder which accompanied the lightning strike in the early hours of the morning. Perhaps God was sending The R&A a little message! The telephone rang and Malcolm went


to the Club to sort out the damage to the green. He seemed to spend most of the year there as it was very much left to the members to organise the event with visits from The R&A.


4 ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE 2 017


After two rounds it was clear


that


Roberto was going well and it was with mounting excitement that I parked my recently acquired (for £625) pride and joy, a 1959 Porsche Super 90, riddled with rust and almost brakeless, in the members’ car park alongside what is now the greenkeeper’s sheds. In those days of course spectators could


walk alongside the players and see every shot in close up. Roberto had reached the twelfth green and I positioned myself directly behind the thirteenth tee. If memory serves Roberto took an eight iron and swung so


rhythmically and


slowly that I thought it must have been a practise swing until I heard a click and saw the ball soaring towards the flag. A birdie there and at the next and the great man was leading the pack. At the fourteenth his playing partner,


Fred Boobyer, also in the hunt, left an eagle putt hanging on the lip of the hole. “I wanted it so badly for you,” we overheard Roberto say to the anguished Boobyer. What a gentleman. Sadly


I was playing cricket the


following day and so did not see his triumph at first hand, but I do know that I am the only member at the time who has not claimed witnessing Roberto’s fairway wood across the out of bounds to the heart of the sixteenth green!


…ANT HONY SHONE In The Open of 1956 at Hoylake Roberto came third while Peter Thomson became the first man to win three consecutive titles since the championship had been extended to 72 holes. In 1967 Peter gave Roberto a lift to the Club in his car and detected a confidence so strong that the great Australian backed him to win. On the last day no one thought Roberto


could beat Gary Player or Jack Nicklaus but, at the 10th, Player 3 putted to drop even further back, while no one who saw it can forget De Vicenzo’s death or glory shot across the out of bounds on the 16th that would enable him to make a birdie 4. In those days the Club was responsible


for all the facilities as representation of The R&A consisted only of the excellent Brigadier Brickman who retired after this Open.


While the great shot to the 16th is


I was able to witness the


presentation of the trophy


Above: Roberto De Vicenzo receives the Claret Jug from Malcolm Williams


remembered the hole that should not be forgotten was the recently changed and lengthened 3rd hole. Roberto completed it in two eagle threes and two birdie fours as the cards in the Spike Bar confirm! I doubt any of us who saw Roberto win imagined it would be 2006 before what is arguably the greatest golf tournament in the world returned to the Hoylake links.


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