Hacks LAST YEAR ROYAL


LIVERPOOL WAS DELIGHTED TO HOST THE ASSOCIATION OF GOLF WRITERS WHOSE MEMBERS BATTLED FOR TWO TROPHIES. THEIR CAPTAIN PETER DIXON, DESCRIBES THE ACTION


FOR THE EUROPEAN TOUR’S leading players, it was all about the Race to Dubai – a season-long series of events which culminated in a grand finale in the United Arab Emirates. For the Association of Golf Writers,


2017 was all about the Race to Royal Liverpool – a series of events which began at Kingsbarns, just along the coast from St Andrews, and finished on the revered links of Hoylake. The AGW’s visit in November


represented the first time the body of writers, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, had played the final event of the season on an Open Championship course. The journey to Hoylake had taken in Kingsbarns, Hillside, Royal Birkdale and Royal Portrush. To a man, there was nothing but praise


for a course that was seen in all its glory on a sunny, yet chilly, autumn day. It would be fair to say, however, that while the course drew plenty of plaudits, there was equal praise from the visitors for the warm welcome the club afforded them. “We could not thank Royal Liverpool enough for the fantastic opportunity to play these historic and wonderful links for our final competition of 2017,” said Iain Carter, the BBC golf correspondent and chairman of the AGW. “Rarely have we been made to feel so welcome. “We would particularly like to


thank Simon Newland, the Secretary, and everybody associated with Royal Liverpool for making it such a memorable occasion at what is undoubtedly one of


10 ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE 2018–2019


the great clubs in world golf.” Among those joining Carter on the


day were Derek Lawrenson, the highly respected golf correspondent of the Daily Mail, who also happens to be a member of Wallasey Golf Club, The Sun’s David Facey, and Irish radio journalists Greg Allen and Denis Kirwan. As with the Race to Dubai, two


trophies were up for grabs on the same day. The best round of the day, on Stableford scoring, would secure the Golf Writers’ Championship Fred


Pignon


Trophy, while the player with the highest total from four of the five events played would become the AGW’s Etiqus Golfer of the Year.


There was no better way to finish our year


Above: Alan Fraser gets out of a bunker at the 16th.


Hoylake Hack at


At the start of the day five players were


still in contention for the overall title. In the end, victory went to Colin Callander, the former editor of Golf Monthly, who had an outward half of 17 points and an inward half of 15 for an overall score of 125 and a winning margin of five points over Facey (26) and Allen (32). In a share of fourth place, on 118, was my good self. For his efforts – the third time he had finished top of the rankings – Callander


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