Sad to say Faxon became one of those


‘best golfers never to win a major’, but he did win 8 times on the PGA Tour and played in the 1995 and 1997 Ryder Cups. He also had a reputation for many years as the best putter on the Tour. I hope he still remembers Hoylake with some affection.


NICK WAINWRIGHT All my golfing friends were naturally very excited when the Walker Cup came to Hoylake in 1983. I remember the weather being gloriously hot – not typical golfing weather for members but similar to the European Open in 1981, and of course to our own two recent heatwave Opens in 2006 and 2014. After the splendid opening ceremony


with the Marines Band and the thrill of Bing Crosby’s son, Nathaniel, playing for the USA, I watched the opening shot on Day 1 from the corner of the 1st hole...a “duffer” drive by George MacGregor – a candidate for a mulligan... Oh dear! An awkward and perhaps ominous start for GB&I. George,


Dinner in


speaking 2016


at our Spring as Captain of The


R & A, did, of course, remember the shot and acknowledged his embarrassment; but he also reminded his audience that he and Philip Walton did in fact go on to beat the American captain Jay Sigel and his partner Rick Fehr 3/2 in that very same match. It was “nip and tuck” at 8 all before


the final singles on Day 2; unfortunately the Great Britain and Ireland team capitulated to lose them 5½ - 2½. I


vividly


“A ‘duffer’ drive by George MacGregor – a candidate for a mulligan”


Above: George Macgregor on the10th


Below: Philip Walton putting on the 11th


recall watching some of


the brief TV coverage and listening to Peter Alliss’ commentary as the cameras followed Jay Sigel. Despite his formidable reputation, Jay had actually lost two and halved one of his 3 matches so far. Now he was preparing to play a 5 iron for his second shot to the 12th green (my favourite hole in the world of golf, by the way). Three practice swings, concentrating


hard over the ball, a critical shot in any form of golf, let alone the Walker Cup, but


the very moment he started his


backswing, there was a howling sound in the gallery from a young baby in a pram. Sigel stopped mid swing and Alliss, whose comments hit the nail on the head


every time, just said quietly, “Oh dear, oh dear, that poor mother will be so embarrassed,” as she tiptoed away from the spectators. That little baby was William Goodwin,


son of longstanding Hoylake member, Lytton, and the tiptoeing mother was his wife, Paula. Despite the incident Jay went on to win his match 3/1. With the Walker Cup returning in 2019


to our superb links and iconic clubhouse in a very different era to the 1980’s, and with Nathaniel Crosby returning as USA Captain, and knowing our very own Matthew Jordan is a strong candidate to play in his second Cup, I think and hope Hoylake can be confident of staging the best ever Walker Cup.


JAY SIGEL n The 1983 Walker Cup Match ended


in victory for the USA team captained by Jay Sigel. Charlie Green’s GB&I team won 10½ points to the the Americans’ 13½. n No American has played in more Walker Cups than Sigel. His tally of nine appearances ranks only behind the all-time record held by Great Britain and Ireland’s Joe Carr. n Sigel’s USA teams won eight Matches and lost one in 1989; he also skippered the team in 1985. n He has one of the more decorated USGA careers, winning five national championships, including the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur in the same year as his Hoylake Walker Cup triumph.


ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB 2018–2019 MAGAZINE 3


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