Big summer for - Backspin Golf Magazine

Perhaps it will be the turn of 23-year-old
Holywood star Rory McIlroy to strike a blow for
golf’s rising superstars this year. If he were to
be crowned Lord of the Links he would
become the youngest Open champion since
Seve at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 1979.
Seve announced himself as a dynamic new
force in golf three years earlier at Royal
Birkdale when, as a fearless 19-year-old with
film star looks and a dashing style of play, he
led after three rounds. He eventually finished
runner-up with Nicklaus behind a rampant
Johnny Miller, who closed with a sizzling 66.
But Seve was not to be denied at Royal
Lytham & St. Annes in 1979 when he became
the first European-based player to win
The Open for ten years. A second round
65 provided the springboard to a thrilling
three-shot victory over Ben Crenshaw and
Jack Nicklaus.
Seve’s breakthrough victory at Lytham in
1979 sparked a golden era for European golf.
The swashbuckling Spaniard added four
more Major titles to his haul during a glittering
career, including a second Open title at Lytham
in 1988 which was to be his last victory in the
Majors.
During the 1980s and 1990s, undoubtedly
inspired by Seve’s exploits, fellow Europeans
Sandy Lyle (2), Nick Faldo (6), Bernhard Langer
(2), Ian Woosnam (1), Jose-Maria Olazabal (2)
and 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie stepped
up to the plate in the Major Championships.
Bernard Darwin, the doyen of golf writers,
once famously described Royal Lytham & St.
Annes as a “beast of a golf course, but a just
beast.” An entirely fitting description of this
rugged and magnificent jewel.
Royal Lytham & St. Annes has produced 9
great Open champions since 1926, including
Bobby Jones, Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson,
Bob Charles, Tony Jacklin, Gary Player and, of
course, two-time winner Seve.
More recently, Americans Tom Lehman
(1996) and David Duval (2001) etched their
names into Open folklore at Lytham.
It has not been a happy hunting ground for
Irish players in The Open Championship but
things could have been a lot different.
So much for the luck of the Irish. If Christy
O’Connor Snr had enjoyed even a modicum of
the famous elixir at crucial moments in the
past he might have won The Open twice at
Lytham. He came agonisingly close in 1958.
Sparkling opening rounds of 67+68 followed by
a 73+71 finish left him tied 3rd with Eric Brown
just a shot behind champion Peter Thomson
and play-off runner-up Dave Thomas.
The Royal Dublin maestro was 6th to Bob
Charles in 1963 and produced another rousing
performance at Lytham in 1969 when he
finished 5th behind Jacklin, Charles, Thomson
and De Vicenzo with rounds of 71+65+74+74.
Royal Lytham & St. Annes owes us one.
Over to you Darren, Padraig, Rory and
Graeme!
Royal Lytham & St. Annes
PREVIOUS OPEN
WINNERS AT LYTHAM
1926: Bobby Jones (USA)
1952: Bobby Locke (SA)
1958: Peter Thomson (Aus)
1963: Bob Charles (NZ)
1969: Tony Jacklin (Eng)
1974: Gary Player (SA)
1979: Seve Ballesteros (Sp)
1988: Seve Ballesteros (Sp)
1996: Tom Lehman (USA)
2001: David Duval (USA)
2012 SPECTATOR
INFORMATION
Seve
Official Website:
www.TheOpen.com
Visit the Website
for complete information
on tickets and all other
spectator arrangements
Nearest Airports:
Blackpool and Liverpool
Rail links to the Open:
For timetables / information
on rail travel to the venue visit
www.nationalrail.co.uk
www.northernrail.org
Accommodation:
For details regarding hotel
& B&B accommodation
www.visitlancashire.com
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