International Rally
In the US Open’s first hundred years, there were so few overseas winners that anyone scanning the list of champions could very easily be left with the impression that the event was closed as opposed to open. Take, for example, the period from 1970 to 1994.
Tony Jacklin won at the beginning of the 1970s, but until Ernie Els changed the course of US Open history by seizing the title at Oakmont in 1994, there was only one outside winner – Australia’s David Graham in ’81 – sandwiched between 22 Americans.
Hardly surprisingly, the home players felt pretty much invincible for most of that stretch, and not least because they were rightly able to remind themselves that they had the upper hand when it came to the fickle US Open rough.
Yet there is no question that they would have been keeping an ever more of a wary eye on what was happening elsewhere. At Augusta, for instance, Seve Ballesteros had opened the floodgates for outsiders with his 1980 Masters win. He enjoyed a repeat victory in 1983 and, by the end of the 1994 championship, all of Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and José María Olazábal had their names etched beneath his on the trophy.
Photography by AFP
Click here to see the published article.
Reigning Hong Kong Open champion Miguel Angel Jiménez is back in action on the European Tour after recovering from breaking his leg in a skiing accident in December, although the popular Spaniard missed the cut at the Open de Espana, his comeback event.
From customizable balls to adjustable drivers and funky grips, Charlie Schroeder picks 10 of his favourite new releases
Lewine Mair talks to two-time Women's British Open champion Jiyai Shin about the different approaches players from Asia and their counterparts in Europe and the US take to the game
The play of Guan Tian-lang, the Chinese 14-year-old amateur, at The Masters was truly sensational, but here's hoping he follows the advice of his mentors and focuses on his long term goals
Adam Scott's victory on the second play-off hole against Angel Cabrera at last month's Masters Tournament was a monumental achievement in this proud sporting county's history
Roger McStravick profiles Willie Park, Sr – winner of the very first Open Championship, but a player who never enjoyed the adulation that his rivals – men like "Old" Tom Morris and Allan Robertson – received
The Masters legend, a winner in 1985 and 1993, tells Garrett Johnston what it takes to win at Augusta National – and what he's looking forward to this time around
