Champions Challenge to return to St Andrews

Published on Monday 20 July 2009 22:44

NEXT summer's staging of the Open in the Auld Toun, on the 150th anniversary of the championship, is to be marked by a reprise of the four-hole Champions Challenge which proved so successful during 2000 in St Andrews to mark the new millennium.

It's hoped Seve Ballesteros, the Old Course champion in 1984, will be fit enough to attend.

It promises to be a gala occasion with a notable contribution also being planned by Prestwick Golf Club, the first links to host golf's oldest major in 1860.The Ayrshire club are in the process of organising a dinner on the week-end before the 2010 championship to recall Prestwick's place in Open history.

Invitations have been sent out to past champions to attend the function and Ballesteros has already been in touch through his management expressing a willingness to travel to Ayrshire.

Ballesteros, who is making a recovery from four brain operations on a malignant tumour, is also keen to thank his supporters in the UK for their good wishes by making a return in St Andrews.

It's not yet clear whether he will be fit enough to play in the event itself or just the Champions Challenge.

But the Spaniard said at the weekend: "I would love to play at St Andrews next year for the British public, it's an objective I would like to turn into reality."

Michael Brown, the chairman of the R&A's championship committee, said: "It's obviously a very special occasion, our 150th. Our present plan is to have the Champions Challenge on the Wednesday afternoon as we did in the year 2000. That was extremely popular with the fans. Given decent weather, I think that will go down very well again and will be very well supported, as, indeed, it was the last time."

Nine years ago, 22 former winners – Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Peter Thomson, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson, Bob Charles, Roberto de Vicenzo, Tony Jacklin, Lee Trevino, Tom Weiskopf, Bill Rogers, Sandy Lyle, Mark Calcavecchia, Ian Baker-Finch, Nick Price, John Daly, Tom Lehman, Justin Leonard, Mark O'Meara and Paul Lawrie – took part in what was widely regarded as a hugely successful charitable curtain-raiser to the main event.

Of the then living champions, only Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Johnny Miller, Kel Nagle and Max Faulkner (who died in 2005) were unable to attend. It was a particularly poignant opportunity for the galleries to enjoy a last glimpse of Snead's glorious swing. Two years later, just a few days shy of his 90th birthday, the most prolific winner in US PGA Tour history died of complications following a stroke.

At the age of 88, in spite of sight and hearing issues, Slammin' Sam still managed to split the first fairway on the Old Course with a perfect drive. Snead had won the Open in St Andrews on his only previous visit to the Auld Toun in 1946. "I had two good eyes back then," reflected the legend. "But the eyes are not that good any more. I was just guessing when I drew the club back."

Underneath bright sunshine with just a wisp of light breeze, huge crowds turned out to applaud some of the most revered golfers in Open history. They played in groups of three or four with the best ball counting and the winners earning 40,000 for charity. The partnership of Weiskopf, Lehman and Lawrie made two birdies and two pars, which proved good enough to stave off the challenge from Nicklaus & Co.

There was huge public support for the festivities surrounding the millennium Open and a repeat performance for such a significant anniversary is the ideal way to mark the championship's 150th birthday. Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient, confirmed Prestwick's contribution had their full backing and the letters of invitation to the function "included a note from me saying the R&A were in full support".

Ian Bunch, secretary of Prestwick Golf Club, revealed invitations to the function in a marquee outside the clubhouse had also been sent to all the other clubs which have hosted the Open over the past 150 years. "Representatives of the clubs and the past champions have all been asked to a black tie dinner on the Saturday night before the Open," he said. "We've had quite a few positives and others have said they'll make it if their diaries allow. There seems to be a fair amount of enthusiasm for it. The course will also be available to them on Sunday.

"We're also having a replica belt made, which will be presented to the winner of the 2010 Open (along with the Claret Jug] by out captain at the prize-giving on Sunday evening. The last time we did that was for the 125th when Sandy Lyle won at Royal St George's.

"Interestingly enough, we had a visit from Mark O'Meara last year. We told him about our plans and he said 'That's great, I'll try to bring my pal Tiger along and he'll be delighted to know you're having a belt made'." Tiger Woods, who missed the cut at Turnberry, won the two most recent championships held in St Andrews in 2000 and 2005.