Mark O'Meara set aside grief to carry on with charity event

FORMER Open Champion Mark O'Meara told yesterday how he hid his grief to help young golfers at a charity event in Aberdeen.

The 53-year-old American learned that his father, Bob, had died just five minutes before attending a dinner for the Grampian-Houston Junior Golf foundation. But O'Meara still carried out his high-profile role to raise funds for young players in the North East of Scotland and then immediately pulled out of this week's Senior Open at Carnoustie.

His 81-year-old father died of an aortic aneurysm on Monday night. And yesterday O'Meara admitted: "I felt it was important I fulfilled my commitment to be here as it is such a worthwhile cause.

"The last week has been a rollercoaster for me. I found out on Saturday that my dad was in an intensive care unit and was in dire straits over the weekend.

"I played in the Open as I know my dad would have wanted me to compete at St Andrews. We played together there 18 years ago and had a lot of fun.

"But now I've lost my mum and dad and it is time to go home. As a son who loves his father very much it has been very difficult for me so I am going back today to help my sisters put our father next to our mother."

The golfer's family contacted him to break the news minutes before he took to the stage and addressed an audience of 200 people.

He was speaking at a fundraising dinner held at the city's Marcliffe Hotel for the association following his first appearance at the annual Pro-am. Its organisers help some of the North-east's most talented golfers pursue the sport professionally through scholarships in the US.

In a passionate address to sponsors and participants in the Pro-am, O'Meara pledged his support and commended the work of the association.

Yesterday John Connon, chairman of Grampian Houston Junior Golf, said: "Mark received news of his father's passing moments before he and his wife Meredith were piped in to our fundraising dinner.

"It would have been understandable if he had decided to pull out, however, like the true gentleman and professional that he is, he insisted on proceeding as planned."

Grampian Houston Junior Golf was founded in 1992 by Bruce Davidson, the current director of golf at River Oaks Country Club in Houston, when he was the professional at Kings Links Golf Centre. The non-profit organisation has already helped boost the careers of almost 100 Scottish golfers with more than 30 receiving scholarships.

Connon added: "Mark is an incredible man. What he did at our dinner last night in those circumstances was a humbling experience."