Claret Jug engraver Harvey dies aged 83

PETER Dawson, chief executive of the R&A, has paid tribute to long-time Claret Jug engraver Alex Harvey, who has passed away in Perth at the age of 83.

The engraver etched the winning names on the famous Claret Jug over four decades, within minutes of golf's Open champion being confirmed.

His ties with the R&A dated back to 1967, when Roberto de Vicenzo won at Royal Liverpool, forgetting to have the trophy engraved before the following year's tournament at Carnoustie.

That prompted the R&A to bring Harvey on board, taking responsibility out of the hands of the champion. In 1973 he was present for the first time to engrave Tom Weiskopf's name at Troon.

His handiwork reads like a Who's Who of golf, with Nicklaus, Player, Trevino, Norman, Ballesteros, Faldo and Woods all receiving the Claret Jug with their names swiftly engraved before the presentation ceremony.

Dawson said: "It is always a time of great pressure between the end of the championship and the presentation and Alex always kept his head when there was so much to do, even when I was losing mine.

"As well as engraving the trophy he also had the medals to do but Alex always had the coolest of heads and did a great job for so many years for the Open and the R&A. We are very sorry to hear he has gone. We gave Alex a replica of the Claret Jug when he retired and I would like to think he kept adding the winner's names to his one as well."

After bowing out at St Andrews in 2005, Alex recalled: "Probably the most difficult name I ever had to tackle was Mark Calcavecchia at Troon. I made sure I checked that out a few times!"

Harvey relished the day he engraved Paul Lawrie's name on the trophy at Carnoustie. "It was nice to see his name going on the trophy and not just because he's a Scot. I'd known him for years," he said. "My son Garry knew him and they'd played together on Tour."

Harvey recalled his swansong, with Tiger Woods triumphant at the home of golf. "It was a wonderful tournament, with Jack Nicklaus and I both retiring! In a way I was glad he bowed out on the Friday, otherwise he might have stolen my thunder."

Harvey was a one-time eight-handicapper at Craigie Hill and former captain at Dunning. He is survived by his wife Ann, son Garry, daughter Alexis, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The funeral takes place at Perth Crematorium on Tuesday at 3pm.