I as do most anyone of British ancestory who loves golf remembers with great relish Gary Player's win at Augusta in 1961 when he beat Arnie and an amateur called Charles R Coe by a shot. Coe incidently owns about every amateur record going at Augusta where he appeared 19 times making the cut in 15 of them. He won the US Amateur twice, and was arguably the best amateur ever.....1961 was the first of Gary's 3 Masters titles ('74 and '78).
In the 60's Arnie and Jack took turns winning it 3 times each and TV had whipped their rivalry into a frenzy around Masters time especially with Arnie's Army in full cry..
Gary was a member of the Big 3, but when he won, he was called the first foreigner, to win in an almost derogatory, demeaning fashion by the American media and I dare say the Masters members. It seems petty now considering the melting pot that this planet has become, but it didn't sit well with us at the time.
Well how times have changed. Much will be made next week of Tiger and Phil, Tiger and Phil, Tiger and Phil, understandably as we all know that ratings are the name of the game, and those 2 are the express elevator to the ratings penthouse, no matter how they are playing and neither is playing worth a toss right now. Still as Lorne Rubenstein pointed out yesterday Phil has been in the T10 , 11 of the last 12 years and has won it 3 times, no matter what form he has been in as he drives down Magnolia Lane. Tiger has won it 4 times and been 2nd twice since 1997, extraordinary although he hasn't won since '05 which co-incides with the changes they made to Augusta National.
However I ask you to consider this...
European tour members, since 1980, have won an astonishing 14 out of 31 times and have been 2nd 7 times.
They will be arriving at Augusta later this weekend with the top 4 players in the world, and no more fear of Tiger or Phil or anybody else for that matter. That's what winning 3 of the 4 majors last year, winning an epic Ryder Cup, and stuffing Tiger at his own tournament not only on the last green but again in a playoff will do for you.
Only 45 of the 92 players in this years field are from the US of A. Further only 17 of the world's top 50 players are American, while 33 are or have been European Tour members...
If they keep this up they'll be calling them bloody foreigners again !!
Top European Tour Member Masters finishes since 1980 (winners in bold)
(europeantour.com)
1980 Seve Ballesteros 1
1981 Greg Norman 4
1982 Seve Ballesteros 3T
1983 Seve Ballesteros 1
1984 Sir Nick Faldo 15T
1985 Bernhard Langer 1
1986 Greg Norman 2T
1987 Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman 2T
1988 Sandy Lyle 1
1989 Sir Nick Faldo 1
1990 Sir Nick Faldo 1
1991 Ian Woosnam 1
1992 Greg Norman 6T
1993 Bernhard Langer 1
1994 José Maria Olazábal 1
1995 Greg Norman 3T
1996 Sir Nick Faldo 1
1997 Costantino Rocca 5T
1998 Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomerie 8T
1999 José Maria Olazábal 1
2000 Vijay Singh 1
2001 Ernie Els, Bernhard Langer 6T
2002 Retief Goosen 2
2003 ErnIe Els, Vijay Singh 6T
2004 Ernie Els 2
2005 Luke Donald, Retief Goosen 3T
2006 Tim Clark 2
2007 Retief Goosen 2T
2008 Trevor Immelman 1
2009 Angel Cabrera 1
2010 Lee Westwood 2
2011 ?
Bryan Angus
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