"It's one of these things when you get older in life, awards tend to come your way," said Sandy Lyle, as he prepared to add another trinket to his mantelpiece of mementoes.
A quarter of a century after winning the Masters at Augusta, Lyle was in Glasgow last night to accept the Lifetime Achievement accolade at the Scottish Golf Awards. With the rapturous reception, the standing ovation and the popping of celebratory corks, it was the kind of occasion you would have expected Lyle to have been immersed in during the aftermath of that titanic triumph on American soil 25 years ago. The truth, however, is slightly different as the after-show shindig in Georgia was about as lively as a night in solitary confinement.
"In the hotel where I was staying, there were parties and discos on during the week," recalled Lyle, as he reflected on the knees-up that went belly-up. "I'd had a few drinks at the dinner that night with the members of Augusta and eventually, when I got some time to myself about 10.30, 11 at night I thought I'll go down to this place and have some fun. I opened the doors as if to say 'hello guys, I'm here' and who was there? Nobody."
If anyone deserved a good gargle on that April night in 1988 it was Lyle. His one-shot victory over Mark Calcavecchia is seared on the minds of many, not just for the fact that the Scot became the first Briton to ease his way into the Green Jacket but for the way in which the decorated garment was plundered.
Lyle's raking 7-iron approach from the bunker on the 18th, which set up the winning birdie putt he trundled down the hill and into the hole, sparked a spontaneous jig of joy that looked a bit like an uncle dancing at his niece's 21st birthday party.
"That jig was going to be a somersault but I had no legs left," said Lyle, 55, who was inducted into the world golf hall of fame last year. "It was more of a jiggle. I could feel the pressure of the whole day, the whole week draining out of my shoulders and neck muscles at that moment. I could have just lain down like a blob on the green and been quite happy for the next few hours, enjoying the moment."
As for that tense finale, Lyle will never tire of recalling the sequence of events that led to his second major victory, after his Open Championship success at Sandwich three years earlier. Mind you, launching an iron off the final tee and into the fairway sand trap was not part of the suggested itinerary.
"I wasn't very comfortable getting up to the bunker," he said. "When I saw the shot on its way in I thought it had gone in with enough speed to go up against the face and I was worried I wouldn't have a chance to get it out of the bunker because of the steep angle and the distance involved.
"I could maybe have got it out, yes, but could I get it 150-odd yards up the hill and over a bunker and make par? That's all I was trying to do, make par. The birdie process wasn't a flicker in my mind. When I saw the lie, it was playable, it was sitting clean and it was elevated. Had it been a foot or so shorter it would've been on the flat part of the bunker which meant I would have had to go out sideways with a nine iron or something.
"It was in my favour at that point so I was quite comfortable as I knew there was a shot on. I didn't want to lose the last hole to a bogey, I'd come so far and I didn't want all the good work go to waste. I've hit some good shots in my life but for what it meant at the time that was about as good as it got. I get reminded about it most weeks when I play in America. It really is etched in people's minds."
Lyle will return to Augusta next month for his 32nd appearance in the opening major of the year. The 18-time European Tour winner has missed the cut on his last three outings there but a share of 20th in 2009, alongside young whippersnappers such as Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose, showed there is life in the old dog yet.
"I play to enjoy it these days and I still feel my game is long enough for that course . . . just," said Lyle, who won his first title in 19 years in 2011, capturing the ISPS Senior World Championship in Japan. "I don't think you can consider being in with a chance of winning. The again you had Tom Watson almost winning the Open at the age of nearly 60. You never say no. My first challenge is to make the cut. I've been at the champions' dinner a few years now and I've started to see a few saying 'I'm out of here'. There are a few years left for me to tinker along yet though."
And on that note, Lyle was off to get his long-awaited party started.
There are plenty of benefits to the ageing process, it seems. "It's one of these things when you get older in life, awards tend to come your way," said Sandy Lyle, as he prepared to add another trinket to his mantelpiece of mementoes.
A quarter of a century after winning the Masters at Augusta, Lyle was in Glasgow last night to accept the Lifetime Achievement accolade at the Scottish Golf Awards. With the rapturous reception, the standing ovation and the popping of celebratory corks, it was the kind of occasion you would have expected Lyle to have been immersed in during the aftermath of that titanic triumph on American soil 25 years ago. The truth, however, is slightly different as the after-show shindig in Georgia was about as lively as a night in solitary confinement.
"In the hotel where I was staying, there were parties and discos on during the week," recalled Lyle, as he reflected on the knees-up that went belly-up. "I'd had a few drinks at the dinner that night with the members of Augusta and eventually, when I got some time to myself about 10.30, 11 at night I thought I'll go down to this place and have some fun. I opened the doors as if to say 'hello guys, I'm here' and who was there? Nobody."
If anyone deserved a good gargle on that April night in 1988 it was Lyle. His one-shot victory over Mark Calcavecchia is seared on the minds of many, not just for the fact that the Scot became the first Briton to ease his way into the Green Jacket but for the way in which the decorated garment was plundered.
Lyle's raking 7-iron approach from the bunker on the 18th, which set up the winning birdie putt he trundled down the hill and into the hole, sparked a spontaneous jig of joy that looked a bit like an uncle dancing at his niece's 21st birthday party.
"That jig was going to be a somersault but I had no legs left," said Lyle, 55, who was inducted into the world golf hall of fame last year. "It was more of a jiggle. I could feel the pressure of the whole day, the whole week draining out of my shoulders and neck muscles at that moment. I could have just lain down like a blob on the green and been quite happy for the next few hours, enjoying the moment."
As for that tense finale, Lyle will never tire of recalling the sequence of events that led to his second major victory, after his Open Championship success at Sandwich three years earlier. Mind you, launching an iron off the final tee and into the fairway sand trap was not part of the suggested itinerary.
"I wasn't very comfortable getting up to the bunker," he said. "When I saw the shot on its way in I thought it had gone in with enough speed to go up against the face and I was worried I wouldn't have a chance to get it out of the bunker because of the steep angle and the distance involved.
"I could maybe have got it out, yes, but could I get it 150-odd yards up the hill and over a bunker and make par? That's all I was trying to do, make par. The birdie process wasn't a flicker in my mind. When I saw the lie, it was playable, it was sitting clean and it was elevated. Had it been a foot or so shorter it would've been on the flat part of the bunker which meant I would have had to go out sideways with a nine iron or something.
"It was in my favour at that point so I was quite comfortable as I knew there was a shot on. I didn't want to lose the last hole to a bogey, I'd come so far and I didn't want all the good work go to waste. I've hit some good shots in my life but for what it meant at the time that was about as good as it got. I get reminded about it most weeks when I play in America. It really is etched in people's minds."
Lyle will return to Augusta next month for his 32nd appearance in the opening major of the year. The 18-time European Tour winner has missed the cut on his last three outings there but a share of 20th in 2009, alongside young whippersnappers such as Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose, showed there is life in the old dog yet.
"I play to enjoy it these days and I still feel my game is long enough for that course . . . just," said Lyle, who won his first title in 19 years in 2011, capturing the ISPS Senior World Championship in Japan. "I don't think you can consider being in with a chance of winning. The again you had Tom Watson almost winning the Open at the age of nearly 60. You never say no. My first challenge is to make the cut. I've been at the champions' dinner a few years now and I've started to see a few saying 'I'm out of here'. There are a few years left for me to tinker along yet though."
And on that note, Lyle was off to get his long-awaited party started.
And the winners are . . .
Amateur Golfer of the Year – Jack McDonald
SLGA Girls' Order of Merit – Jessica Meek
SGU Boys' Order of Merit – Ewan Scott
SGU Men's Order of Merit – Scott Borrowman
SLGA Ladies' Order of Merit – Laura Murray
SGU Senior Order of Merit – David Gardner
Team of the Year – Scotland men's team (Home Internationals)
Adam Hunter Award – Lauren Whyte
Junior Club of the Year – Strathendrick
Volunteer of the Year – Shirley Murray
Shot of the Year – Stephen Gallacher
Player of the Year – Paul Lawrie
Lifetime Achievement Award – Sandy Lyle
