TONY Lema’s victory in the 1964 Open over the Old Course at St Andrews was a memorable one, for all sorts of reasons – and not just because it was his very first time in the tournament, and his first visit to this country.
The Californian had arrived in St Andrews only after lunchtime on the Monday, after an exhausting transatlantic journey. He only had time for two practice rounds of the course – a course which, as our golf writer Raymond Jacobs observed, “has the reputation of needing years of experience for one to acquire even a moderate knowledge of its variable moods and the subtleties in its design”.
But the man nicknamed ‘Champagne Tony’ was in very good form, having won three out of four circuit tournaments in America. On Arnold Palmer’s recommendation, he used, as his caddie, Tip Anderson, who had caddied for Palmer on his four previous Open visits. Lema was full of generous praise for Anderson’s contribution.
Lema played superbly, recording a 68 in both the second and third rounds, setting the scene for a nail-biting final round. He finished on 279, five strokes ahead of Jack Nicklaus.
The picture above shows the eager crowd surging ahead of Lema after he had chipped up through the Valley of Sin to within a yard of the hole. It was some minutes before he struggled through the cordon of spectators.
Nicklaus did his absolute best but could not catch Lema - who is seen here (main image), listening to the prize-giving speeches before accepting the Claret Jug.
In the Evening Times, Sam McKinlay – himself a noted golfer – wrote: “When the history of the 1964 Open Championship comes to be written it ought to be called ‘Four Days that Shook the World of Golf’.
“It took Tony Lema only four days and 12 hours to make himself acquainted with British weather, British food, the British ball, British crowds, and the best – and most individual – course in Britain ... No-one ... will every [become the Champion Golfer] better, more convincingly, or more gracefully”
Sadly, Lema died just two years later, in a small-plane crash in Illinois that also claimed the lives of his wife, Betty, and two other people.
Read more: Herald Diary
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