Rory McIlroy and George O’Grady with (left) David ... · Rory McIlroy and George O’Grady with (left) David Livingstone, Sky Sports main presenter, and Jason Wessely, Sky Sports

Rory McIlroy and George O’Grady with (left) David Livingstone, Sky Sports main presenter, and Jason Wessely, Sky Sports Executive Producer of Golf

4 Message from George O’Grady CBE

When Seve Ballesteros with a fusion of youthful exuberance and preposterous courage strode

magnificently into history by becoming in 1979 the first Open Champion from Spain and the

first from Continental Europe for 72 years, he launched a seismic change in the winning of golf’s

crown jewels that unquestionably transformed the landscape of the game.

History In The MakingA 43rd European Tour season, highlighted by the Major Championship feats of

Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy and a wonderfully presented Ryder Cup won by

Paul McGinley’s inspirational European team, concluded with McIlroy becoming the

sixth winner of The Race to Dubai which started life as the Order of Merit in 1972

with 19 tournaments. The 2014 European Tour International Schedule comprised

49 tournaments played in 26 countries with the Final Series again bringing the

season to a marvellous crescendo. Kaymer won the US Open and McIlroy enjoyed

a memorable summer with his wins in The 143rd Open Championship, the US PGA

Championship, the flagship BMW PGA Championship and the WGC-Bridgestone

Invitational before securing Number One honours for a second time at the DP World

Tour Championship, Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates. This special 27th edition of

The European Tour Yearbook captures the superb achievements of all our Members

on the global stage forged by The European Tour.

George O’Grady CBE

Chief Executive, The European Tour

Frustratingly since the birth of The European Tour in 1972 not one member of the fledgling organisation had captured a Major Championship with only the indomitable South African Gary Player breaking the American stranglehold that amounted to 26 Major wins between the Masters of 1972 and The Open Championship of 1979.

Yet when the ever increasing number of European Tour Members eligible for the Masters Tournament turn off Washington Road in April, 2015, and drive up Magnolia Lane, bringing the Augusta National clubhouse into view, there will be a very special milestone to celebrate if one of them earns the right to wear the coveted Green Jacket.

For since Ballesteros’s breakthrough in 1979 the total number of Major Championships won by European Tour Members has climbed to 49. So the prospect of a 50th

will provide additional spice to the next Masters – a tournament which since 1934 has traditionally triggered the annual pilgrimage for the modern day Grand Slam which continues through the year with the US Open, The Open Championship and the US PGA Championship.

What further whets the appetite is the delicious prospect of Rory McIlroy not only bringing up that half century but also following in the footsteps of Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen and Tiger Woods by becoming only the sixth player to complete a Grand Slam by having won each of those four Majors.

Sir Nick Faldo leads the roll call of honour for European Tour Members in the Major Championships with six wins (three Open Championships and three Masters

Tournaments) followed by Ballesteros (three Open Championships and two Masters Tournaments) and Ernie Els (two Open Championships and two US Opens). McIlroy, born in 1989, one year after Ballesteros’s final Open Championship triumph and in the same year that Faldo recorded the second of his six Major wins, is now on the cusp of becoming the first European Tour Member to secure all four Majors. If he achieves that at the next Masters then he will have done so before his 26th birthday.

McIlroy’s love of the tradition and history of the game means that he would be the first to acknowledge that if you don’t respect the past then you find it hard to build the future. As he peers with increasing confidence into that future then there will be other remarkable targets such as

By MITCHELL PLATTS

The 2014 Season 5

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Executive EditorMitchell PlattsEditorial AdvisorRoddy WilliamsEditorial ConsultantChris PlumridgePicture EditorsAndrew Redington Rob HarborneStatisticianSteve Doughty

Art DirectionTim Leney, Andrew WrightTC Communications LtdPrint Managed byPeter DaneMark BaldwinThe Print House Ltd

The European Tour Yearbook 2015is published by The European Tour, Wentworth Drive, Virginia Water, Surrey GU25 4LX.© The European Tour.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission in writing from The European Tour.ISBN 978-0-9570509-3-8

The European Tour is the publisher of this work and not agents of those who advertise herein. The European Tour cannot be held liable for any loss suffered as a result of information gained from this publication.

Seve Ballesteros and Sir Nick Faldo

Ernie Els

Six of the Best

Miguel Ángel Jiménez at his wedding to Susanna Styblo - among the wedding guests were his sons, Miguel Ángel and Victor, and European Tour colleagues José María Olazábal, José Manuel Lara and Alejandro Cañizares

Graeme McDowell celebrated his Alstom Open de France win with mother Marian and father Kenny

Bob Torrance (far right) shares a special family moment in 2006 as son Sam is presented with his award for becoming the first player to reach 700 European Tour appearances by Ken Schofield, formerly Executive Director of The European Tour

6

challenging Ballesteros’s CV of 50 European Tour wins and 38 other titles worldwide.

The young man from Northern Ireland will know, too, that he, like Ballesteros, who died on May 7, 2011 following a valiant battle with cancer, will want to leave the game far, far better than he found it.

Significantly, McIlroy’s electrifying progress reflects his respect for the strong family values so essential in life. His ability to play golf prospered from the moment he was introduced to it by his father, Gerry, his first coach, and with the encouragement of his mother, Rosie. Similarly, Ballesteros was mentored by his brother Manuel as his

parents proudly watched their son take on and conquer the world.

In much the same way Faldo was taken for his first lesson by his mother, Joyce, and then in 1973 his father, George, drove him to Royal Troon to see his first Open Championship. Sadly, George Faldo passed away in September, 2014, and his son captured both the sadness of the moment and his passion for the life golf has given him when he said: “Thanks, Dad, for everything. We took the most amazing journey together.”

Those words encapsulate how golf has a profound ability to create a family spirit

between those involved in every sector of the sport and one that The European Tour has always fostered. It is, indeed, an amazing journey but life, of course, brings sadness as well as joy and in 2014 we mourned the loss of many highly respected and loved people who played such important roles in the development of The European Tour which in 2015 will reach its 44th year.

At The 40th Ryder Cup where Europe supremely triumphed, Ballesteros, the inspiration of The European Tour, was a beacon to every European player as one by one they paid their respects to the Spaniard by acknowledging his portrait

EUROPEAN TOUR MEMBERS WHO HAVE WON MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS SINCE 1979

Sir Nick Faldo 1987 Open Championship

1989 Masters Tournament

1990 Masters Tournament,

Open Championship

1992 Open Championship


Seve Ballesteros 1979 Open Championship





Ernie Els 1994 US Open Championship

1997 US Open Championship



Rory McIlroy 2011 US Open Championship

2012 US PGA Championship

2014 Open Championship,

US PGA Championship

Padraig Harrington 2007 Open Championship

2008 Open Championship,

US PGA Championship

Vijay Singh 1998 USPGA Championship


2004 US PGA Championship

Angel Cabrera 2007 US Open Championship


Retief Goosen 2001 US Open Championship


Martin Kaymer 2010 US PGA Championship


Bernhard Langer 1985 Masters Tournament


Sandy Lyle 1985 Open Championship


Greg Norman 1986 Open Championship


José Maria Olazábal 1994 Masters Tournament


Michael Campbell 2005 US Open Championship

Darren Clarke 2011 Open Championship

Trevor Immelman 2008 Masters Tournament

Paul Lawrie 1999 Open Championship

Graeme McDowell 2010 US Open Championship

Louis Oosthuizen 2010 Open Championship

Justin Rose 2013 US Open Championship

Charl Schwartzel 2011 Masters Tournament

Y E Yang 2009 US PGA Championship

Ian Woosnam 1991 Masters Tournament

Players must have been in Membership when they won

to qualify for this list.

The 2014 Season 7

Justin Rose celebrates with his family following his Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open win (left to right): Mike North, Margi North (Justin’s sister), Billy North, Annie Rose (Justin’s Mum), Justin, Leo Rose, Lottie Rose, Kate Rose and Peter Phillips (Kate’s dad)

Colin Montgomerie (US Senior PGA Championship; US Senior Open) and Bernhard Langer (The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex) monopolised the Major championships in 2014

in the tunnel on the way to the first tee at Gleneagles. Furthermore before the players left the team room they were reminded by the iconic words of one man of how imperative it is to cherish not only life but the beauty of the sport in which they are involved. The words, inscribed on the wall, belonged to Bob Torrance, Sam’s father and the coach to many Tour players, and they were the words he would say to each of his players as they left the practice range – “Happiest Days of your Life.”

Paul McGinley, who left no stone unturned in his meticulous planning as captain of Europe’s 2014 winning Ryder Cup team, regarded Bob Torrance as not just a coach and a special friend but also his sixth vice-captain. McGinley said: “It was just one of Bob’s simple messages. When you finished your work on the range and headed to the first tee, Bob would shake your hand and utter those words. Bob was there with me all week. I thought a number of times about saying that to Sam and that Bob would be so proud. I didn’t because I knew Sam would have cried, and I probably would have cried myself, too.”

Bob Torrance passed away, aged 82, in July, 2014, in the same week that Hilary Barnes, wife of Brian Barnes, the man who beat Jack Nicklaus twice in one day in The Ryder Cup in 1975 and daughter of Max Faulkner, the 1951 Open Champion, lost her fight with cancer.

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “The Tour mourned the passing of Bob Torrance, one of golf’s

great coaches who was very much part of the fabric of the Tour. So many players owe so much for his teaching and he was one of the great characters in the golfing family. Our condolences went to Sam and June, Bob’s wife, and we also mourned the loss of Hilary Barnes, the lady behind Brian Barnes, another great Ryder Cup player, in what was a very sad week for The European Tour.”

Earlier in the year there was immense sadness in the corridors of The European Tour’s Headquarters at Wentworth with the news that Gillian Oosterhuis, who joined

the company in November 1978, when it was based at The Oval, had passed away after a long battle with cancer. Gillian, sister of four time Order of Merit winner Peter Oosterhuis, fulfilled many roles at The European Tour including that of PA to George O’Grady in the formation of Tour Enterprises and then when he was Chief Executive of The European Tour. Gillian was also the first website manager of europeantour.com. O’Grady said: “Gillian was a very special individual, totally dedicated to The European Tour and all our policies. She was a vital part of a small group of individuals who helped to found the modern European Tour.”

The death of Claude-Roger Cartier, who for much of his life was at the forefront of the development of the game, closed one chapter in the history of golf in France as another began to unfold with that country being the next in 2018 to host The Ryder Cup on European soil.

On the fairways there was immense sadness at the passing while caddying at the Madeira Islands Open – BPI – Portugal of Iain McGregor, known to everyone on tour as Zim Mac, who was one of the most popular guys on The European Tour and as Tony Johnstone, European Tour Member and Sky Sports commentator, pointed out – “Iain always had a ready smile and loved nothing better than a bit of banter and a good laugh – often at his own expense!”

The 2014 Season 9

The finest rednow on the best greens

We share the same etiquette.

Gillian Oosterhuis

Angel Gallardo, Vice Chairman of The European Tour Board of Directors, presented on behalf of The European Tour a commemorative plaque to Enrique Hevia, President of Club de Golf Sant Cugat, to mark its Centenary. It was there in 1982 with two closing rounds of 64 that Neil Coles, Chairman of The European Tour Board of Directors from 1975 to 2013, won his 25th and last European Tour title which with 15 European Senior Tour titles took his worldwide career victories to 48. Coles and Gallardo jointly designed two courses at PGA Catalunya Resort - home in 2014 to both the Open de España, won by Miguel Á Jiménez and The European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage won by Mikko Korhonen - which is part of the expanding development of European Tour Properties.

Ricardo Gonzalez, runner-up at The 2014 European Tour Qualifying School, with a group of children at Rosario Golf Club where he stages tournaments in Argentina to support several charities

Maria Pia Gennaro, the acclaimed Italian golf writer, and her son, Nicolò Porta of Golf Today, Italy

Three of Ireland’s finest golf writers - Dermot Gilleece, Colm Smith and Charlie Mulqueen

Rory greets his mother, Rosie, following his triumph in The 143rd Open Championship

Brooks Koepka emulated his close friend and Amercian colleaguePeter Uihlein by being named the 2014 Sir Henry Cotton European Tour Rookie of the Year Iain McGregor

Oliver Wilson celebrates his Alfred Dunhill Links Championship win at St. Andrews with his wife Lauren

10

Then during Masters week O’Grady led the tributes for the acclaimed Italian golf writer Maria Pia Gennaro who died suddenly, aged 59, following a courageous battle with cancer. O’Grady said: “Maria Pia was an icon of Italian journalism, totally devoted to the sport and growing the game. She fervently supported Italian players of all ages, both male and female, professional and amateur, and she had been a welcoming face ever since, it feels, I first attended the Italian Open.”

In October the passing of André-Jean Lafaurie, Editor of Golf Européen and commentator for Canal+ in France, reminded us through André-Jean’s commitment to first writing then

commentating on the sport of the development of media coverage of The European Tour. The year of 2015 will mark the 20th anniversary of Sky Sports broadcasting for the first time live three day coverage of The Ryder Cup and by dedicating an entire channel to The 2014 Ryder Cup they offered two weeks of non-stop golf including exclusive live coverage of the biggest event in the sport.

O’Grady said: “The dedication of Sky Sports in showcasing both The European Tour and The Ryder Cup is matched only be the continued excellence and innovation of their programming. We are extremely proud of the robust and enduring relationship with Sky Sports, our leading

broadcast partner for more than 20 years, and we thank them for their continued commitment and look forward to continuing to work together.”

During five decades of development The European Tour, with the consistent and loyal support of a multitude of enthusiastic sponsors and promoters, has built a very special family of supporters of which it is justifiably proud. Unquestionably, Ballesteros kick-started a revolution on the fairways which, reinforced by the Major Championship accomplishments in the 1980s and 1990s of Bernhard Langer, Paul Lawrie, Sandy Lyle, Greg Norman, José María Olazábal, Ian Woosnam, Els and Faldo, created an environment in

which European Tour Members were at the forefront of educating the world to the finer aspects of a game that is fascinating, exhilarating, exasperating and, most importantly, played everywhere by people of all ages.

Indeed players from no fewer than 32 countries competed in 49 tournaments played in 26 countries on The 2014 Race to Dubai. In total no fewer than 41 countries – 69 when the Challenge and Senior Tours are included – have hosted competition on The European Tour International Schedule and players from no fewer than 35 countries have been European Tour champions.

Golf is played in virtually every country in the world and in October, 2009, history was made when the International Olympic Committee admitted golf into the Olympic Games. Many international bodies, federations, individuals and indeed players encouraged The European Tour to take a leadership position in securing the Olympic dream which will create an enthralling new challenge for 2016 in Brazil.

The European Tour, initially under the guidance of John Jacobs then Ken Schofield and George O’Grady, has been central to growing golf in every corner of the globe. This has provided the opportunity and incentive for the Membership to ply their trade with pride

and to popularise the sport. Today The European Tour commands such an immense international reputation and respect that the world’s most accomplished players eagerly seek to compete on it whenever the opportunity permits.

One of those Members will cherish recording the 50th win in a Major Championship and as the challenge starts for the next 50 then they will have good reason to remember how it all began with the incomparable Seve Ballesteros as The European Tour embarked on, to use Sir Nick Faldo’s words, the most amazing journey. Happiest Days of our Life, indeed.

The 2014 Season 11

Rory McIlroy and George O’Grady with (left) David ... · Rory McIlroy and George O’Grady with (left) David Livingstone, Sky Sports main presenter, and Jason Wessely, Sky Sports

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