Tom Morris has been widely acclaimed as the Grand Old Man of Golf and now this legendary figure has been memorialised in a sculpture at the Home of Golf, unveiled on the eve of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The son of a weaver, Tom grew up on North Street and was down on the Links as soon as he could walk. From a humble start, he went on to set up his own golf business, win the Open Championship four times and create over 100 courses, playing a pivotal role in the development of the game.
He still holds the Open records for the largest margin of victory (winning by 13 shots in 1862) and for being the oldest winner, aged 46 in 1867.
The statue project has its origins at Rosapenna, Ireland, a course laid out by Tom. There, in June 2015, Commodore Ronald Sandford, a member of the R & A, was playing in a Tom Morris competition and saw their statue of the Grand Old Man.
He immediately thought there should be a statue in Tom’s hometown. Among those backing the project has been the St Andrews Pilgrim Foundation, a body that works to conserve and develop the town’s historic character, supported by the Alfred Dunhill Links Foundation.
David Annand, one of Scotland’s greatest sculptors, was commissioned to create the statue and his wonderfully vibrant work now overlooks his shop (now The Open Store) and the 18th green. It may even become a target point for golfers playing the 18th, something which Old Tom would have loved.
To donate to the Tom Morris statue, please go to https://gofund.me/2227ff2d.
