| Tom Morris, Sr. | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Thomas Mitchell Morris, Sr. |
| Nickname | Old Tom |
| Born | 16 June 1821 St Andrews, Fife |
| Died | 24 May 1908 (aged 86) St Andrews, Fife |
| Nationality |  Scotland |
| Career | |
| Status | Professional |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 4) |
|
| Open Championship | Won: 1861, 1862, 1864, 1867 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1976 (member page) |
Thomas Mitchell Morris, Sr. (16 June 1821 – 24 May 1908), otherwise known as Old Tom Morris, has sometimes been called a pioneer of professional golf. He was born in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, the "home of golf" and location of the St Andrews Links and died there as well. His son was Tom Morris, Jr. (died 1875), best-known as "Young Tom Morris."
Morris was an apprentice to Allan Robertson, generally regarded as the first professional golfer. He worked as a greenkeeper, clubmaker and course designer, as well as playing tournament golf. He came second in the first Open Championship in 1860, and won the following year. He followed this up with further victories in 1862, 1864 and 1867. He still holds records as the oldest winner of The Open Championship at 46. Also he was part of the only father/son couple being winner and runner-up.[1]
Morris played a role in designing courses across the British Isles, including Muirfield, Prestwick, Carnoustie, Balcomie (Crail), Moray, Warkworth in Northumberland, Askernish in South Uist and Rosapenna in Ireland.[2]
Morris was also the father of modern greens-keeping. He introduced the concept of top-dressing greens and introduced many novel ideas on turf and course management, including actively managing hazards (in the past, bunkers and the like were largely left to their own devices, becoming truly "hazardous") and yardage markers. In course design, he standardized the golf course length at 18 holes (St Andrews had at one time been 23 holes), and introduced the concept of each nine holes returning to the club house. He also introduced the modern idea of placing hazards so that the golf ball could be routed around them. Before his times hazards were thought of as obstacles that either had to be carried or were there to punish a wayward ball.[2]
Morris held the record for largest margin of victory in a major championship (13 strokes) in the 1862 Open Championship, which stood until Tiger Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open by 15 strokes.
Morris fell down the stairs of the St Andrews clubhouse in April 1908 and died a couple of months later due to the injuries sustained. He is buried in St Andrews in the cathedral grounds and his grave attracts thousands of golfers who wish to pay homage.
Open Championship wins (4)
| Year | Championship | 36 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1861 | The Open Championship | 2 shot deficit | (54-56-53=163) | 4 strokes | Willie Park, Sr. |
| 1862 | The Open Championship (2) | 11 shot lead | (52-55-56=163) | 13 strokes | Willie Park, Sr. |
| 1864 | The Open Championship (3) | 3 shot lead | (54-58-55=167) | 2 strokes | Andrew Strath |
| 1867 | The Open Championship (4) | 2 shot lead | (58-54-58=170) | 2 strokes | Willie Park, Sr. |
 Old Tom Morris with Young Tom Morris ca. 1870-75 |
 Tom Morris Senior, photographed in the 1890s |
References
- ^ "Old Tom Morris". Lorrin Golf. http://www.lorringolf.com/OldTomMorris.stm. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
- ^ a b "Old Tom Morris". Undiscovered Scotland. http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/m/oldtommorris.html. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tom Morris Snr |
- World Golf Hall of Fame profile
- Society of Hickory Golfers Profile
- David Joy Golf Historian
- Old Tom Morris Golf Courses Challenge
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
