Augusta National: Ewen Murray of Sky Sports recalls playing with the two-time major champion and recalls some of his career’s high points before Sandy Lyle announces his retirement from the game of golf at The Masters.
Sandy and I first spoke in 1979. He joined Derrick Pillage’s Golf Management company after going pro. Lee Trevino, Tommy Horton, Malcolm Gregson, and Brian Barnes, to mention a few notable authors, were among those who contributed to Derrick’s novels.
We were a close-knit group, and being under Derrick’s management had its advantages, including a contract with British Caledonian for travel. We would perform in remote locations like the Gambia, Sierra Leone, the Middle East, South America, and the States to advertise Sir Adam Thomson’s airline. The group of experts was referred to as the “Golfing Lions.”
The airline alliance allowed us to play throughout the winter while getting experience travelling, playing on other grasses, and experiencing different cultures. The European Tour was still in its infancy, running from March to the beginning of October. Although there was no prize money as there is today, it was still a lovely time to be so young.
Sandy quickly became accustomed to the professional game. His major break came at the European Open at Turnberry the following year after winning the Nigerian Open at Ikoyi in 1978. Lyle overcame a week of challenging weather, and after beating the renowned Ailsa Links, he was on his way. Another contract that greatly aided us in these early days was the Caledonian Hotel in Ayr, owned by Allied Hotels, where we celebrated that evening.
The Hall of Famer is hanging it up …
One last round for Sandy Lyle @GalleriClassic 👏 pic.twitter.com/aMoEDYO9t3
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 26, 2023
Sandy was modest, kind, and had a dry sense of humour, but deep down he was driven to improve as a player. Derrick Pillage was helpful, and a few weeks later he sent us on a five-week trip of South America with more seasoned, successful, and older players.
We interacted with notable champions like Tommy Aaron, Orville Moody, Tony Jacklin, and Tommy Bolt, while Bernhard Langer and Peter Townsend were among the younger players. We performed in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile as well as the Colombian colony of Barranquilla.
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