Skipper can’t win it on his own, says Lyle

Jul 17 2008 by Tim Taylor, The Journal

SANDY Lyle, one of only seven Britons to win The Open Championship since the Second World War, has two messages to deliver as this season’s tournament gets under way at Royal Birkdale.

His adopted Northumberland club, Linden Hall, is going places ... and Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo needs to get a move on and name a full team of vice-captains for the Ryder Cup sooner rather than later.

Linden have a fresh management team in place this season, new director of golf Geoff Dixon having recruited club professional Brian Alderson and head teaching professional Gordon Morrison.

As a former Open champion, Lyle takes his place in the Birkdale field today with a 7.14am start alongside Hartlepool’s former French Open and British Amateur champion Graeme Storm and Australian Scott Strange.

Yesterday, Lyle paid tribute to the work of Linden man Morrison, 36, a Tipperary-born ex-Southern Ireland PGA Champion, a tournament which includes defending Open champion Padraig Harrington among its former winners.

Dixon, the former Irish national coach, and Morrison are PGA national training consultants and Linden have already introduced a raft of coaching innovations with three-day residential schools for lady golfers among next year’s plans.

Linden is owned by Macdonald Hotels, Lyle is Macdonald’s front man on the golf scene and he captivated hundreds of golfers and their guests at the third annual Sandy Lyle Golf Day at Linden recently when he gave a fascinating clinic and played a shot for each team on one of the par threes. Lyle said: “Linden is growing and growing. It’s had its little lows in the past and the course got a bit tired, but now there is a new spirit and they have a guy in Gordon Morrison who is very enthusiastic and is adding a little spice to the place. For instance, the new practice facilities are first class.

“Gordon has seen from a pro’s eyes what is needed and not needed and I am sure there are going to be more changes in the next few years. The course is in pretty good condition already and it is something the Macdonald company is very proud to have, especially with the quality of the hotel now.

“It’s a user friendly course in that all the people who played the course on my golf day said how much they enjoyed playing it. That’s what brings people back to play the course again.

“We don’t want to put golfers out there to be totally destroyed. It’s a loving golf course. I’ve seen Gordon a few times over the years and he is injecting a great deal into getting the golf club revamped again.

“I saw a big difference on my golf day there with a lot more teams than in the first two years and that’s a good sign. Once we start getting events here, which could happen in the near future , then things will look even rosier for Linden.”

Apart from Lyle, only Ulsterman Fred Daly, Henry Cotton, Max Faulkner, Tony Jacklin, Faldo and Paul Lawrie have lifted the Claret Jug for Britain since American Sam Snead captured the first post-war Open in 1946.

Lyle’s Open triumph came at Lytham in 1985, when he finished one shot ahead of the late Payne Stewart. The first Briton to win the Masters, in 1988, Lyle won a first prize of £65,000 for the Open, as against the £750,000 Sunday’s winner will collect. Even so, he won’t be short of a few bob and he’s a millionaire several times over in terms of memories.

Two years ago Lyle was one of four vice-captains and deputy vice-captains who formed the back-up team to support Ian Woosnam’s captaincy of the Europe team that successfully defended the Ryder Cup against America at the K Club in Ireland.

With just two months to go before Faldo, the only European golfer to win six majors, leads the team into action in Kentucky, he has only one vice-captain on board, Jose Maria Olazabal, with Paul McGinley having turned it down after being appointed.

Lyle said: “In 2006 we had a four-man team that helped make decisions round the table when it came to pairings and did the donkey work, doing a lot of things than Ian Woosnam would not have time to do and giving him plenty of feedback.

“ You can not do it on your own with just one vice-captain. You need a team of four to back you up. I am surprised Faldo has not mentioned some of his vice-captains, the guys who need to plan their year and need to make a week available for the Ryder Cup. I might be playing a golf tournament by that time – I don’t know – but maybe I might get a letter or a phone call asking me to be a vice-captain.”

But could Faldo do it with one vice-captain? “Anything is possible,” said Lyle. “But one captain and one vice-captain cannot be in 60 spots at one time to collate all the information they need.”

Meanwhile, if Colin Montgomerie does need a wild card for the Ryder Cup, should Faldo choose him? “Yes I am sure he should,” said Lyle. “I would be very disappointed if he doesn’t. His matchplay record is impeccable and I think he is still very competitive.

“A year or so ago, he just missed out on the US Open. We must not forget that.”

TO contact the golf professionals at Linden Hall, ring (01670) 500011 or email golf.lindenhall@macdonald-hotels.co.uk