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OBE for 1951 Open winner
Max Faulkner
Max Faulkner may have been known as the 'Clown Prince of Golf' but he was deadly
serious when a young autograph hunter asked for his signature ahead of the final
round of the 1951 Open championship.
Approached on his way to the first tee, Faulkner was only too happy to oblige
as a young lad proffered his autograph book, and wrote: 'Max Faulkner, 1951 Open
champion.'
"There was no way I was going to lose," Faulkner recalled. "When
I was handed the trophy, I looked at the names on it - Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones,
Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Henry Cotton - and thought Wow!'
"It was marvellous, I was very lucky."
Luck plays a part in any sporting triumph, but Faulkner, now the proud recipient
of an OBE to go with his Open title, could afford to be confident when writing
that famous autograph.
Going into the final round at Royal Portrush Faulkner enjoyed a six-shot lead
courtesy of some wonderful putting - only 26 putts in his second round 70 - and
inspired shot making.
Leading the field by four strokes at the 16th hole of the third round, Faulkner
hooked his tee shot within a few inches of the out-of-bounds fence and was faced
with an important decision.
He could take a wedge and chip the ball safely onto the fairway, and probably
accept a bogey, or he could take a full swing and start the ball out of bounds,
hoping to fade it back into play.
Reaching for his three wood, Faulkner lashed the ball over the fence and, as
the gallery watched spellbound, it dutifully turned right, right and right again
as it crossed the fence and bounded up the fairway on to the green.
"It was," said American playing partner Frank Stranahan, "the
greatest shot I've ever seen."
In the final round, Argentina's Antonio Cerda emerged was the biggest threat
as he approached the last five holes needing one more birdie to tie, but Faulkner
was not to be denied as Cerda eventually carded a 70 to leave the Briton the winner
by two shots.
It was to prove Faulkner's only major title, and the last by a home golfer
for 18 years until Tony Jacklin's victory at Royal Lytham in 1969.
"Oh, I'd been close," Faulkner, 85, remembers. "I was in the
lead after three rounds at Sandwich in 1949 only to fade to sixth, and I was fifth
at Troon in '50. Both times I finished four strokes behind the winner, Bobby Locke,
of South Africa.
"Also, I only played one round of golf between 1939-45 when I was in the
RAF; but for the war, I honestly think I might have won the Open on three or four
occasions."
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