Controversy over South Africa’s place at Waterville golf event

AGAINST the backdrop of the forthcoming inauguration of Barrack Obama as the first African-American president of the US, the controversy over South Africa’s participation in the World Cup of Golf at Waterville in July 1978 is a reminder of how much things have changed in 30 years.

Pressure to exclude South Africa from sport had grown over the boycott of the Montreal Olympics by many African countries.

Ireland was keeping a keen eye on Canada as the Commonwealth Games were due to begin in Edmonton in July. Ironically, golf’s world cup was known as the Canada Cup when Harry Bradshaw and Christy O’Connor won it for Ireland in 1957.