Wristy Christy still simply the best swinger in town
Having emerged rather later than usual from virtual obscurity in his native Galway, O'Connor went on to grace the fairways of the world with a delightful, natural swing.
Ten successive Ryder Cup appearances and a host of tournament wins remain testimony to what the man could achieve on the golf course, yet it was THAT swing that remains indelibly etched in the memory.
They dubbed him "Wristy Christy" and he was held in such high esteem here that he became known simply as "Himself" and a book celebrating his many wondrous deeds was compiled under that title. He remains an outstanding striker of the ball and for years has been regularly shooting below his age. Given that he is still blessed with robust good health, that is unlikely to change for some time O'Connor enjoyed his greatest days from the '50s through to the mid '80s and achieved his biggest victory in the John Player Classic at Hollinwell, Notts. Not surprisingly considering the money involved, that event disappeared almost as quickly as it came on the scene but it made a huge impact when first contested because the first prize was stg£25,000, far exceeding the total purse at all other European and US tournaments.
Tony Jacklin was the reigning Open champion of Britain and the US and was the hot favourite for the title. He chased Christy all the way to the line but the Irish hero prevailed by a single stroke.
There were so many other great achievements, not least when he and his great friend Harry Bradshaw made their way to Mexico City in 1958 and, in spite of suffocating heat, brought home the Canada (now World) Cup.
Even those with the best of memories may have forgotten that Christy was the professional at Killarney at the time and was afforded a torch-lit procession through the streets of the town on his return on the back of a jarvey!
It was a seminal moment for the game in this country, combining with the Shell Wonderful World of Golf television series, to start a golfing boom that hasn't calmed since.
Harry Bradshaw, who has since passed away, lost in a play-off for the individual title to the Spaniard Angel Miguel and the pair returned home richer by the paltry sum of £357 each.
However, no value could be placed on what their achievement meant to Irish golf and is one of the reasons why they are legendary figures wherever the game is discussed. Incidentally, Christy's total PGA career winnings amounted to no more than £139,041.
He has always insisted the two golfing occasions which gave him most satisfaction were the Canada Cup success and his contribution to Britain & Ireland's Ryder Cup victory at
Lindrick near Sheffield in 1957.
After those that came his wins in the 1956 and '59 Dunlop Masters tournaments and, of course, the John Player Trophy in 1970. In all, O'Connor made 10 successive appearances against the Americans, forming a famous foursomes partnership with Peter
Alliss, and relishes Lindrick and his singles defeat of Dow Finsterwald.
The American was 27 at the time, five years younger than O'Connor, and was rated one of the brightest young sparks on the US Tour, which was well-established. In contrast, professional tournament golf on this side of the pond was relatively disorganised. The European Tour wasn't even a gleam in anyone's eye and a good reason why the major championships remained the domain of the top Americans and a few outstanding talents from the southern hemisphere.
As for B & I beating the US in the Ryder Cup forget it!
That was until 1957 when the Welsh bulldog Dai Rees injected spirit and confidence into his men and convinced them they could put one over on the cocky Yanks. Christy birdied the first two holes against Finsterwald but was back to all square by lunch. (The matches were played over 36 holes in those days). Surprisingly, he changed to a lighter putter for the afternoon and preferred a stint on the practice green to lunch. It was an inspired move. Telling putts were holed on six of the next eight greens and as each disappeared from sight, so too did the hapless American. 7 and 6 to O'Connor, 7½4½ to Europe. Little wonder he loves to talk about that famous day in Yorkshire!
Mention the subject of the Open Championship, though, and the smile slowly fades. It always eluded Christy, no matter how well he played, and there were a few notable occasions when the trophy could and perhaps should have been his. He first appeared in the championship as an unknown at Royal Portrush in 1951 and for the last time at Royal Lytham St Annes in 1979 26 attempts and still no joy.
He has no doubt his best chance came at Lytham in 1958. He played his final practice round with the great amateur Joe Carr, who told him: "The way you're playing, you'll never win it if you don't do it this time."
Carr's words rang loud and clear when Christy opened with rounds of 67 and 68. The final 36 holes were played on the same day at the time and he led by a stroke from the Argentinian Leopoldo Ruiz going into the third round. They were paired together in the final group, behind Peter Thomson, the great Australian, and Welshman Dave Thomas.
Christy admits he allowed himself to become frustrated by the slow play of those in front and shot 73 in the morning to find himself three behind Thomson and two adrift of Thomas and Flory Van Donck of the Netherlands. The slow play of Thomson and Thomas who lost more than two holes on those in front could have again proved his undoing but this time he kept his concentration until standing on the final tee needing a four to tie Thomson, a birdie to win.
It's history now how the crowd pushed into the right hand side of the fairway, narrowing an already small target area. O'Connor chose a three-wood from the tee, caught it nicely, only for the ball to trickle into one of the treacherous pot bunkers on the left.
Thomson went on to beat Thomas by four shots in the play-off.
The fortunes of Christy O'Connor in every Open Championship held the nation in a vice-like grip. Invariably, he gave it his best shot but fate decreed that he would never achieve his greatest goal.
He was at his best in the days prior to the rebirth of the Irish Open but thrilled massive galleries in the Irish Hospitals Sweepstake, the Carrolls Sweet Afton and Carrolls International events at Woodbrook. Among the other tournaments he captured were the Swallow Penfold, two Dunlop Masters, the News of the World match-play, the Daks, the Gleneagles pro-am, the Ballantine tournament, the Carling tournament, the Martini International twice, the Jeyes, Gallaher Ulster Open three times, the John Player Classic, six PGA Seniors Championships along with 10 Irish PGA championships and numerous other events at home and abroad.
Happy 80th, Christy!
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