Prize highlights beauty of 'The Beast'

After being dubbed “The Beast of Brookline” for his behaviour at the 1999 Ryder Cup there must have been a time when Tom Lehman wondered what sort of reception he would receive in Europe. But not any more.

Last year’s American captain was assured of a warm welcome from the moment he landed in Milan this week for the Italian Open.

Even though his side suffered a second successive record defeat at the K Club eight months ago, none of them had a bad word to say for his leadership – and his qualities have just been recognised in a way that simply stunned the 48-year-old.

Lehman, who accepted an invitation to play at Tolcinasco along with one of his deputies Duffy Waldorf, has become the first recipient of what is sure to become one of the prestigious awards in golf.

The Byron Nelson Prize will be presented annually “to the person or organisation in the golf world who exemplifies the spirit of giving back” personified by Nelson, who died at the age of 94 last September.

Lehman and his wife have raised more than £2million for the Children’s Cancer Research Fund at the University of Minnesota and he said on receiving the award: “I’m obviously kind of choked up about it.

“I’ve been inspired in my life by Byron Nelson. He’s inspired me to want to be a better golfer, but more importantly a better person.

“My first reaction when I was told that this award was coming my way was ‘why me?’ There are so many people in this world that are doing so much and I’m just a kid from Minnesota.

“I know my strengths and I know my weaknesses. I look at myself in the mirror and I see all the faults that I have. I just thought ‘I don’t deserve this’.

“But I learned something a long time ago, that if it took a perfect person to have an impact on the people around you or an impact on your world then nobody would do anything ever because nobody is perfect.

“My life is all about the people who pour their heart and soul into me, so when I think about this award what I really think about is all those folks.

“It’s the ultimate compliment, quite frankly, to receive an award that has Mr Nelson’s name on it. It’s a very humbling experience.”

Donato di Ponziano, president of the executive committee for this week’s tournament, said: “We feel very honoured to have the 2006 United States Ryder Cup captain competing.

“The world of golf was hugely impressed with the dignified manner with which Tom led the United States team at the K Club.”

Ian Woosnam, Lehman’s opposite number in Dublin, was also intending to be in Milan, but injury keeps him out.

Former Open champion Lehman, ranked 79th in the world and fifth in March’s Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida, plays the first two rounds with Francesco Molinari, first home winner of the title last year since 1980, and France’s Raphael Jacquelin, winner of the Asian Open two weeks ago.

Last week’s Spanish Open champion Charl Schwartzel is also in the field and Volvo Masters champion Jeev Milkha Singh, who a month ago became the first Indian to compete in the Masters, plays too.