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Anthony Jacklin (born 7 July 1944) is an English golfer. He was the most successful British player of his generation, winning two major championships, the 1969 Open Championship and the 1970 U.S. Open. He was also Ryder Cup captain from 1983 to 1989, Europe winning two and tying another of these four events.

Key Information

After a brief amateur career, Jacklin turned professional at the start of 1962 and in 1963 was chosen by Henry Cotton as his Rookie of the Year. In 1967 he won two tournaments on the British PGA circuit and he finished fifth, behind Roberto De Vicenzo, in the Open Championship. That year he also made the first televised hole-in-one, made his debut in the 1967 Ryder Cup and qualified for the 1968 PGA Tour. He had a successful first season on the PGA Tour, winning the Jacksonville Open and finishing 29th in the money list. Jacklin won the 1969 Open Championship at Royal Lytham in July, two strokes ahead of Bob Charles. He won the 1970 U.S. Open at Hazeltine, finishing 7 strokes ahead of the runner-up. In 1972 he won again on the PGA Tour, taking the Greater Jacksonville Open after a playoff. He also won the Viyella PGA Championship at Wentworth, and came close to winning the Open Championship, when he lost to Lee Trevino after Trevino had chipped in at the 71st hole, while Jacklin three-putted from 15 feet. Jacklin chose not to play on the PGA Tour in 1973 and 1974, playing mostly on the European Tour where he won three times. In early 1975 he moved to Jersey for tax reasons and returned to the PGA Tour. However, he had less success than previously and again dropped off the tour. He returned to the European tour, playing on that tour until 1984. After turning 50, Jacklin played on the Senior PGA Tour from 1994 to 1997, winning twice. He also played on the European Seniors Tour.

Jacklin played in seven successive Ryder Cup matches from 1967 to 1979. He was never on the winning side, although the 1969 contest was tied. Later he was the European Ryder Cup captain from 1983 to 1989; Europe winning two and halving another of these four events.

Early life

[edit]

Jacklin was born on 7 July 1944 in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, the son of Arthur and Doris Jacklin.[1][2] He had a sister, Lynn.[3] His father was a lorry driver and introduced Jacklin to golf.[2] Jacklin attended Henderson Avenue Primary School in the town, and later the Doncaster Road Secondary School.[4] Doris died in 1992, while Arthur died in 1996.[3][2]

Amateur career

[edit]

Jacklin won the Lincolnshire junior championship four times, from 1958 to 1961. In 1958 he won with a 36-hole gross score of 162, playing off a handicap of 12.[4] By August 1961 he had a handicap of 3 and won for the fourth successive time, with a score of 138, 20 strokes ahead of the runner-up.[5] Later in the month Jacklin competed in the Boys Amateur Championship at Dalmahoy. He was selected for two team matches before the championship, competing for a combined England and Scotland team against the Continent of Europe and, the following day, for England in their annual boys match against Scotland.[6][7] In the boys championship itself, he lost at the last-64 stage to Hans-Hubert Giesen.[8] Jacklin won the Lincolnshire Open in September 1961, 8 strokes ahead of the runner-up. His father also competed in the event.[9]

Professional career

[edit]

British PGA

[edit]
Jacklin at the 1970 U.S. Open

At the start of 1962 Jacklin turned professional, becoming an assistant to Bill Shankland at Potters Bar Golf Club.[10] Jacklin qualified for the 1963 Open Championship at Royal Lytham. He played at Fairhaven where 39 places were available. Jacklin had rounds of 77 and 70 to qualify; those on 148 had to play off for places.[11] In the championship itself Jacklin had rounds of 73 and 72 to make the cut comfortably and then had rounds of 76 and 74 on the last day to finish in a tie for 30th place.[12] Later in 1963 he reached the last-32 of the News of the World Match Play before losing to Malcolm Gregson at the 20th hole, and was runner-up, with Gregson, in the Coombe Hill Assistants' Tournament.[13][14] At the end of 1963 he was chosen by Henry Cotton as his Rookie of the Year.[15] Having been runner-up in 1963, Jacklin won the 1964 Coombe Hill Assistants' Tournament, a stroke ahead of Adrian Sadler. The event was played at Hill Barn near Worthing.[16] He also had good performance in the Blaxnit (Ulster) Tournament which was played in Belfast. Jacklin finished tied for 3rd place after a last round 65.[17]

Jacklin played in South Africa in early 1965 but had little success.[18] He received an entry into the 1965 Carling World Open, played in the United States in August, which had a $35,000 first prize.[19] Jacklin made the cut, finished tied for 35th place and won $1,000 in prize money.[20] However weather meant that the event did not finish until the Monday and Jacklin was due to play in the Gor-Ray Cup, the Assistants' Championship, the following day, at Hartsbourne.[21] Jacklin arranged a late tee-off time and, after opening rounds of 73 and 74. he had two rounds of 68 on the final day and won the championship after a sudden-death playoff.[22][21] The following week he reached the semi-finals of the News of the World Match Play and in October he was third in the Piccadilly Medal.[23][24] Jacklin finished the season 12th in the Order of Merit.[25]

In early 1966 Jacklin made his second visit to South Africa.[26] The visit was more successful that his first, with a third place finish in the South African Masters and a joint victory in the Kimberley 4000 Tournament, to put him in 4th place in the money list with £903.[27][28][29] In 1966 Jacklin won the Blaxnit (Ulster) Tournament by 5 strokes and was runner-up in the Rediffusion Tournament in Jersey.[30][31] He finished 5th in the Order of Merit and won £2,715 on the circuit.[32] Jacklin was selected, together with Peter Alliss, for the England team for the 1966 Canada Cup in Japan, the pair finishing in 10th place.[33] He then travelled to New Zealand to play on the circuit there. He was runner-up in the Wattie's Tournament behind Bob Charles, and was a joint winner, with Charles, of the Forest Products Tournament.[34][35] He finished 5th in the prize money list with £905.[36] Jacklin stayed in New Zealand and won the 1967 New Zealand PGA Championship in early January, beating Martin Roesink by 6 strokes in an 18-hole playoff.[37] He then played in a few events in Australia, where he was joint third in the Victorian Open, before playing a number of events on the 1967 Far East Circuit, including a runner-up finish in the Thailand Open, before travelled to the United States to play in the 1967 Masters for which he had received an invitation.[38][39] Jacklin was tied for 7th place after three rounds but a final round 77 dropped him into a tie for 16th place.[40]

Jacklin won twice on the 1967 British PGA circuit, the Pringle of Scotland Tournament and the Dunlop Masters, and he finished 5th, behind Roberto De Vicenzo, in the 1967 Open Championship.[41][42][43] In the Dunlop Masters he had a hole-in-one at the 16th hole of the final round, televised live.[42] He played a few events on the PGA Tour and finished tied for 7th in the Carling World Open in Canada.[44] In early October, Jacklin played in the 1967 PGA Tour Qualifying School, an 8-round event with 30 places available for the 1968 PGA Tour. Early rounds of 74-76-76 left him down the field, 18 strokes behind the leader, but he improved his position over the last 5 rounds and finished tied for 11th place, 12 shots behind the winner Bobby Cole.[45] The following week he played in his first Ryder Cup. Selection for the 1967 Ryder Cup team was based on a points system using performances in 1966 and 1967, finishing after the 1967 Open Championship. Jacklin was in 5th place, to get a place in the 10-man team.[46] The United States won the match by 15 points. Jacklin played with Dave Thomas on the opening two days, winning two and halving another of their matches. Jacklin played in both singles sessions on the final day, losing them both.[47]

PGA Tour

[edit]

Jacklin was successful at 1967 PGA Tour Qualifying School earning him playing privileges on the PGA Tour for the following year. He played regularly until the end of June 1968 and then returned to play a number of events in August.[44] Early in 1968, he finished tied for 10th place in the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am and tied for 8th in the Tucson Open. In March in Florida he had more success, finishing tied for 4th in the Florida Citrus Open, joint runner-up in the Pensacola Open and winner of the Jacksonville Open in successive weeks.[48][49] It was the first win by a British player in an important American event since the 1920s. His win earned him $20,000 and he also won the prize for the lowest aggregate score in the four Florida events.[49] He finished tied for 22nd place in the Masters and had further top-10 finishes in the Tournament of Champions and the Cleveland Open.[44] He finished the season 29th in the official money list with $58,495.[50] Jacklin returned to Britain in July and finished tied for 18th in the Open Championship at Carnoustie.[40] He failed to qualify for the U.S. Open after a second round 82 in his qualifying event, and didn't play in the PGA Championship, which was played the week after the Open.[51] In October Jacklin made his debut in the Piccadilly World Match Play Championship, losing to Gary Player in the semi-finals, at the 37th hole.[52]

The 1969 Open Championship was held at Royal Lytham in July. He had rounds of 68-70-70-72 for a total of 280, 5-under-par. Bob Charles was two strokes behind with Roberto De Vicenzo and Peter Thomson a further stroke back. All the four players scored 72 on the final day.[53][54] Jacklin was the first British winner of The Open since 1951.[55]

Jacklin was involved in one of the most memorable moments in Ryder Cup history at Royal Birkdale in the 1969 Ryder Cup, which ended in a tie. Six places in the team were allocated to the leaders of a points list after the 1969 Open Championship.[56] Jacklin was one of the other six that were chosen by committee the following week.[57] Jacklin played in all four pair sessions on the opening two days, winning three matches and halving the other, He played Jack Nicklaus in two singles matches on the final day, winning the morning match 4&3.[47] In the afternoon match Jacklin made an eagle putt on the 17th to level the match. At the final hole, Nicklaus conceded Jacklin's two-foot putt, halving the match, and ending the Ryder Cup with a tied score. "The Concession" ended with the two golfers walking off the course with arms around each other's shoulders.[58] Jacklin and Nicklaus later co-designed a golf course in Florida called "The Concession" to commemorate the moment.[59][60]

In the first half of 1969 Jacklin largely repeated his 1968 schedule, playing most weeks on the PGA Tour.[44] However he had less success, with a tie for 8th place in the Doral Open and ties for 5th place in the Western Open and the Kemper Open.[44] That year Jacklin made his first appearances in the U.S. Open, although he had to qualify for the event, and in the PGA Championship, which was played at a later date than in 1968.[61] He finished tied for 25th place in both tournaments.[40] He returned to the PGA tour in mid-October to play in the Sahara Invitational and had another 5th place finish.[62] He won $3,850, a sum that lifted him to 60th in the official money list with $33,036 and meant he was exempt from qualifying for PGA Tour events in 1970.[63][50]

In 1970 Jacklin won his second major title, the U.S. Open by seven strokes on a windblown Hazeltine National Golf Club course.[64] The win gave him a 10-year exemption from pre-qualifying for PGA Tour events.[65]

As previously Jacklin played on the PGA Tour in the first half of the year.[44] He had a number of high finishes. He lost in a playoff to Pete Brown in the Andy Williams San Diego Open after taking a bogey five at the first playoff hole.[66] He was tied for 8th place in the Doral-Eastern Open, tied for 4tn in the Monsanto Open, third in the Greater Jacksonville Open and joint runner-up in the Tournament of Champions.[44] The also had a good finish in the 1970 Masters Tournament, finishing tied for 12th place.[40] He returned to the tour in August but performed badly, missing the cut in the PGA Championship.[40] He finished the year at 20th place in the money list with $87,859.[50] Defending his title, Jacklin finished solo 5th in the 1970 Open Championship at St Andrews, three strokes behind the leaders.[67] He had some success in Europe towards the end of the year. He was runner-up to Christy O'Connor in the John Player Classic, winning £10,000, won the W.D. & H.O. Wills Tournament, lost to Jack Nicklaus in the semi-final of the Piccadilly World Match Play and won the Lancome Trophy.[68][69][70][71] He also played with Peter Butler in the World Cup in Argentina, the English team finishing tied for 7th place.[72]

Jacklin played on the PGA Tour in the first half of 1971, but had less success that previously.[44] His only top-10 finish was tied for 7th place in the Greater Greensboro Open. He finished the year with winnings of $19,977, leaving him in 102nd place in the money list.[73] Jacklin again did well in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, finishing solo third, two stroke behind the winner, Lee Trevino.[74] On the British circuit he won the Benson & Hedges Festival in August, beating Peter Butler in a playoff.[75] Jacklin was again a committee choice for the Ryder Cup team in St. Louis.[76] Jacklin played twice with Brian Huggett on the opening day, winning one match and halving the other, as the team took a narrow lead. However the United States dominated the second day and won comfortably.[47] Jacklin partnered Peter Oosterhuis in the 1971 World Cup in Florida, the England team finishing tied for 6th place.[77]

In 1972 Jacklin had a much better season on the PGA Tour, compared to 1971. He was tied for 6th place in the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am before being tied for 4th in both the Phoenix Open and the Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic in successive weeks.[44] He then won the Greater Jacksonville Open after a playoff against John Jacobs. Jacobs failed to make a par at the first extra hole. It was Jacklin's second win in the event.[78] He was tied for 7th in the Greater Greensboro Open, the weeks before the Masters.[44] He finished the season in 35th place in the money list with $65,976.[79]

Jacklin suffered a devastating near-miss in the 1972 Open Championship at Muirfield. Tied for the lead with playing partner Lee Trevino playing the 71st hole, Jacklin had a straightforward 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 hole, while Trevino was not yet on the green after four struggling strokes. But Trevino holed a difficult chip shot, and Jacklin took three putts, leaving him one shot behind. Trevino parred the final hole to win, but Jacklin bogeyed, finishing third behind Jack Nicklaus. Jacklin was just 28 years old at the time, but never seriously contended again in a major championship.[80] In 2013, Jacklin said of his experience in the 1972 Open: "I was never the same again after that. I didn't ever get my head around it – it definitely knocked the stuffing out of me somehow."[81]

After the Open Championship, Jacklin played in a number of events in Europe. He was runner-up in the Swiss Open but then withdrew from the PGA Championship.[82][83] He won the Viyella PGA Championship by 3 strokes from Peter Oosterhuis, and had three other top-5 finishes in British tournaments including being runner-up to Bob Charles in the Dunlop Masters.[82] At the end of the year Jacklin was in Australia for the 1972 World Cup. Playing with Guy Hunt the England team finished in 6th place.[84] The previous week he had won the Dunlop International at Yarra Yarra.[85]

European Tour

[edit]

Jacklin had a poor start to the 1973 PGA Tour and was disqualified in the Dean Martin Tucson Open in January, after failing to enter a score for the final hole.[86] He largely gave up playing on the PGA Tour until the end of 1974. He continued to play in major championships, but In 1973 he only played one other event on the tour, to defend the Greater Jacksonville Open, and only two in 1974.[44] His money winnings were $7,182 in 1973 and $2,041 in 1974, leaving him in 167th and 215th places.[87] He player more extensively on the European Tour in those two seasons.[82]

In February 1973 Jacklin played on the Caribbean Tour, a short series of four tournaments. He was runner-up to Peter Oosterhuis in the Ford Maracaibo Open, and in the last event he won the Los Lagartos Open with a score of 261, 13 strokes ahead of the field.[88][89] It was the third lowest score ever by a professional at a four-round tournament outside of the United States.[90]

Jacklin played in most of the events on the 1973 European Tour.[82] He won two events, the Italian Open and the Dunlop Masters.[91][92] He was also runner-up in the French Open, the Scandinavian Enterprise Open and the John Player Classic.[82][93] Jacklin won £7,000 for his Italian Open win and £7,500 for being runner-up in the John Player Classic and led the prize money list for the season. However he only finished 7th in the points list for the Order of Merit.[94] Selection for the Great Britain and Ireland team in the 1973 Ryder Cup at Muirfield was based on a points list with points earned over a 12 months period up to August 1973.[95] The leading 8 in the points list were guaranteed places and Jacklin, having played most of the events in this period finished in 3rd place.[96] Jacklin was paired with Peter Oosterhuis in all four pairs matches, winning two and halving another. In the singles he beat Tommy Aaron but lost to Billy Casper.[47]

In February 1974 Jacklin again played on the Caribbean Tour and in the last event he successfully defended the Los Lagartos Open.[97] He played most of the season on the 1974 European Tour.[82] He won the Scandinavian Enterprise Open, was runner-up in the Swiss Open and was tied third in the W.D. & H.O. Wills Open Tournament.[98][82] Despite having a somewhat worse season than in 1973, he again finished 7th in the Order of Merit.[99]

Jacklin returned to the PGA Tour in 1975 but had limited success. He won $10,824 in 1975 to be 123rd in the money list. 1976 and 1977 showed some improvement with winnings of $18,071 and $29,725, to be 111th and 83rd in the list.[100] His best finish in this period was runner-up in the 1977 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am, a stroke behind Tom Watson, earning him $22,800.[100] He played a few events at the start of 1978, including a tied for 8th place in the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am, but withdrew from the Doral-Eastern Open in March with a wrist injury and didn't return to the tour.[101][102] Jacklin continued to play some events on the European Tour. He had one win in this period, the 1976 Kerrygold International Classic where he finished a stroke ahead of Eddie Polland.[103]

Selection for the Great Britain and Ireland team in the 1975 Ryder Cup in America was based on performances in 1975 European Tour events. Jacklin was not in the leading 8 who were guaranteed places but he was selected as one of the four remaining places.[104] Jacklin was paired with Peter Oosterhuis in three pairs matches and with Brian Huggett in the other, winning two and halving another of his four matches. However, he lost both of his singles matches on the final day.[47] The same system was used in 1977 at Royal Lytham, and Jacklin was again chosen for one of the four places.[105] Jacklin halved his foursomes match, lost in the fourball and was not selected for the singles.[47]

Jacklin didn't play on the PGA Tour from 1979 to 1984, playing mostly on the European Tour.[106] He won the 1979 Braun German Open, the 1981 Billy Butlin Jersey Open and the 1982 Sun Alliance PGA Championship after a playoff against Bernhard Langer.[82] In 1980 he was in a playoff for the Merseyside International Open but lost to Ian Mosey.[107] In 1979 Jacklin was 9th in the Order of Merit but dropped to 42nd in 1980. He was 13th in 1981, 20th in 1982, 63rd in 1983 before dropping out of the top 100 in 1984.[106] Jacklin won the Venezuela Open in late 1979.[108]

Jacklin made his final Ryder Cup appearance in 1979, the first time European players were included. He finished 8th in the points list with the leading 10 gaining places automatically.[109] Jacklin played three matches with Sandy Lyle, winning one and halving another, but lost narrowly in his singles match against Tom Kite.[47] In 1981 Jacklin finished 12th in the points list. The selectors chose Mark James, who had finished 11th in the list, and Peter Oosterhuis, who had recently won the Canadian Open.[110]

Ryder Cup captain

[edit]

Jacklin was the non-playing captain of Europe in four consecutive Ryder Cups from 1983 to 1989. He had a 2.5–1.5 won-loss record, captaining his men to their first victory in 28 years in 1985 and to their first ever victory in the United States in 1987.[47] He is credited with saving the competition from disappearing due to American dominance.[111]

Senior career

[edit]

Jacklin played regularly on the Senior PGA Tour from 1994 to 1997. He won twice on the tour, the First of America Classic in 1994 and the Franklin Quest Championship in 1995.[44] He also played on the European Seniors Tour, mostly between 1998 and 2002, and was runner-up in the 1998 Jersey Seniors Open.[82]

Jacklin has developed a golf course design business after his retirement from competition. He has designed numerous courses, including the 9-hole par 3 course of The St. Pierre Park Hotel in Guernsey.[112]

Personal life

[edit]

Jacklin's first wife, Vivien Murray, was from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The couple married in 1966, eleven months after their initial meeting at a Belfast hotel, and two days after Jacklin had won the Blaxnit (Ulster) Tournament.[30][113] They had three children together: Bradley, Warren and Tina. Vivien Jacklin died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage in Spain, in April 1988, aged 44.[114][113] In an interview in 2002, Jacklin said: "You can't understand the anguish of losing a spouse until it happens to you. I lost my will to live after my first wife died. I contemplated doing something very terrible to myself. Eventually I recovered."[115]

Six weeks after his first wife's death, Jacklin met a 16-year-old waitress named Donna Methven at a golf tournament in England. Jacklin later said: "I was at my lowest ebb and Donna was a shoulder to cry on." They had a two-month affair which led to front-page headlines in British tabloid newspapers.[113] In December 1988, Jacklin married his second wife, Astrid Waagen, a Norwegian woman.[113] They have a son called Sean, who is a professional golfer.[116] Jacklin is also stepfather to Waagen's two children, daughter Anna May and son A.J., from her previous marriage to former Bee Gees guitarist Alan Kendall.

Jacklin was a subject of the television programme This Is Your Life in February 1970 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside Buckingham Palace after receiving his OBE which he had received in the 1970 New Year Honours.

In 1971, Jacklin said that he received death threats from a caller who also threatened to bomb his wife's family home in Belfast. The caller said that Jacklin would be shot if he played in the Gallaher Ulster Open, because his wife's family supported Ian Paisley. Jacklin withdrew from the tournament.[117][118]

Jacklin said in an interview in 1989 that he was barely on speaking terms with his mother. "To get along with people I have to like them. My mother and I don't get along. I don't share the belief that blood is thicker than water. She has tried to run my life long enough," Jacklin said.[113]

Jacklin has been hearing impaired since the 1980s and wears a hearing aid device on both sides. He is a patron of the English Deaf Golf Association.[119]

In 2013, Jacklin took part in the eleventh series of the BBC1 Saturday night entertainment competition, Strictly Come Dancing. He was the first celebrity to be eliminated from the show.[120]

Awards and honours

[edit]

Professional wins (29)

[edit]

PGA Tour wins (4)

[edit]
Legend
Major championships (2)
Other PGA Tour (2)
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up
1 31 Mar 1968 Jacksonville Open Invitational 68-65-69-71=273 −15 2 strokes United States Gardner Dickinson, United States Don January,
United States Chi-Chi Rodríguez, United States Doug Sanders,
United States DeWitt Weaver
2 12 Jul 1969 The Open Championship 68-70-70-72=280 −4 2 strokes New Zealand Bob Charles
3 21 Jun 1970 U.S. Open 71-70-70-70=281 −7 7 strokes United States Dave Hill
4 19 Mar 1972 Greater Jacksonville Open (2) 70-71-74-68=283 −5 Playoff United States John Jacobs

Source:[126]

PGA Tour playoff record (1–1)

No. Year Tournament Opponent Result
1 1970 Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational United States Pete Brown Lost to par on first extra hole
2 1972 Greater Jacksonville Open United States John Jacobs Won with par on first extra hole

Source:[126][66][78]

European Tour wins (8)

[edit]
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory 		Runner(s)-up
1 26 Aug 1972 Viyella PGA Championship 71-72-68-68=279 −9 3 strokes England Peter Oosterhuis
2 21 Apr 1973 Italian Open 71-72-70-71=284 −4 1 stroke Spain Valentín Barrios
3 6 Oct 1973 Dunlop Masters 69-65-70-68=272 −12 7 strokes New Zealand Bob Charles
4 21 Jul 1974 Scandinavian Enterprise Open 70-65-69-75=279 −5 11 strokes Spain José María Cañizares
5 6 Jun 1976 Kerrygold International Classic 69-79-72-70=290 +2 1 stroke Northern Ireland Eddie Polland
6 19 Aug 1979 Braun German Open 68-68-70-71=277 −7 2 strokes Spain Antonio Garrido, United States Lanny Wadkins
7 21 Jun 1981 Billy Butlin Jersey Open 71-68-72-68=279 −9 1 stroke West Germany Bernhard Langer
8 31 May 1982 Sun Alliance PGA Championship (2) 72-69-73-70=284 −4 Playoff West Germany Bernhard Langer

Source:[82]

European Tour playoff record (1–1)

No. Year Tournament Opponent Result
1 1980 Merseyside International Open England Ian Mosey Lost to par on first extra hole
2 1982 Sun Alliance PGA Championship West Germany Bernhard Langer Won with birdie on first extra hole

Sources:[127][128]

New Zealand Golf Circuit wins (1)

[edit]
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory 		Runner-up
1 11 Dec 1966 Forest Products Tournament 66-67-71-68=272 −16 Shared title with New Zealand Bob Charles

Source:[35]

Other European wins (9)

[edit]
No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory 		Runner(s)-up Ref
1 22 May 1964 Coombe Hill Assistants' Tournament 68-74-71-72=285 1 stroke England Adrian Sadler [129]
2 26 Aug 1965 Gor-Ray Cup 73-74-68-68=283 Playoff England David Butler, Republic of Ireland Sean Hunt [21]
3 28 May 1966 Blaxnit (Ulster) Tournament 72-70-71-71=284 5 strokes England Tony Grubb [30]
4 24 Jun 1967 Pringle of Scotland Tournament 75-70-68-70=283 4 strokes England David Snell [41]
5 16 Sep 1967 Dunlop Masters 69-74-67-64=274 3 strokes England Neil Coles [42]
6 12 Jul 1969 The Open Championship 68-70-70-72=280 2 strokes New Zealand Bob Charles [55]
7 26 Sep 1970 W.D. & H.O. Wills Tournament 67-65-66-69=267 7 strokes England Peter Townsend [69]
8 18 Oct 1970 Lancome Trophy 67-71-68=206 1 stroke United States Arnold Palmer, Spain Ramón Sota [71]
9 21 Aug 1971 Benson & Hedges Festival 73-67-72-67=279 Playoff England Peter Butler [75]

Other Australasian wins (2)

[edit]
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory 		Runner(s)-up Ref
1 5 Nov 1972 Dunlop International 74-63-68-72=277 −11 4 strokes Australia David Graham, Thailand Sukree Onsham [85]
2 8 Jan 1967 New Zealand PGA Championship 73-69-64-68=274 −18 Playoff Netherlands Martin Roesink [130]

South American Golf Circuit wins (1)

[edit]
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory 		Runner-up Ref.
1 9 Dec 1979 Venezuela Open 68-69-70-69=276 −4 2 strokes Spain Manuel Piñero [131]

Caribbean Tour wins (2)

[edit]
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory 		Runner(s)-up Ref
1 25 Feb 1973 Los Lagartos Open 65-62-66-68=261 −27 13 strokes United States Gene Borek [90][89]
2 17 Feb 1974 Los Lagartos Open (2) 65-69-67-72=273 −15 3 strokes Argentina Roberto De Vicenzo, Argentina Florentino Molina,
Colombia Alberto Rivadeneira 		[97]

South African wins (1)

[edit]
Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory 		Runner-up Ref
26 Feb 1966 Kimberley 4000 Tournament 68-69-71-65=273 −15 Tied South Africa Harold Henning [28]

Senior PGA Tour wins (2)

[edit]
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory 		Runner(s)-up
1 14 Aug 1994 First of America Classic 68-68=136[a] −8 1 stroke United States Dave Stockton
2 3 Sep 1995 Franklin Quest Championship 72-67-67=206 −10 1 stroke United States John Paul Cain, South Africa Simon Hobday,
United States Rives McBee, United States Dave Stockton,
United States Bruce Summerhays, United States Tom Weiskopf

Source:[126]

Major championships

[edit]

Wins (2)

[edit]
Year Championship 54 holes Winning score Margin Runner-up
1969 The Open Championship 2 shot lead −4 (68-70-70-72=280) 2 strokes New Zealand Bob Charles
1970 U.S. Open 4 shot lead −7 (71-70-70-70=281) 7 strokes United States Dave Hill

Results timeline

[edit]
Tournament 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
Masters Tournament T16 T22 CUT
U.S. Open T25
The Open Championship T30 T25 T30 5 T18 1
PGA Championship T25
Tournament 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
Masters Tournament T12 T36 T27 CUT CUT CUT
U.S. Open 1 CUT T40 T52 CUT CUT
The Open Championship 5 3 3 T14 T18 T42 T43 CUT T24
PGA Championship CUT T30 T46 T55
Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open Championship T32 T23 CUT T39 CUT CUT CUT CUT
PGA Championship
Tournament 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open Championship CUT CUT
PGA Championship
Tournament 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open Championship CUT CUT CUT
PGA Championship
  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Summary

[edit]
Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts made
Masters Tournament 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 5
U.S. Open 1 0 0 1 1 2 7 4
The Open Championship 1 0 2 5 5 11 28 17
PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 4
Totals 2 0 2 6 6 17 49 30

Source:[40]

Team appearances

[edit]

Amateur

Professional

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Tony Jacklin

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Anthony "Tony" Jacklin CBE (born 7 July 1944) is an English retired professional golfer renowned for his major championship victories, including the 1969 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes—the first win by a Briton since 1951—and the 1970 U.S. Open at Hazeltine National Golf Club, where he triumphed wire-to-wire by seven strokes, marking the first English success in that event since 1924. Jacklin turned professional in 1962 after developing his game in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, and amassed eight wins on what is now the DP World Tour, establishing himself as the most successful British golfer of his era. His 1970 U.S. Open performance set a then-record seven-under-par total relative to par, underscoring his precision and composure under pressure. As a Ryder Cup stalwart, Jacklin competed for Great Britain and Ireland before serving as Europe's non-playing captain from 1983 to 1989, guiding the team to victories in 1985 and 1989 while posting an overall 2.5–1.5 record, fundamentally elevating European competitiveness against the United States. His contributions earned him induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002, along with honors including an OBE in 1970 and elevation to CBE in 1990.

Early Life and Background

Childhood and Introduction to Golf

Tony Jacklin was born on 7 July 1944 in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, into a working-class family; his father, Arthur, worked as a lorry driver earning modest wages, while the household faced financial constraints typical of post-war industrial communities. Growing up in modest back-to-back housing amid the steel industry's dominance in Scunthorpe, Jacklin initially had little exposure to golf, a sport associated with affluence rather than local realities. His introduction to the game occurred around age nine through his father, who occasionally played recreational rounds; Jacklin served as his caddie, carrying clubs at local courses near Scunthorpe and observing play firsthand. This sparked his interest, leading him to experiment with hitting shots himself shortly thereafter, primarily self-taught without formal instruction due to the family's limited means and absence of coaching resources in the area. After leaving school at 15, Jacklin took up an apprenticeship as a lathe turner at the Appleby-Frodingham Steelworks to contribute to family income, using earnings from such manual labor to afford basic equipment like second-hand clubs. These part-time industrial jobs, combined with persistent practice on public or accessible local facilities, honed his foundational skills and instilled resilience amid socioeconomic barriers that restricted access to elite clubs or professional guidance. By around age 16, this groundwork enabled his entry into amateur competitions, marking the transition from casual play to structured involvement in the sport.

Amateur Career

Jacklin began playing competitive amateur golf in his native Lincolnshire, where he demonstrated early potential by winning the Lincolnshire Amateur Championship as a teenager. This regional victory highlighted his raw talent and dedication, honed through extensive practice at local courses in Scunthorpe following his introduction to the sport by his father at age nine. His development emphasized a self-reliant approach to swing mechanics and course management, influenced by observing professionals like Dow Finsterwald and Bobby Locke, though formal coaching remained limited during this phase. Early setbacks, including the economic pressures of a working-class background—his father was a lorry driver—instilled mental resilience, as Jacklin balanced golf with brief stints in steel works apprenticeship and office work before recommitting to the sport. These experiences underscored the financial imperatives driving his progression, contrasting with the perceived risks of professional golf that initially deterred his parents. While his amateur record lacked national titles, such as in the English Amateur or British Youths Championship, his consistent regional performances revealed untapped potential that trials against professionals confirmed. Motivated by the need for stable income amid limited amateur opportunities, Jacklin turned professional in 1962 at age 17, shortly after securing an assistant position under Bill Shankland at Potters Bar Golf Club with a modest six-pound weekly salary. This transition, prompted by pragmatic financial considerations rather than exhaustive amateur accolades, marked the end of his brief pre-professional phase and positioned him for rapid advancement in the paid ranks.

Professional Career Beginnings

Entry into Professional Golf

Jacklin turned professional in 1962 at the age of 18, initially taking a position as assistant professional to Bill Shankland at Potters Bar Golf Club in Hertfordshire, England. This move followed his amateur successes but marked a precarious entry into a field dominated by established players, where British professionals often struggled against the influx of American talent on home soil. In his debut professional season of 1963, he earned recognition as Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year, reflecting early promise amid modest earnings derived primarily from local qualifiers, exhibitions, and assistant duties rather than consistent tournament success. The initial years were characterized by challenges in achieving scoring consistency and adapting to the rigors of circuit travel, with Jacklin relying on tireless practice to refine his game against a backdrop of limited prize money on the domestic tour. By 1967, however, he demonstrated technical maturity with breakthrough performances, including victory in the Pringle Tournament and culminating in his first significant professional title at the Dunlop Masters held at Royal St George's Golf Club. During the final round of that event, Jacklin produced the first hole-in-one ever televised in Britain, holing a 7-iron on the par-3 16th hole, which contributed to his one-stroke triumph over Bob Charles and signaled his emergence as a formidable contender on the British PGA circuit. This Dunlop success, achieved through persistent grit in an era when American golfers frequently overshadowed European fields in prestige events, established Jacklin's reputation for resilience and laid the foundation for broader professional advancement on domestic soil.

Early Victories and Challenges

Jacklin turned professional in 1962, joining the British PGA circuit amid a period of limited opportunities and modest purses for European golfers. Early in his career, he supplemented income through club professional duties and sporadic tournament play, reflecting the financial precarity typical of the era, where players often lacked stable sponsorships and relied on international travel to Japan or Australia for viability. This grind demanded resilience, as prize money from domestic events rarely exceeded a few hundred pounds, forcing pros to balance preparation with economic survival absent the glamour of modern tours. Breakthrough came in 1967, when Jacklin secured multiple victories on the British PGA schedule, signaling his rising talent. He won the Pringle of Scotland Tournament at Royal Lytham & St Annes from June 22–24, defeating David Snell by four strokes in a display of consistent ball-striking and putting. Later that year, he claimed the Dunlop Masters and at least two other significant events, including the Blaxnit Ulster Tournament, accumulating momentum through refined short-game proficiency that compensated for occasional long-game inconsistencies. These successes, totaling four tournament wins in 1967 alone, elevated his profile but highlighted the circuit's competitiveness, where technical adjustments—often derived from peer observations rather than systematized coaching—were essential to address swing flaws under variable conditions. Despite these advances, challenges persisted, including over-reliance on recovery shots and the absence of robust support structures, which tested his raw ability against established players. Financial instability remained acute, with earnings insufficient for long-term security without supplemental hustling, underscoring the causal link between sparse sponsorships and the era's high attrition among European pros. Jacklin's persistence through such hurdles laid groundwork for major contention, though his early path exemplified the unromantic toil required to transcend provincial limitations.

Major Championships and Peak Achievements

1969 Open Championship Win

The 1969 Open Championship took place at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England, from July 9 to 12, marking the 98th edition of the tournament. Tony Jacklin, a 25-year-old Englishman, entered as a 100-1 outsider amid a field dominated by American and international stars, including defending champion Gary Player, who ultimately finished tied for 23rd at 12 over par. Jacklin posted opening rounds of 68 and 70 to trail New Zealand's Bob Charles by three strokes after 36 holes, with Charles holding the lead after a first-round 66. In the third round, amid challenging conditions that saw high scores across the leaderboard—including a 75 from Charles—Jacklin carded a steady 70, securing a two-stroke lead heading into the final day. His victory was built on precise iron play and exceptional putting under pressure, registering 25 one-putts over the championship and just 29 putts in the third round, with only one three-putt all week. A pivotal moment came on the 18th tee in the final round, where Jacklin, clinging to a slim lead, struck a flawless drive down the fairway, enabling a par finish for a closing 72 and a total of 280, two strokes ahead of Charles, who also shot 72. Jacklin's triumph ended an 18-year drought for a British winner of the Claret Jug, the last being fellow Englishman Max Faulkner in 1951, during a period of dominance by American golfers and other internationals in the event. The win provided a significant morale boost to British golf, inspiring renewed focus on rigorous preparation and professional development to compete with the more disciplined approaches seen in the United States.

1970 U.S. Open Victory

The 1970 U.S. Open was held from June 18 to 21 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, a par-72 layout measuring 7,151 yards that drew widespread criticism for its difficulty, particularly due to thick rough and blind approaches. Tony Jacklin, the defending Open Champion from England, led wire-to-wire, posting scores of 70-68-70-70 for a seven-under-par total of 281, the only score under par in the field. He finished seven strokes ahead of runner-up Dave Hill, securing a $30,000 first-place prize and marking the first U.S. Open victory by an Englishman in 50 years, since Ted Ray's win in 1920. Jacklin's success stemmed from disciplined, steady play amid gale-force winds in the opening round, where he alone broke par while prominent Americans like Arnold Palmer (79) and Gary Player (80) faltered, and 69 players exceeded 80. Adapted to such conditions from British links golf, he emphasized preparation and mental focus, drawing on advice from Ben Hogan to avoid unnecessary interactions on the putting green, rejecting any attribution of his win to mere luck in favor of methodical execution. Despite the course's hostility—exacerbated by setup choices that prompted complaints from players like Hill—Jacklin's conservative tactics prioritized pars over aggressive risks, enabling him to extend his lead progressively without major errors. This triumph ended a lengthy for British players in America's , highlighting Jacklin's to thrive under and unfamiliar conditions, including transatlantic demands, through resilience rather than . His under-par rounds across all four days underscored a strategic realism that contrasted with the field's struggles, solidifying his status as a major-force capable of dominating even a notoriously penal venue.

Subsequent Major Performances and Decline Due to Yips

Following his 1970 U.S. Open victory, Jacklin achieved a runner-up finish at the 1971 Open Championship at Royal St George's, scoring 280, one stroke behind winner Lu Liang-Huan. He remained competitive in majors through 1972, tying for third at the Open that year after leading into the final holes but suffering a three-putt from 15 feet on the 17th green, allowing Lee Trevino to win by a stroke. These near-misses highlighted persistent putting inconsistencies, with scores in subsequent majors like the 1973 Masters (T27 at 297) reflecting diminished contention. By the mid-1970s, Jacklin's declined sharply to the , characterized by involuntary tremors and muscle spasms during putting , often triggered by excessive focus on mechanics rather than mere competitive pressure. Empirical observations from his play, including erratic short-putt misses under low-stress conditions, aligned with neurological patterns reported in golfers like , where fine-motor control falters independently of psychological excuses such as burnout. Contemporaries noted similar causal mechanisms, with putting yips linked to disrupted alpha waves and habitual over-correction, not transient . Jacklin experimented with remedies, including early adoption of a longer shaft in the late to reduce action and amplification, predating its widespread use. Despite these adjustments, he took an extended break from full competitive schedules around 1977-1978 amid mounting frustrations, returning sporadically via exemptions but posting no top-10 major finishes thereafter, such as T42 at the 1976 Open (150 after two rounds). This period underscored the ' refractory , with from analyses showing persistent lag-putt reliability but on 3-5 footers, defying simple retraining.

Tournament Career Across Tours

PGA Tour Successes

Jacklin recorded four official victories on the PGA Tour, with non-major triumphs at the 1968 Jacksonville Open Invitational and the 1972 Greater Jacksonville Open. These wins showcased his competitiveness in U.S. events, where he outplayed established American contenders amid the tour's demanding schedule and conditions. His PGA Tour earnings reflected strong performances relative to his selective participation, totaling $336,530 over 164 starts, with a notable 29th-place finish on the 1968 money list. Jacklin's efficiency stood out, as he achieved 26 top-10 finishes despite dividing time between American and European commitments, prioritizing high-value opportunities over volume. The financial incentives of the PGA Tour, far exceeding those in Europe at the time, motivated his extensive U.S. play during peak years. Competing as one of the few Europeans on the circuit provided exposure to elite fields but brought challenges, including bias against foreign players and cultural isolation from the American-dominated professional scene. Jacklin's successes highlighted the benefits of this immersion for skill development, contrasting the grit required in resource-limited European events with the PGA Tour's structured, prize-driven environment.

European and International Wins

Jacklin recorded eight victories on the European Tour after its inception in 1972, bolstering his reputation as a consistent performer on the burgeoning circuit. Notable among these was his 1973 Dunlop Masters triumph at Royal St George's, where he finished seven strokes ahead of the field with a score of 274. He followed with the 1974 Scandinavian Enterprise Open and the 1976 Kerrygold International Classic, the latter held at Killarney Golf Club in Ireland on June 6, demonstrating sustained form into the mid-1970s. Later successes included the 1979 Braun German Open, the 1981 Billy Butlin Jersey Open, and the 1982 Sun Alliance PGA Championship, secured via playoff victory over Bernhard Langer at Wentworth Club on September 19. These results highlighted his adaptability to varying course conditions and competitive formats across continental Europe. Beyond the European Tour, Jacklin's international portfolio encompassed triumphs in diverse regions, underscoring the global scope of his professional endeavors. He claimed one victory on the South African circuit, two in Australasia—including events on the New Zealand Golf Circuit—and additional successes in the Caribbean and South America, such as the 1967 Venezuelan Open. These non-European wins, combined with pre-1972 successes on the antecedent British and continental calendars, elevated his overall professional total to 29 tournaments. By diversifying across circuits amid the era's American tour preeminence, Jacklin sustained elite-level play and earnings, amassing 22 European circuit victories alone prior to the formal Tour structure. His European and international achievements reflected a strategic approach to career longevity, leveraging weaker fields in select overseas events to rebuild confidence post-yips while prioritizing merit-driven qualification over expansive entry policies. This versatility empirically refuted perceptions of inherent British disadvantage, as Jacklin's win rate and prize money outpaced many European peers reliant on domestic play.

Senior Tour Accomplishments

Jacklin turned 50 on July 7, 1994, and promptly joined the Senior PGA Tour (now PGA Tour Champions), securing his first victory that August in the rain-shortened First of America Classic at TPC of Michigan, where he finished one stroke ahead of Dave Stockton after a final-round 68. He followed with a second win the next year at the Franklin Quest Championship in Park City, Utah, closing with a 67 to edge out a six-way tie for second by one stroke, reaffirming his competitive edge into his mid-50s despite longstanding putting struggles from the yips that had curtailed his regular-tour play. These triumphs, achieved amid natural age-related declines such as diminished driving distance—averaging under 240 yards off the tee compared to his peak power—highlighted a partial resurgence reliant on refined short-game precision rather than overpowering length, with Jacklin himself noting the renewed enjoyment of contention without the physical demands of younger competition. He competed selectively through 1997 on the Senior PGA Tour before shifting emphasis to the European Seniors Tour from 1998 onward, participating in events but forgoing further victories as priorities turned toward occasional play and advisory roles mentoring emerging seniors on mental resilience against performance anxieties like the yips. This phase underscored pragmatic longevity in professional golf, where tactical adaptation outweighed youthful athleticism, informing Jacklin's later observations on enduring technical flaws through disciplined technique over equipment gimmicks.

Ryder Cup Contributions

Playing Career in Ryder Cup

Tony Jacklin made his Ryder Cup debut in 1967 at , representing against the . He participated in seven consecutive s from 1967 to 1979, compiling an overall playing record of 13 wins, 14 losses, and 8 halves across 35 matches. In singles competition, his record stood at 2 wins, 8 losses, and 1 half. A pivotal moment came during the 1969 Ryder Cup at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, where Jacklin went undefeated with a 3-0-1 record, contributing to the first tie (16-16) since 1957. In the final singles match against Jack Nicklaus on September 20, 1969, Nicklaus conceded a two-to-three-foot putt to Jacklin on the 18th green, securing the half and the overall draw, an act of sportsmanship that Jacklin later described as setting a tone of mutual respect amid intense rivalry. This outcome halted a streak of U.S. dominance, with Europe (then Great Britain and Ireland) losing the previous six contests by an average margin of 10 points. Jacklin excelled in team formats, often partnering effectively with compatriots like Peter Oosterhuis in foursomes and fourballs, a duo ranked among Europe's notable pairings for their synergy despite the era's overall deficits. He highlighted structural U.S. advantages, including greater professional depth—boasting over 100 PGA Tour players versus fewer full-time pros in Britain—and superior preparation, such as better equipment and travel support, which exacerbated Europe's challenges until team reforms. His consistent participation and standout performances, particularly in 1969, elevated British competitiveness and foreshadowed the shift to a unified European team in 1979, during his final appearance.

Captaincy and European Revival

Jacklin served as Europe's non-playing captain for four consecutive Ryder Cups from 1983 to 1989, compiling a record of two wins, one loss, and one tie. His tenure marked a pivotal shift, elevating Europe from consistent defeats—Great Britain and Ireland had not won since 1957, yielding a pre-1983 victory rate under 5% across 22 matches—to competitive parity, with three positive outcomes in four contests. This transformation built on the 1979 expansion to include continental players, which Jacklin advocated for as a player, but his leadership provided the strategic cohesion absent in prior eras dominated by U.S. depth and talent concentration. The breakthrough came in 1985 at The Belfry in England, where Europe secured its first victory in 28 years by a score of 16.5–11.5 against a U.S. team captained by Lee Trevino. Jacklin's preparations emphasized unified team dynamics, including enhanced logistical support and motivational focus, countering the psychological edge long held by American squads amid lopsided historical results. He introduced discretionary captain's picks to bolster form players, a tactic that, despite occasional internal debate over selections like prioritizing experience over strict points standings, correlated with the win rate surge from near-zero to 50% under his guidance. This success refuted underestimations of non-U.S. talent pools, as empirical match data showed Europe's improved singles and foursomes execution stemmed from tactical pairing innovations rather than mere luck. Subsequent matches reinforced the revival: a 15–13 road win in 1987 at Muirfield Village, Ohio—the first non-U.S. victory on American soil since World War II—and a 14–14 tie in 1989 at The Belfry, where Europe retained the Cup via prior dominance. Jacklin's emphasis on mental resilience, including pre-match scouting and player accountability, addressed causal factors like inconsistent European preparation, yielding a 2.5–1.5 overall ledger that stabilized the event's viability against calls to disband it as a mismatch. While some criticized his prolonged tenure for potentially stifling successors, the quantifiable uptick in points won per match—from an average deficit of 8+ pre-1983 to surpluses in key years—underscores his role as the competition's architectural savior, fostering sustained European contention.

Personal Life and Challenges

Family and Relationships

Jacklin married Vivien Oliver in 1966, with whom he had three children: sons Bradley and Warren, and daughter Tina. The family resided in locations including Jersey and Sotogrande, Spain, during his career peak in the 1970s. Vivien Jacklin died suddenly at age 44 from a brain haemorrhage in April 1988, discovered in her car while running errands in Sotogrande, Spain; she had reported a headache earlier that day. Jacklin wed Astrid Waagen in December 1988 in Gibraltar, shortly after Vivien's death; the couple had initially planned a January ceremony but advanced it due to media attention. They had one son together, Sean, born in 1991, while Astrid brought two children from her prior marriage. By 2020, Jacklin was father to four biological children overall and grandfather to 14.

Health Issues and Retirement

Jacklin's competitive career waned in the late 1980s due to the yips, a condition characterized by involuntary wrist movements that severely impaired his putting, leading him to scale back full-time play around 1988 after inconsistent senior tour performances. He managed the issue through grip changes and psychological approaches rather than denial, though it persisted as a neurological challenge akin to focal dystonia in some golfers. In 2014, Jacklin was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma, an incurable but treatable form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which he has kept in remission through Rituximab infusions and occasional chemotherapy, reporting no active symptoms as of 2021. This health development did not prompt immediate retirement but underscored his resilience, with treatment allowing continued involvement in golf-related pursuits. Jacklin formally retired from professional competition at age 60 in 2004, following successes on the senior tours, and shifted focus to golf course design, renovating and creating layouts such as those in Florida where he resides. He has also engaged in broadcasting and media commentary on major events, leveraging his expertise without major personal controversies overshadowing his legacy. As of 2025, at age 81, Jacklin remains active in course consultations and public reflections on golf, expressing contentment with his post-competitive life while acknowledging the physical limits of aging.

Public Views on Golf's Evolution

In a September 2025 interview, Tony Jacklin criticized the introduction of payments to United States Ryder Cup players as driven by "sheer greed," noting that each team member would receive $500,000, with $300,000 required for charity, leaving $200,000 net—a sum he described as insufficient for multi-millionaire professionals yet emblematic of misplaced priorities. He contrasted this with Europe's unpaid participation, emphasizing that victory would render financial incentives irrelevant and underscoring his view that excessive commercialization erodes the event's historical value, as he received no such compensation during his playing and captaincy eras. Jacklin has expressed opposition to what he terms the R&A's "wokery," stating in 2025 that he was warned the organization had "gone woke," particularly citing its emphasis on diversity initiatives at The Open Championship in 2022 over honoring past champions, which he sees as a dilution of golf's traditions and a symptom of broader cultural shifts in Britain that prioritize non-competitive ideals over merit-based excellence. Regarding technological advancements, Jacklin has argued that modern equipment and balls have rendered professional golf overly predictable and less skill-demanding, with improved greens and gear reducing variability and turning players into "robotic" figures who bomb drives without the nuanced shot-making of earlier eras, a critique rooted in his observation that such changes diminish the game's inherent challenges and strategic depth. He has voiced frustration with governing bodies' slow response to the "distance problem," calling partial rollbacks "bullshit" and advocating stricter limits to preserve course integrity and encourage diverse skill development over raw power. On the LIV Golf series, Jacklin acknowledged players' freedom to pursue lucrative offers—he admitted he likely would have defected for $100 million in his prime—but warned that it fragments the sport, risks irrelevance for defectors in events like the Ryder Cup, and prioritizes cash over building lasting history, leaving professional golf in a "big mess" and chaotic state dominated by obscene financial incentives rather than competitive merit.

Awards, Honors, and Legacy

Professional Wins Summary

Tony Jacklin recorded 29 professional victories from 1963 to 1995, encompassing major championships, regional tours, and senior events, which highlighted his proficiency across diverse competitive landscapes and equipment standards of the era. PGA Tour (4 wins):
  • 1968: Jacksonville Open Invitational
  • 1969: The Open Championship
  • 1970: U.S. Open
  • 1972: Greater Jacksonville Open
European Tour (8 wins):
  • 1968: Greater London Open
  • 1968: Dunlop Masters
  • 1969: French Open
  • 1970: British PGA Championship
  • 1972: Greater Manchester Open
  • 1973: Italian Open
  • 1973: Viyella PGA Championship
  • 1974: Scandinavian Enterprise Open
Other international and pre-tour events (15 wins): These included triumphs in Australasia (such as the 1965 New Zealand PGA Championship), South Africa, South America, and various match-play and national opens, reflecting early career adaptability before formalized tour structures. PGA Tour Champions (senior; 2 wins):
  • 1994: First of America Classic
  • 1995: Franklin Quest Championship
His distributed successes across four continents countered narratives of insular British golf performance, emphasizing sustained excellence amid varying course conditions and opposition.

Major Results Timeline


Tony Jacklin's performances in golf's major championships, spanning from 1963 to 1983, demonstrate a peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with two victories and multiple top-10 finishes, followed by a decline in contention. In years not listed, he either did not participate or missed the cut. The following table summarizes his verifiable finishes in the Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship:
YearMasters TournamentU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipPGA Championship
1963T30
1965T25
1966T30
1967T165
1968T22T18
1969T251T25
1970T1215
1971T363
1972T27T403
1973T52T14T46
1974T18T55
1976T42
1977T43
1979T24
1980T32
1981T23
1983T39
Jacklin's strongest period occurred from 1967 to 1972, yielding his two major wins—at The Open Championship in 1969 and the U.S. Open in 1970—and four additional top-5 finishes in The Open. After 1972, his results trended downward, with no top-10 finishes in majors post-1974, aligning with documented challenges in his putting game that limited sustained contention.

Enduring Impact on British and European Golf

Jacklin's major victories in 1969 and 1970 marked the first English wins in The Open and U.S. Open in decades, instilling renewed confidence in British golfers and challenging the perception of American dominance in the sport. This breakthrough contributed to a broader revival, as evidenced by the subsequent emergence of talents like Nick Faldo, who credited the era's momentum for elevating European standards. Empirical data from professional tours shows increased European representation and wins in majors post-1970, with Britain producing multiple major champions in the following decades compared to the prior drought. As Ryder Cup captain from 1983 to 1989, Jacklin implemented innovations such as strategic player pairings, emphasis on team unity, and data-driven preparation, leading Europe to victories in 1985 and 1987—including the first on U.S. soil—and a 1989 tie, reversing a 28-year winless streak. These tactics empirically shifted the competition's balance; since Jacklin's captaincy, Europe has secured 11 of 14 Ryder Cups, including five on American courses, demonstrating sustained causal impact from his foundational reforms. His approach influenced successors like Faldo and subsequent captains, fostering a culture of collective preparation over individual play, which data from Ryder Cup records attributes to Europe's point totals exceeding those of pre-1983 eras. Critics note that Jacklin's later career was curtailed by putting yips, which emerged after his peak and limited his longevity, underscoring vulnerabilities in mental resilience that his own experiences helped highlight for future training protocols in European golf academies. Despite this, his blueprint persists, as seen in 2025 commentary linking modern players' mental fortitude to the team-oriented mindset he instilled. On honors, while awarded CBE status, calls for a knighthood—voiced by figures like Jack Nicklaus for his transformative contributions—remain unfulfilled, with observers attributing the oversight to inconsistent recognition of golf achievements relative to other sports, though no official rationale has been provided.

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  48. https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/articles/cy50rxx4ed6o
  49. https://www.golf365.com/news/greatest-european-ryder-cup-pairings-ranked-legendary-partnerships-golf
  50. https://www.todays-golfer.com/news-and-events/ryder-cup/tony-jacklin-the-man-who-saved-the-ryder-cup/
  51. https://www.golfcompendium.com/2020/05/1985-ryder-cup.html
  52. https://www.pga.com/archive/news/road-ryder-cup/2016-ryder-cup-looking-best-and-worst-captains-picks
  53. https://www.rydercup.com/news-media/1985-1987-best-ryder-cup-quotes
  54. https://www.todays-golfer.com/news-and-events/ryder-cup/how-the-1985-match-changed-everything/
  55. https://www.golfdigest.com/story/ryder-cup-2018-why-doesnt-this-man-get-more-credit-for-saving-the-ryder-cup-tony-jacklin
  56. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/tony-jacklin-with-his-wife-vivienne-and-their-children-news-photo/1070510754
  57. https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/image-editorial/tony-jacklin---golfer-his-family-home-3302170a
  58. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1988/05/03/vivien-jacklin-44-wife-of-europes-ryder/
  59. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-10012255/Ryder-Cup-hero-Tony-Jacklin-suffering-cancer-seven-years.html
  60. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-10008393/Ryder-Cup-Tony-Jacklin-reflects-incredible-tragic-life.html
  61. https://golfweek.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2022/06/13/u-s-open-sean-jacklin-tony-jacklin/76446601007/
  62. https://www.golfersjournal.com/editorial/the-yips/
  63. https://www.express.co.uk/sport/golf/1929365/tony-jacklin-says-timing-is-everything-golf
  64. https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/arts-and-entertainment/2018/08/at-74-tony-jacklin-has-never-been-happier
  65. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/golf-jacklin-brings-an-end-to-a-glittering-career-1110142.html
  66. https://golfbusinessnews.com/news/opinion/tony-jacklin-reflects-on-turning-80/
  67. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/golf/2025/09/21/tony-jacklin-interview-ryder-cup-donald-trump-woke/
  68. https://www.golfmagic.com/tour/ryder-cup/ryder-cup-legend-it-will-be-bloody-wonderful-when-unpaid-europe-win-bethpage
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  73. https://www.yardbarker.com/golf/articles/tony_jacklin_on_the_amount_of_money_currently_on_the_line_in_professional_golf_its_obscene/s1_17429_40685872
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  77. https://www.golfshake.com/news/view/19532/How_Tony_Jacklin_Changed_The_Ryder_Cup_Forever.html
  78. https://www.clickorlando.com/sports/2025/09/28/europe-retains-the-ryder-cup-and-reasserts-dominance-over-americans/
  79. https://irishgolfer.ie/latest-golf-news/tour-news/2025/10/21/tony-jacklin-hails-tommy-fleetwoods-achievements-and-reflects-on-ryder-cup-drama/
  80. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/golf/jack-nicklaus-says-ryder-cup-8913810
  81. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/golf/2019/07/10/fifty-years-famous-open-victory-tony-jacklins-knighthood-snub/
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