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For
the Love of the Game |
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By
Carrie Jean Duncan
2005 Communications Intern
In an era where golf was perceived as a stuffy game for the
old and rich, one amateur’s triumph at the U.S. Open in
1913 catapulted golf to front-page headlines and made him America’s
first golf hero. This beloved figure is none other than Francis
Ouimet.
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Francis
Ouimet |
In true “Cinderella story” fashion, Ouimet enterted
the 1913 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.,
as a relatively unknown 20 year-old amateur and former caddie.
After three rounds of tournament play, Ouimet miraculously found
himself tied with Harry Vardon, four-time winner of the British
Open, and the defending British Open champion, Ted Ray. Before
the start of the playoff, Ouimet declined an offer from an experienced
TCC member who had hoped to caddie for him and chose to keep
10-year-old Eddie Lowery by his side. By the par-4 17th, the
competition came down to Vardon and Ouimet, with Ouimet trailing
by one stroke. Ouimet sunk a 15-foot birdie putt to claim his
title, and in that instant he changed the world’s perception
of the game of golf.
Before his win at TCC, the British and the Scots dominated golf.
There were very few players in America, no public courses, and
therefore the game was limited to outsiders. But Ouimet’s
U.S. Open victory changed all that, and within 10 years the
number of American players went from an estimated 350,000 to
2,000,000. Many new courses were built, including public courses,
and the golf greats stretching from Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen,
Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and today’s Tiger Woods followed
Ouimet’s lead. Rightfully, Ouimet was dubbed the “Father
of Amateur Golf.”
Alone, the photograph of Ouimet and the young Eddie Lowery strolling
down the TCC fairway serves as one of golf’s most enduring
images. It was recently selected by the United States Golf Association
(USGA) as the logo for its Centennial celebration. The image
clearly shows Ouimet’s independent triumph and his humanity
(kindheartedness) to a young person.
Ouimet was no stranger to the TCC course, having grown up across
the street from the 17th green. Completely self-taught, Ouimet
and his older brother, Wilfred, built three makeshift holes
in the family backyard, using sunken tomato cans as their cups.
At 11, he began caddying at TCC. By his late teens, he had begun
to make a name for himself through tournament competitions.
His win in the 1913 Massachusetts State Amateur Championship
encouraged him to enter the 1913 National Open.
During his career, he won three national championships, including
the U.S. Amateur twice. He played on the first eight Walker
Cup teams and was captain of the next four, garnering an 11-1
team record. Then, in 1951, Ouimet became the first American
elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.
Outside the game, Ouimet established the Francis Ouimet Caddie
Scholarship Fund in 1949. Today, the fund is the second largest
caddie fund in the U.S. In 2003-2004, $975,000 was awarded to
350 students. Another notable honor includes being one of only
three golfers to have a U.S. Commemorative stamp issued in his
name. His name is also used for several trophys, including the
U.S. Senior Open Trophy.
With all his success and fame, Ouimet remained an amateur for
life, like Bobby Jones. For the true meaning of amateur derives
from the French word, amare, which means to love, and there’s
no denying that Ouimet loved the game.
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