Scots in Golf Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tom Morris

Young Tom's record seems unlikely to ever be matched, although it's probably fair to say the competition is fiercer now. His consecutive wins cam in 1868, 1869, 1870 and 1872, with the tournament not being held in 1871. He was still aged only 21 when his last win came and may have gone on to more success had he not died tragically young, from a pulmonary haemorrhage, in 1875.

Old Tom Morris would also qualify for the quiz, having also won the Open four times in 1861, 1862, 1864 and 1867. Being born in St Andrews, the home of golf, seems to have benefitted father and son.

Answer: Sam Torrance

Sam's best finish in a Major tournament came in 1981, when he finished fifth in the Open. His main success came on the European tour, with 21 wins during his playing years. Torrance was, though, an essential part of Ryder Cup teams, playing in every match between 1981 and 1995.

He was the man who won the point to guarantee Europe victory at The Belfry in 1985, depriving America of the Ryder Cup after they'd held it for 28 years. Add to that record his membership of European teams which won in 1987, 1989 and 1995 and another win at The Belfry, this time as non-playing captain, in 2002 and you'll see his career was a success despite the absence of Major wins.

Answer: Allan Robertson

Another golfer to spend his life in St Andrews, Robertson managed to make a living from golf when it was played mainly by gentlemen of independent means. He earned money from caddying, making equipment and providing instruction. Robertson also played for money, by making bets, and was not above playing poorly prior to matches to get better odds. 'Old' Tom Morris worked for him as an apprentice.

Robertson died aged only forty-three, with the idea of a competition to find a new champion golfer to succeed him being raised at Prestwick Golf Club. The first competition was held in 1860 and has continued, apart from during the World Wars and Covid pandemic, ever since.

Answer: Sandy Lyle

Alexander, to give him his proper name, was not the first European to win the Masters. That honour goes to the incomparable Seve Ballesteros in 1980. Sandy's win in 1988 was the first of four consecutive British winners, with Englishman Nick Faldo winning in 1989 and 1990 and Ian Woosnam, from Wales, in 1991. Lyle's Open win came at Royal St. George's with the narrowest possible margin of one stroke over Payne Stewart.

Sandy also tasted success in the Ryder Cup as a member of the winning team in 1985 and as part of the team which gained Europe's first ever win in the USA two years later.

Answer: Bernard Gallacher

Gallacher is another Scot better known for his contribution to the Ryder Cup than in the Majors. In fact, he never played either the PGA or US Open and only played the Masters once. He did take part in the Open more regularly, but without reaching the top ten. Gallacher did win ten times on the European tour and has 23 professional wins to his credit in total.

He appeared in eight successive Ryder Cup teams between 1969 and 1983 inclusive, often paired with Brian Barnes. As the non-playing captain, he lost in both 1991 and 1993, although both losses were narrow, and won in 1995 by a one point margin. This was the second time Europe had won the Ryder Cup when it was held in America.

While Gallacher was the youngest rookie at the time, other players have taken this record from him, including Nick Faldo.

Answer: Catriona Matthew

Calling it the British Open might have alerted you that this wasn't the men's version, known just as the Open by virtue of being the original. Catriona became a professional golfer in 1995 and began playing in the Ladies Professional Golf Association the same year, based primarily in the USA. She also plays in the Ladies European Tour.

Her victory in 2009 came with a three stroke victory over the Australian Karrie Webb, and is her only major win at the time of writing (2022). The life event in the question was the birth of her second daughter who was only eleven weeks old at the time.

Answer: Paul Lawrie

Lawrie turned professional in 1986 and his career was steady rather than spectacular for the most part. Unlike many of the golfers in the quiz, even Ryder Cup appearances have been rare, with Paul making the team only in 1999, when he performed well with four points scored, and 2012 when he won only his singles match.

The 1999 Open gave him a dramatic and memorable win, though. Lawrie began the final round with a ten stroke deficit on the leader, Jean van der Velde. Lawrie's round of 67 didn't seem enough with van der Velde having a three stroke lead before the final hole, but the French player imploded in dramatic fashion. Lawrie ended up in a play-off with van der Velde and Justin Leonard, played over the final four holes. He ended on even par over the holes played while the other two both carded three over - it's likely that van der Velde wasn't relishing playing the eighteenth again.

Lawrie never again came close to a win in the Majors, but his name is on the Claret Jug for all time.

Answer: Willie Anderson

Anderson began his golf career as a caddie while still only eleven years old, often skipping school to do so and getting himself into trouble with both the school and the licensing authority for caddies. After leaving school, he began an apprenticeship as a golf club maker before travelling to America to take up a position as the professional at a golf club in New York - he was sixteen at the time.

He returned to Scotland a few times, but his golfing successes came in the USA. Anderson's record of three successive US Open wins wins still stands in the first quarter of the twenty-first century, and his total of four wins has only been matched by such stellar names as Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan and Bobby Jones. He died aged only thirty-one from epilepsy.

Note that much of this information came from a detailed and interesting article I found online about North Berwick golfers which is worth seeking out if you want to learn more about Anderson.

Answer: Brian Barnes

Brian Barnes was something of a character, known for using a beer can to mark his ball on one occasion. Originally playing for England, Barnes decided to transfer his allegiance to Scotland (both parents being from there) in 1971. He played regularly in the Ryder Cup, at a time before Europe was involved, although he was a member of the first team to include European players in 1979, his final appearance.

Playing in partnership with Gallacher, Barnes had success, but stunned the Americans in his singles matches in 1975. At the time, eight matches were played in the morning with a further eight in the afternoon. Barnes defeated Nicklaus 4 & 2 in the morning session with the afternoon games hastily revised so the two played each other again. Barnes repeated the feat, winning 2 & 1 this time. Nicklaus was widely considered the world's best golfer at the time.

Answer: Colin Montgomerie

Mostly known as Monty in the UK, Colin was given the name 'Mrs Doubtfire' by the American crowds due to a perceived likeness to the character played by Robin Williams in the film of that name. Colin has had more second place finishes in the Majors than he would care to remember - one in the Open, three in the US Open and one in the PGA.

His career can hardly be considered a failure though, with 31 wins on the European Tour to go with the achievements mentioned in the question. Colin also played in Europe's Ryder Cup team on eight occasions and captained the team to victory, by one point, in 2010.