Lawrie leads Palmer team to Champions Golfers' Challenge

The Champions Golfers' Challenge took place Wednesday at St Andrews as past winners put on a crowd-pleasing display ahead of the 144th Open Championship which begins on Thursday.

After steady rain and drizzle throughout much of the day, the sun finally broke through on the east coast of Scotland and gave golf lovers a chance to see some of the all-time greats in action.

Seven teams of four players competed over the 1st, 2nd, 17th and 18th holes in a celebration of the 155th anniversary of golf's oldest major.

The teams competed for a prize of 100,000 pounds which will be donated to the charity of the winning team's choice.

The 1973 winner at Royal Troon, Tom Weiskopf captained the opening foursome along with Mark O'Meara, Nick Price and Tiger Woods.

Tony Jacklin, who held off fellow captain Bob Charles in 1969 to end an 18-year wait for a home winner at Royal Lytham, was joined by Nick Faldo, the ever flamboyant John Daly and Tom Lehman as they set off joking and laughing down the first fairway.

Golf legend Arnold Palmer, at the age of 85, captained the final foursome alongside current European Ryder Cup captain and 2011 winner Darren Clarke while Scot Paul Lawrie and 1981 champion Bill Rogers completed the foursome.

Elsewhere Tom Watson, the five-time Open winner, who is set to play in what will likely be his final Open at the age of 65, teamed up with Ian Baker-Finch, Todd Hamilton and Louis Oosthuizen who won at St Andrews the last time it was held on the Old Course in 2010.

South African legend Gary Player who won his three Open titles in three different decades, also got in on the act as he captained Padraig Harrington, Mark Calcavecchia and Stewart Cink.

At the front, Weiskopf's group set the early running thanks to a birdie from O'Meara at the first, a great putt from Woods at 17 coming back to gain another stroke and Weiskopf himself birdied the 18th as he was watched closely by his wife Laurie on the final green to leave their team on three-under.

"That was just great fun, to play with friends like that at the Home of Golf, it just doesn't get any better," beamed a relaxed and jovial Woods.

"Tom, Pricey and Mo (O'Meara), we've just been friends forever so it was special.

"I hit a good eight iron on 17 and made the putt, Tom was a great captain and it was just a lot of fun." added the 14-time major winner.

However it was Lawrie, the 46-year-old from Aberdeen and 1999 Open champion, who drained a 20ft putt on the 18th to tie Palmer's team with the Weiskopf quartet, as well as Jacklin's side and the Peter Thomson-led team of Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Ben Curtis.

Palmer's team, helped by an eagle at the second were given the victory courtesy of being the oldest team in case of a draw.

All in all, a light-hearted manner to lead into Thursday's more serious proceedings as St Andrews again charmed players and public alike on one of the sunniest afternoons of the week.
Source: AFP