Christy beside Himself at Hall of Fame call
Delighted Christy O’Connor will become just the second Irishman to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
But the man known simply as “Himself” confessed that he still has regrets after an amazing career that brought him 24 tour wins, ten Ryder Cup caps and World Cup glory with Harry Bradshaw in 1958.
Christy O'ConnorIn an emotional address, the man known simply as Himself said: “I’m sad that I didn’t win the British Open but I’m very sad that I didn’t go to the Masters.
“I would have loved the event but I couldn’t afford to go. When I started on the tour, there’s a little thing called cash, money, and I had very little of it.
“To get on tour, I worked hard giving people lessons, which I loved. I had no sponsors. It was my money and I was going to play very hard for it.”
O’Connor, who had eight top tens in the Open and finished second behind Peter Thomson in 1965, confessed that the highlight of his career was “meeting nice people.”
But he could easily have mentioned his haul of 10 Irish PGA Championships or the day he won the biggest prize in world golf by taking £25,00 John Player Classic in 1970.
Set to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in St Augustine, Florida, on November 2, he said: “This is a fantastic honour, not only for myself and my family but for the whole of Ireland and, in particular, all my friends in professional golf – sadly many now departed – who helped me enjoy a wonderful career in the game.
“All my life I always tried my best to represent my country with dignity, whether it was playing for Ireland in the Canada Cup or for Great Britain and Ireland in the Ryder Cup.
“I have enjoyed a great life in golf and golf has done so much for me. This is the cream and I am quite overwhelmed.
“This news comes in the same week that I celebrate 50 years as a professional at Royal Dublin.
“I would have to say it is one of the great weeks in my life and I am looking forward enormously to being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.”