SM
Yemen vs. Saudi Arabia: 7 hrs 59 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Max Faulkner remembers 1951 Open triumph at Royal Portrush

:Headline: Max Faulkner remembers 1951 Open triumph at Royal Portrush: ID:365146: from db_amp
His pinks and purples would not even stretch a seam in the modern game, but caused controversy when he landed his solitary major title.

Max Faulkner's supreme peacocking would not even ruffle the odd feather today, but back in 1951 that braggadocio had his foes tearing out their hair.

The last man to win The Open at Royal Portrush, Faulkner dressed in bold, brash colours, boasting of his abilities in a fashion deemed disruptive for the times.

Englishman Faulkner took up boxing in the RAF during World War Two, with a perforated ear drum service wound altering his outlook.

Max Faulkner who won the only other Open at Royal Portrush (AP Images) width="620"

By the time he prevailed in that 1951 Open in Northern Ireland, Faulkner cared little for public opinion, or how his antics were received.

His pinks and purples would not even stretch a seam in the modern game, but caused controversy when he landed his solitary major title.

Post-war Britain simply did not know how to respond to Faulkner's ever-rising confidence, especially his famed autograph en route to that Open triumph.

Midway through the tournament, Faulker penned his moniker for a young fan, who told him he would lift the claret jug.

So he added the postscript Open champion 1951, in an outrageous flourish that won him few friends on the links.

"I asked him for a pen, I put 'Max Faulkner, Open Champion 1951', and then looked at it before giving it back," said Faulkner.

"As I walked to the tee it kept appearing in front of me: 'Open champion 1951'.

"It certainly looked good."

Max Faulkner (back) with son-in-law Brian Barnes (front), who won the Senior British Open in 1995 (Martin McCullough/PA)

So the more he thought about his own tagline, trying it on for size, the more comfortable he became in wearing the title.

When by rights he ought to have been hoisted by his own petard, instead that cocky prediction simply drove him home.

His victory frustrated the establishment, but stood as the only Open victory for a Brit between Henry Cotton in 1948 and Tony Jacklin in 1969.

How the home faithful would love the likes of Rory McIlroy to storm home, and in quite such entertaining fashion this week.

amp_article__365146 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-07-16 11:56:46:
html db last update - 2019-07-16 11:56:46 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Max Faulkner

Share this article now:
Read more about Max Faulkner Golf
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .