Clarke, Armour Both Have Deep Roots At Open

There was a time when Darren Clarke, the 2011 Open champion, would treat himself to new watches and flashy cars every few minutes, or so it seemed. Even his management group told him to hang back until he had done something to deserve the next crazy spending spree. This week at the Open, on the other hand, the now 52-year-old Clarke arrived at Sandwich with something which gave him a different sense of pride – a caddie whose grandfather had done as Clarke himself in winning the Claret Jug.

Sandy Armour, as said caddie is called, just happens to be the grandson of Tommy Armour, who won the 1931 Open at Carnoustie.

Tommy, for the record, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1895 and went to school and university in the city. Then, after serving as a machine-gunner for the Black Watch regiment in the First World War, he emigrated to the States in 1925 to further his golf career – and duly won the ’27 U.S. Open and the ’30 PGA Championship ahead of the Open.

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