Men’s Golf | Peter Stone Golf

Jason, take comfort from Tiger

So, Jason Day is no longer the best golfer on the planet, as he described himself a week ago after becoming world No 1 in winning the BMW Championship, as he failed to contend in the PGA Tour’s final event of the 2014-15 wraparound season – the Tour Championship – in Atlanta yesterday.

The 27-year-old Day needed to finish in a tie for fifth or better to retain the No 1 spot, but finished in a tie for 10^th after dominating in recent times with four wins in six events to claim the lofty perch he’d dreamed of as a kid.

Peter Thomson

Modesty, despite his grand achievements in the world of golf, both on and off the golf course, has always been Peter Thomson’s constant companion. Yes, he was, and still is for that matter, forever confident but quietly so unlike others who’ve reached similar lofty heights.

Indeed, Thomson was very much an amateur at heart in a professional game that, these days, has almost obscenely huge purses that, sadly, are matched by the egos of many who pocket the fat cheques.

Back in the 1993, fellow Australian Greg Norman proposed a world tour of golf with 10 tournaments. He had the financial backing of media baron Rupert Murdoch and his international News Corporation and the verbal support of many of the leading players but Norman has always believed the PGA Tour and its Commissioner Tim Finchem nobbled his idea.

Rory McIlroy

The images of some kid golfers remain indelibly etched in the memory bank.

Robert Allenby, a skinny youngster built like a one iron, meeting Greg Norman on the Royal Melbourne practice putting green in 1987 with his late mother Sylvia taking a photo and, likewise, Aaron Baddeley, a lock of hair hanging over his forehead, talking with the Shark on the putting green at Royal Adelaide in 1998 with more snaps a family album.

Then, there was a 17-year-old Rory McIlroy here at Royal Sydney – where the Emirates Australian Open starts tomorrow – at the 2006 Open. He was a slip of a lad with his curly long hair blowing in the wind. He was quietly spoken and courteous just like his dad Gerry who accompanied him on the trip our way.