Jordan Spieth’s official title as
winner of the 2017 Open Championship at
Royal Birkdale is “Champion Golfer Of The Year”. This quaint title is derived from the Claret
Jug itself. Don’t you know, the Claret
Jug has a formal name. The Claret Jug’s
proper name is the Golf Champion Trophy.
The Golf Champion Trophy dates back to 1873, when the original silver
Claret Jug was hallmarked. See the history of the Claret Jug, and the awards for
the British Open Championship here. Ever since then, the Champion Golfer Of The
Year has hoisted the trophy at the conclusion of the Open Championship.
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| Champion Golfer of The Year 2017 |
Now, starting tomorrow, we can see
if Spieth, the second-youngest golfer to win three of golf’s four majors, behind
only to the GOAT, Jack Nicklaus, can conquer Quail Hollow and bring home the Wanamaker
Trophy (a replica, not the original, which is on display at the PGA Historical
Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida). If
he does, he will join the select group of golfers to have won the career Grand Slam: Walter Hagen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack
Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. (Interestingly, of the nine golfers from the modern
era with three legs of the career Slam under their belts, only two golfers,
indeed, two of golf’s greatest, The King, Arnold Palmer, and Tom Watson, missed the career Grand Slam by failing
to win the PGA Championship.) Should Spieth
win this weekend at Quail Hollow, he will also become the youngest golfer in
history to have achieved golf’s career Grand
Slam. No pressure, young man.
Go, Jordan.
Copyright R.E. Kelly 2012-2017
AMDG
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