BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
ZIMBABWEAN golf legend Nick Price might have retired from competitive professional golf many years ago, but he remains widely acknowledged as one of the most influential figures in the global game.
On Friday the popular Zimbabwean added another feather to his cap after he was made an honorary member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, becoming the latest addition to a distinguished list of luminaries who are members of golf’s most famous and influential club.
One of golf’s most popular figures, Price is a three-time major champion (1994 British Open, 1992 and ’94 PGA Championships), a former world number one and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003.
The now 63-year-old Price lifted the Claret Jug at Turnberry in 1994, before going on to claim his second PGA Championship that year following his maiden major victory two years earlier.
He achieved 48 professional wins around the world and spent more than 40 weeks at number one in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
Price represented the International team in the Presidents Cup on five occasions and after his retirement went on to captain the team for three matches.
Three years ago he was nominated to serve on the United States Golf Association (USGA)’s influential executive committee, and his latest role further underlines his status not only as one of the finest golfers of his generation, but also arguably the country’s biggest sporting ambassador.
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Upon receiving the honorary membership of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Price reflected on his earliest memories of The R&A during the early days of his career here in Zimbabwe.
“I grew up playing golf in Zimbabwe under the rules of The R&A and was first introduced to a rule book as a young junior,” Price said in a statement on Friday.
“I had no idea at the time who The R&A was, but I knew they made the rules and ran The Open. As the years progressed, I learned how valuable The R&A is to the game of golf and how they have governed and nurtured the game we all love.
“Playing in The Open each year was a week I always looked forward to and particularly a week at St Andrews.
“Winning The Open was a highlight of my career and I will always savour the year that I held the Claret Jug.”
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is the oldest and most prestigious golf club in the world.
It is based in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, and is regarded as the worldwide “Home of Golf”.
Formerly, it was also one of the governing authorities of the game, but in 2004 this role was handed over to a newly formed group of companies, collectively known as The R&A.
The R&A is the ruling authority of golf throughout the world except in North America; the USGA is the ruling authority of golf in the United States and Mexico, while Canada uses the rules of the R&A in addition to the USGA rules.
It works in collaboration with national amateur and professional golf organisations in more than 110 countries.
Price is one of the four former winners of the Open Championship who were bestowed with honourary membership of the prestigious club together with Irishman Padraig Harrington, South Africa’s Ernie Els and Catriona Matthew from Scotland.
Said R&A captain Clive Edginton of the quartet’s honorary membership: “I would like to congratulate Catriona, Ernie, Padraig and Nick on becoming honorary members.
“They have each distinguished themselves with their long and hugely successful careers in golf. As well as being great champions, they are superb role models for any young golfers to follow and embody so many of the qualities which make golf such a special sport. They have done a great deal to help promote golf around the world and this recognition is extremely well deserved.”
As honorary members, the quartet of Harrington, Price, Matthew and Els will “enjoy” most of the privileges afforded ordinary members. While they will be eligible to play in club competitions and own a locker in the famous clubhouse that sits behind the first tee on the Old Course at St Andrews, none of the four will be asked to pay the annual subscription fee.
The list of past and present R&A honorary members includes Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Kel Nagle, Peter Thomson, Robert DeVicenzo, Tony Jacklin, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Laura Davies, Annika Sorenstam, Renee Powell, Lally Sagard, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sir Michael Bonallack and, quaintly, non-golfer Princess Anne, daughter of Queen Elizabeth.
