Golf fans to back £100,000 fundraiser for statue of Old Tom Morris in St Andrews

The £100,000 fund has already netted £30,000 with generous pledges from grant-awarding bodies. Full details of the appeal are at https://gofund.me/2227ff2d

It comes after the team behind the project got planning permission from Fife Council to site the statue on the Bow Butts.

Morris is considered one of the greatest legends in the world of golf, A four-times Open Champion, he also designed or remodeled 75 golf courses across the UK, including the Open Championship courses of Prestwick, the Old Course St Andrews, Muirfield, Royal Portrush and Carnoustie. He was a very proud St Andrean, a conscientious and caring Elder at the Town Kirk, and is now, fittingly, at rest in the Cathedral Cemetery.

Ronald Sanford, who chairs the Tom Morris Statue Project said: “This is now the opportunity for “golfers from all parts of the world to be a part of this long awaited, historic tribute to the Grand Old Man of Golf to whom we all owe so much today.

This global initiative welcoming donations is very much in tune with the collective response in 1909 when townsfolk and people much further afield, raised the sum of £600 to fund a statue of Tom Morris to be erected in the town or near his beloved Links. It is unclear why, as reported in The Citizen in 1910, this statue became the medallion on the west edifice of the R&A below the clock. This is our chance to deliver on that 100-year ambition of a statue to the legendary Tom Morris.”

Created by the distinguished sculptor, David Annand, the statue will be mounted on a bronze plinth in an elegant stone setting with a path of Caithness slabs leading to it. The project team feel it will become something of a place of pilgrimage for many, bringing visitors and economic benefits to St Andrews and increased awareness of our rich history.

Interest in the project has been considerable, both locally and worldwide - there were more than 50 expressions of support lodged during the planning process.