Vandals damage statue to golf legend Old Tom Morris weeks after its unveiling

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Vandals have attacked a statue to golf legend Old Tom Morris just weeks after it was unveiled next to the Old Course in St Andrews.

The group which worked for nine years to see it put up described the damage as “just mindless.”

The statue at Bow Butts sits just yards from the 18th green of the world famous course. It depicts Old Tom Morris holding a golf club which has now been snapped off. The damage was reported on Friday night.

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Roger McStravick, golf writer and historian,said he was “gutted to say that the Tom Morris statue was vandalised last night.” He added: “They snapped the clubbed off. Needless to say we are looking at all CCTV cameras, including the R&A, to see if the perpetrators have been caught in the act. Just mindless.”

The statue to Old Tom Morris has bene vandalised (Pics: Submitted)The statue to Old Tom Morris has bene vandalised (Pics: Submitted)
The statue to Old Tom Morris has bene vandalised (Pics: Submitted)

The statue, by David Annand, has been mounted on a bronze plinth in an elegant stone setting with a path of Caithness slabs leading to it which tell his story - and the recognition for the golfer and the role he played as a proud St Andrean has made it as focal point for visitors.

It was unveiled at the end of September by Sheila Walker, his great great granddaughter, assisted by champion golfer, Sandy Lyle. A large crowd of golfers, visitors, guests and media watched the unveiling, with one famous face amazon them - Hollywood star Bill Murray who sat on the grassy bank just feet from the statue. He was in town to take part in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championships.

Commodore Ronald Sandford, who chaired the fundraising committee, said at the launch: “The statue truly captured the integrity and ethos of the grand old man of golf - a very proud St Andrean.” It was made possible by donations from 250 people which included many clubs and organisations including the Pilgrim Foundation, Kinburn Charitable Trust and the R&A’s Town Fund.

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Morris was a four-times Open Champion who 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.

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