It is probably a trifle early to be looking towards the British Open at Royal Lytham, but events of last weekend revived interesting memories of the 1996 Open at this fine Lancashire links. That was when Paul McGinley did some wonderful things; when I happened to wear the club captain's blazer to lunch and when I first met Steve Stricker (below) and his wife.
McGinley sent Irish hearts a-flutter when, on the second day, he holed in one on the short ninth en route to a sparkling 65, equalling the course record set by Christy O'Connor snr, among others. Then, on the Sunday, I found myself donning a shirt, tie and Lytham blazer belonging to the captain, Dr Steven Reid, so that I could join him and other guests for lunch in the clubhouse.
This was the Steven Reid whose fine book, Get to the Point, was an unashamed labour of love about Co Sligo GC. Anyway, he remarked at the time: "Just think of it, you have worn the blazer I'll be wearing when I present the trophy to the winner later today." Which he did, to Tom Lehman.
But to Stricker: I met him and his wife Nicki on the Tuesday of Open week, which also happened to be the eve of their third wedding anniversary, July 17th. It was also his Open debut and, as had been the case when he captured the Western Open in Chicago 10 days previously, Nicki was caddying for him. He wasn't to win again until last weekend.
Though Stricker was tied 22nd at Lytham, Tom Watson was moved to remark: "He has the whole package. He reminds me of how I was at that stage of my career." Meanwhile he and Nicki's affection for each other was obvious, yet it still took courage to have her as his caddie. As he said at the time: "People remarked that I would have a tough time winning with her on my bag, but I'm glad she's with me all the time. Apart from being my wife, she happens to be my best friend."
For her part, she saw it as making the best of "the freedom to be together." But the former two-handicapper added: "Obviously that would change if we happen to have a family." Two years later, shortly after her husband was runner-up to Vijay Singh in the USPGA Championship at Sahalee, Washington, she gave birth to a baby daughter, Bobbi Maria.
No doubt those who criticised their golfing partnership, conveniently ignored any link between the serious decline in his tournament fortunes over the following two years and the fact that Nicki happened to be at home looking after the baby. But Stricker's torment was well documented in the wake of a marvellous, $1 million victory last Sunday.
It seems that lucrative deals involving changes in clubs, also played a part. Significantly, he no longer has a club endorsement and carried a mixture of Callaway, Cobra, Ping, Titleist and Odyssey equipment in his bag in Melbourne.
Nicki wasn't there with him, but she will be back on the bag when Stricker returns to US Tour action in the Phoenix Open starting on January 25th. Six months later, their eighth wedding anniversary will be celebrated during Open week at Lytham. And it's nice to know that this time around, they will be doing so as a family, financially secure for life.
"It's going to be the rage - and not just for women. Men are discovering facials." - A US tourist operator on the post-round treatment now available at Pinehurst and other leading golf resorts.
