Three Americans in history have been honored with the Freedom Of The City designation by St. Andrews.
Benjamin Franklin was the first, Bobby Jones the second and on Tuesday evening, three-time Open champion Jack Nicklaus became to third to receive honorary citizenship from St. Andrews.
Nicklaus delivered an emotional speech at the ceremony, where he fought back tears and his voice cracked with emotion.
Jack chose the 2005 Open Championship as his last event as a professional golfer. During his speech, he told how the 2006 Open Championship was supposed to be at St. Andrews but when the R&A head, Peter Dawson, was told by Jack that 2005 be his last season, the Open Championship suddenly shifted to St. Andrews for 2005.
It was that Friday when Nicklaus crossed the Swilcan Bridge for the final time and waved good-bye to the home of golf. He finished it off by holing a 12-foot birdie putt.
Nicklaus didn’t come back when St. Andrews hosted The Open in 2010, nor when it hosted in ’15.
“I played at St Andrews, because it made my farewell in 2005, and I didn’t want to come back and dilute that for what it was. It was fantastic then,” Nicklaus explained this week. “But when I got the invitation this time to be an honorary citizen of St. Andrews and to follow Bobby Jones and Benjamin Franklin, I’ve got to come back. So to be back is fantastic.”
Jack finished by thanking the St. Andrews citizens “for remembering me and allowing me to be one of you,” everyone rose in what turned into a prolonged ovation.
Jack spoke of his love for St. Andrews during the ceremony and he quoted the lines from the late Bobby Jones’ speech when he accepted the honors in 1958.
“I could take out of my life everything except my experiences at St. Andrews, and I would still have had a rich and full life.”
Lee Trevino, Others, Get Honorary Degrees From St. Andrews University:
In addition to the ceremonies that honored Nicklaus on Tuesday evening, five other distinguished golf professionals received honorary “Doctor Of Laws” degrees from St. Andrews University.
Lee Trevino, Sandy Lyle, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sir Bob Charles and Catriona Matthew were awarded the honorary degrees.
Bridgestone Gives The Boot To Bryson:
Bridgestone Golf has said adios to Bryson DeChambeau.
The statement issued by Bridgestone read:
“The PGA Tour is an extremely important part of professional golf, and Bridgestone has a sports marketing relationship with this highly visible series of tournaments. In considering that Bryson DeChambeau will no longer be participating in these events, Bridgestone and Bryson have agreed to end their brand ambassador partnership.”
Next question: Will the LIV exhibition series pay for Bryson’s golf balls?
