Tony Jacklin

English golfer Tony Jacklin was the most successful British player of his generation. He is also the most successful European Ryder Cup captain ever.

Tony Jacklin revitalized British and, ultimately, European golf with his extraordinary accomplishments. For four seasons – from 1969 to 1972 – there was no brighter star in the field of golf than Tony Jacklin. At the age of 26, he broke all performance records in the history of British golf. In doing so, he did for British golf what Arnold Palmer did for golf in AmericaAt the top of the world of golf in the summer of 1969, Tony won the British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, and the following year he won the U.S. Open in great style at Hazeltine – leading from start to finish in challenging weather conditions and leaving the great players of the day in his wake.

Tony’s triumph at Hazeltine marked a seismic shift in the balance of golfing power, and the start of a transatlantic rivalry based on genuine competitiveness that endures to this day. It is no accident that it was under Tony’s captaincy that the European Ryder Cup team found its edge, and in 1985 regained the trophy from the Americans for the first time since 1957.Tony was victorious in 3 of his 4 Ryder Cup performances as the captain of the European team. He is universally recognized as the man who transformed golf in Europe by giving the talented young players of the day, many of whom are household names today, the inspiration and confidence they required to realize their full potential.