It is hard to forget the image of Woosie’s long-term caddie, Wobbly, sprinting across the 18th green at Augusta and lifting the Welshman off his feet in celebration. Needing to hole his putt for par to beat Jose-Maria Olazabal by one shot, fist-pumping, down on one knee, resplendent in red check trousers and a dark blue polo shirt, Woosnam became the first, and still the only, Welshman to win a Major.
Woosnam formed part of the ‘Big Five’, who dominated golf during the 80s and 90s. Amazingly, Ballesteros, Lyle, Langer, Faldo and Woosnam, all born within 11 months of each other, amassed a total of 16 Major Championships.
Known for his diminutive stature, Woosnam is still a powerful golfer. From lifting hay bales on his dad’s farm, he was welcomed into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017.
His passion for the game and will to win were once again in evidence in The Ryder Cup. As a player, he appeared in eight consecutive Ryder Cup teams, finishing with a winning record. In 2006, at The K Club in Ireland, he captained the Europeans to a record-equalling 18½ to 9½ victory over the United States.
Still very much playing, Woosnam has won on the PGA Tour Champions and the European Senior Tour (now Legends Tour) and talks about how he “will always be a contender”.
| Ryder Cup Captain | 2006 |
| Ryder Cups | 8 |
| Majors | 1 |
| European Tour Wins | 29 |
| European Tour Order of Merit Winner | 2 |
| European Senior Tour Wins | 5 |
| Champions Tour Wins | 1 |
| European Senior Tour Order of Merit Winner | 1 |
| Weeks World Number 1 | 50 |
