COVENTRY Golf Club will honour legends of the sport with a historic 50th anniversary celebration at the club.
Coventry will unveil a special tribute on the club’s signature 12th hole, half a century after some of the sport’s greatest names graced the club’s fairways.
In May 1976, Coventry hosted the final of four prestigious annual tournaments sponsored by Piccadilly.
Former European Ryder Cup-winning captain Sam Torrance OBE won the 1976 Piccadilly Tournament at Coventry to claim his first European Tour victory.
And then teenagers Sir Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros also competed in the event.
Faldo won six major titles, made 11 Ryder Cup appearances and spent 97 weeks as the world number one.
Charismatic Spaniard Ballesteros claimed five major titles and appeared at eight Ryder Cup’s, captaining Europe to victory in 1997.
The full field also featured past winners Bob Shearer (Australia) and Maurice Bembridge (England) along with Leamington-based youngster Pip Elson.
South African Vincent Tshabalala, the first black man to win on the European Tour, also took part in the tournament.
Coventry Golf Club members will mark the 50th anniversary since the tournament with a celebration on Saturday, May 16.
A permanent display reading “Golfing in the Footsteps of Legends” will honour the players who competed that day.
Head PGA professional at Coventry Golf Club, Martin Sutliff said: “To think Torrance, Faldo and Ballesteros all walked this course 50 years ago is quite something and I am incredibly proud to be the professional at a club with that kind of heritage.
“It is quite right that we mark this anniversary with special events and I am really looking forward to welcoming visiting golfers from across the county and beyond to mark this celebration.”
