![]() ![]() I remember giving him a wrong yardage on the last hole at St Mellion when he won the 1994 Benson & Hedges. So to go five years shows how well we got on. If you lasted five minutes with him you were doing well. If I was getting a b*llocking I’d fight back. But after the first month, the Yorkshire terrier in me showed up. Every time he walked onto a tee, the hairs stood up on the back of my neck. And you could feel the love from the crowd every day. At Hazeltine it was technique. It was a great experience. The shot at Crans was all about imagination. It was probably the most impressive shot I ever saw him hit. It cut all of those yards and finished in the middle of the green. But he pulled out a 3-iron, opened the face and aimed 70 yards left. Anyway, Seve was stymied behind this tree. Back in the day, there was a big oak on the corner. It’s a par 4 with water all up the right side, with the green out on a peninsula. ![]() Today’s players wouldn’t even see those shots, never mind have the talent to hit them. But every week I saw three or four shots where my jaw just dropped. But I had five fantastic years with him and learned so much. Everyone talks about that shot he hit in Switzerland. You must do your own yardages.” It was a proper riot act. You must know the player is always right – there must be no arguing. I still have it, framed on my office wall. “If you want to bring me out of retirement, you know where to find me.” Two weeks later a letter arrived ay my house. So, the next day I followed him up the 1st hole and when he came off the green I gave him a piece of paper with my name and address on it. Then I ignored him for the next 16 holes. But I went home that night and thought, “you stupid bleep”. ![]() I couldn’t believe it when he asked me. He told me I was too young to retire from caddieing and that he was looking for a new caddie. Here was a guy I grew up idolising asking me to work for him. I accepted the job but before I started Seve asked me to caddie for him. I’d been on tour for eight years so maybe it was time to take what I had learned and play better golf myself. I had been with Gordon Brand Jnr but was offered a job as the assistant pro at Ilkley. You saw maybe the greatest shot-maker of all-time up close. ![]()
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