Old Tom Morris

Old Tom Morris (1821–1908), born Thomas Mitchell Morris in St Andrews, was "The Grand Old Man of Golf." He won The Open four times and remains its oldest winner (aged 46). Morris designed or remodelled roughly 75 courses across the British Isles, including Prestwick, the Old Course at St Andrews, Muirfield, Royal Portrush, and Carnoustie. He worked with Allan Robertson and favoured natural, links-style routing. As Keeper of the Greens at St Andrews (1864–1903), he revolutionised greenkeeping with sand top-dressing and early mowing. GolfPass has called him potentially the greatest golf course architect who ever lived. He died in St Andrews, where a bronze statue was unveiled in his honour in 2024.