The Association of Golf Writers celebrated our 85th anniversary with the staging of the annual dinner on the night of 18th July, 2023 within the Links Pavilion on-course at Royal Liverpool.
Some 220 guests, including around 60 AGW members were present for a wonderful and thanfully rain-free evening.
In a proud first, guests and members alike arrived to see the AGW logo featuring on the many TV screens about the Links Pavilion.
The evening commenced with the AGW presenting a special award in recognition of the work of Kate and Justin Rose in the establishment during the lockdown period of their highly successful Rose Ladies Series.
Kate and Justin were present to accept the award from AGW Chairman Martin Dempster, and with former Chairman and splendid annual dinner MC Iain Carter hosting one of his now famed annual dinner interviews with the Roses.
Guests and members were then served a dinner featuring a main course of rump of Welsh lamb ahead of the annual presentation of the AGW three annual awards.
The members had voted at the end of 2022 to honour Rory McIlroy with the ‘AGW 2022 Golfer of the Year’ award. It marked a fourth occasion since 2012 the four-time major winner has been honoured with the AGWs leading award. Unfortunately, McIlroy could not be in attendance however, and with thanks for Rory’s manager, a video clip was shown with McIlroy thanking the AGW members in again honouring him with the award
The AGW committee, as is customary, voted on the remaining two awards with Tiger Woods honoured with the AGW Michael Williams Services to Golf award. It is the first time Woods has been honoured by the AGW, and also given the Golfer of the Year and Arnold Palmer ‘Open’ award can only be awarded to Europe-born golfers and/or teams.
While Tiger could not be present, Iain spoke with Roddy Willliams who has been present each year to present the award in honour of his father, and with Iain Carter taking the opportunity of speaking with Roddy. Roddy spoke fondly of his father and including the great family sadness when Michael passed away while playing golf, shortly after returning from the 1997 Masters where he reported on Woods maiden Masters triumph.
Woods captured a then 11th major with his victor at the 2006 Open at Royal Liverpool and amid the highly-emotional scenes some six weeks after his father had passed away.
Thanks so much to Mark Steinberg, and Woods’ long-time manager, guests sat back to watch a truly wonderful six mintue video ‘thank you’ from Woods in being honoured with the AGWs ‘Services to Golf‘ award wherein Woods spoke not only of his relationship with the written media but also of his Royal Liverpool triumph being the most special of his three Open Championship wins.
Victorious 2018 Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn was also honoured with the Arnold Palmer ‘Open’ award, a relatively new AGW award recognizing those players that enjoy a good working relationship with the media.
Iain Carter, and in interviewing Thomas on his award, asked the champion Dane what he felt his relationship with the media has been like over the years. It was a question that brought much laughter given a much younger competing Thomas Bjorn was not always the easiest to approach.
Thomas saying: “Yes, well, first of all this is a great honour and thank very much to everyone. I am still waiting for Alastair Johnston to run-up here and throw orange paint all over me (smiling). Seriously though, to be sharing a trophy with Arnold Palmer’s name on it is a great honour to me stand here.
(Photograph with thanks David Cannon/Getty Images)
“Yes, I’ve had some tough times over the years but I still consider the media if not friends, certianly very good colleagues. It’s been fun and while the more you play, the more you learn about the game, and in dealing with the media you learn to understand the role they play.
“The media do play a great roll in our game and for me to stand here, to look at the names on the list and on all your awards is pretty good. They are the names of anyone who has been something in the game, and I am very proud of being in this situation. I really want to thank everybody amongst the golf writers.
“I have learnt so much about myself through you guys of the way you handle us, and the way you work with us, and the way you write about us whether is good or bad. So, there is so much that can come from a good relationship with the media in this game. So, it is a very proud moment for me and I only wish my children could be with me tonight to share this because sometimes I think they have forgotten that I could play this game (laughter).
“You recieve honours in your life that you think are never going to happen to you and when they come your way they are so special,” said Thomas. “Looking back at the 2018 Ryder Cup as I put a lot of hard work into that captaincy and whether it made any difference I don’t know. I had 12 guys who showed up who were in great form and then played unbelievable golf.
Naturally, Iain asked Thomas of his experience in captaining the European Ryder Cup team to such a memorable 2018 victory in Versailles.
“Though all my stories from the Ryder Cup had nothing to do with the result. It has to do with sitting in hotel rooms, sitting in locker rooms and sitting in player’s lounges with these great golfers.
“Now I don’t pretend to tell Rory McIlroy how to play the game of golf as he will look at me with that look that I have won won four majors, so how many have you won? So, I will never pretend to know what goes on in his head but to learn from him as he was willing to learn from me, those are the moments I will treasurer the most from that whole experience. It was a wonderul week but for 20 months leading into that one week was so special for me.
“It was a time for our Tour, the DP World Tour, to give me the opportunity to do that is something I will cherish for the rest of my life while the friendships I made remain a very special bond between those players and myself. That’s something that no-one can takeaway from me”.
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