Maurice Flitcroft, played by Mark Rylance in The Phantom of The Open, drew a band of supporters. No, we couldnt because of the pandemic. Flitcroft recalled, "I was looking to find fame and fortune but only achieved one of the two". In the circumstances, this fathers opening shot was a lot better than anticipated high and right but on the fairway. We didn't know much about him but all the senior members hated him and they hated us too or so it like like so he was one of us. How did he get in, given that hed never played a round of golf and the extent of his experience with the game had been whacking balls on the beach? Henrik Stenson was emerging from a previous showing when I arrived at the theatre. Maurice is mesmerized watching an unfamiliar sport. Despite the inherent silliness, the actors play it straight. Maurice's efforts to learn golf are knockdown funny. Regardless of where those shots and the rest had ended up, Flitcrofts heart was in the right place. I hope he enjoyed it as much as we did. Subscribe. But golf was a passion for Maurice and it was James and his twin brother Genes interest in the sport which first sparked it. Indeed, his is not a story that ended with that ignominious Open defeat. Therell be less pressure that way, he said. Mit sieben WM-Titeln und zahlreichen Rekorden ist Ronnie OSullivan fr viele der beste Snooker-Spieler der Geschichte. What is more, a belly full of media interviews had hardly made him feel any better. He slashes and swipes at the ball but hey, hes just trying to advance it from point A to point B. Why should golf fans go and see the film? For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, The 'Phantom of the Open' Maurice Flitcroft, with his wife Jean, was teeing off at the Open despite never having played a round of golf, Actor Mark Rylance playing hopeless golfer Maurice in The Phantom Of The Open, Maurice pictured strolling along behind Seve Ballesteros at the Open, Actor Mark Rylance lines up as shot as Maurice, The imposter's son James, 59, tells The Sun that Maurice was not one to throw in the towel, Maurice eyes up the famous trophy - but this was as close as he got to getting his hands on it, Maurice never made it onto the leaderboard, The famous trophy is missing the name Maurice Flitcroft, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The Phantom of the Open is in cinemas now. Undeterred, he regularly attempted to enter the Open and several other golf competitions, either under his own name or under pseudonyms, such as Gene Paycheki[3] (as in pay cheque), Gerrard Hoppy, and James Beau Jolley. He tried to play a hand other than what was dealt to him. It wasn't all glass, just the front so the spectators could see what was going on under the water. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. After he and his wife Jean decided to put him down as a "professional" on the tournament application, through and administrative error, his dream came true and he played in one of the world's greatest golf championships. We first meet Maurice Flitcroft (Rylance) sitting for a television interview. Sony Pictures Classics new movie The Phantom of the Open hit theaters in June and tells the true story of Maurice Flitcroft, a laid-off crane driver who at the age of 46 chanced his way into the British Open in 1976 having never played a round of golf in his life. For heavens sake, she told them, Hes got to start somewhere.. Maurice Flitcroft was the fearless rookie who tricked the R&A in 1976 and became a cult hero for decades to come. This is the remarkable story of 'The Phantom of The Open' Maurice Flitcroft had some range. No handicap required on the entry form. [6], In a July 2006 article in Golfonline, Flitcroft said, "I was in show business. The powers that be. But none of that was going to deter determined Maurice, who had the support of his family and many in the community. Its imaginative delivery and superb acting are an absolute joy to behold. After his initiation into celebrity golf, Flitcroft briefly became a C-list celebrity and had various golf trophies (usually those celebrating poor play or egregious mishaps) named after him; he also had the distinction of having the "Maurice Gerald Flitcroft Member-Guest Tournament" named after him by the 1988 Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. Farnaby knew what to expect from Hawkins. Though he had still to play on a course, he wrote to Peter Alliss to request an entry form and, with no reply forthcoming, he tried the R&A who dispatched one by the next post. He was one of the first house-husbands.. Flitcroft kept trying to pull off his hoax in qualifying rounds in later years. A crane operator in the local shipyard in Barrow-on-Furness, where he lived, he decided to take up golf as an avocation after coming across the 1975 Open on television. [1] Other more ludicrous names used were Arnold Palmtree and Count Manfred von Hoffmanstel, together with physical disguises such as wearing a false moustache and dark glasses. He says: It was filling up with cars. If we wanted cricket we had pads, balls, wickets. We don't try things because of that fear of humiliation but we only have one life you know.". Flitcroft planned to use his wedge; Gene said that he should take his putter. You must have JavaScript enabled to fill out this form. The film is called The Phantom of the Open. It will open in Canada and the U.S. in June. I never actually played a full 18-hole round. Glory days. The Phantom of the Open aims to emulate this triumph. He had a dream and he was inspired by it. Buddy Whitten, Blythefield's head pro stated that, "It started as a lark, but most people can't break 90 so they relate more to Maurice than they would to a touring pro." Flitcroft wasnt even a member of a golf club. Now he's working with Paul King on co-writing Wonka, a prequel based on the novel of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Mark Rylance (centre), plays Maurice Flitcroft in The Phantom of The Open, which was written by Simon Farnaby (left), and directed by Craig Roberts (right). In the 1976 British Open, Maurice Flitcroft, a crane operator turned aspiring golfer, shot the worst qualifying round in the tournament's history. It was the same with golf clubs. His wife Jean noticed this and so informed him. What about the player who missed out because Flitcroft took his spot? The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. He was dubbed the worlds worst golfer and made headlines around the world. He's on American television sometime in the 80s, where his notoriously inept golfing has become a cult human interest item. Maurice Flitcroft. However, there was a serious side to Flitcrofts con trick: serious players missed out on playing in Open Qualifying as a result. Flitcroft was outed. You can SEE the entire SportsJam interview with Simon Farnaby here. James adds: One weekend he went away and we didnt think anything of it. I love the character (Willy Wonka), love the sort of magic, the chocolate, I mean just great. Primary Navigation - Desktop (Horizontal). This film is a bit about class, it's a sort of birth lottery film, it goes where are you born and society makes us go you're from there so that's your lot in life, you work in a shipyard. Undeterred, Flitcroft filed a bogus entry form for the 1978 championship under the name of Gene Pacecki, reportedly an American professional. If you were given the opportunity to qualify for The Open tomorrow, would you feel confident of beating Maurices score? The bystanders, who had hoped for something a bit special, returned to the clubhouse. Maurice Flitcroft, who died in 2007, came from the England port town of Barrow-in-Furness, decided he would try to take a shot at the British open after watching the sport on television. They congratulated him on his one par but, at the close of the day, they made plain that their own golf had suffered. He did try again in 1991, but a sharp-eyed employee recognized his signature. He has written and appeared in films such as Mindhorn and Paddington 2, and in the BBC sitcom Detectorists. I sort of fell in love with golf. He humorously recalls growing up during World War II when dreams of fancy were put on hold. The R&A did not screen applications from pros, Lorna said. As for the player who missed out at Formby in 1976 because Flitcroft stole his place, he probably has Walter Mitty-like dreams about beating Miller and Ballesteros over the closing holes in the greatest championship ever played. Flitcroft, who had never attempted a round of golf in his life, received widespread attention after shooting a score of 121 in the qualifying competition for the 1976 Open Championship the worst score recorded at the Open Championship by a self-professed "professional golfer". Most of the management played golf. It was a pity they missed the par-four second. His first encounter with the sport came via television as he watched Tom Watson win the 1975 Open Championship. Maurice Flitcroft, who died in 2007, came from the England port town of Barrow-in-Furness, decided he would try to take a shot at the British open after watching Maurice had turned up to watch and got close enough to Seve to be photographed with him. Farnaby says Flitcroft's journey is amazing considering where he came from. He certainly admitted he could have done better, but he was always very adamant he wasnt the worlds worst golfer. The fact he wasnt put down by that and realised he could apply from abroad as a foreigner and wear a disguise, I just loved that. Perhaps Flitcrofts legacy other than this movie is he forced the R&A to institute stricter checks on entry forms, with names flagged up if there is anything suspicious. in a recent interview on the PGA website. Though this, I promise, is not a blow-by-blow account of our 18 holes, the fourth hole has to be worth a mention. I heard he was writing a book and managed to track him down. Bauer Media Group consists of: Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, Company number: 01176085; Bauer Radio Ltd, Company He was the most besotted golfer I ever met. He drives then R&A secretary Keith Mackenzie batty, once its become clear that Flitcroft has put one over very much over his Royal and Ancients commanding presence. We had the great pleasure of playing a links course in Folkestone, so along the coast. I managed to whittle him down to lunch and 18 holes, only for him to move the goalposts on the day. Rylance and Hawkins are magnificent. Done well, as in the late Roger Michell's art heist comedy The Duke, it can be a winning formula. That was more than enough embarrassment for the R&A, which circulated Flitcrofts photo to all qualifying sites. In its obituary of Flitcroft, The Daily Telegraph commented: Maurice Flitcroft was a chain-smoking shipyard crane-operator from Barrow-in-Furness whose persistent attempts to gatecrash the British Open golf championship produced a sense of humour failure among members of the golfing establishment. Mark Rylance plays Maurice Flitcroft in The Phantom of The Open. James says: He was fined for playing on the grammar school field, about a 100 yards away from where we lived.. He was all over the newspapers and magazines. Flitcroft said when he spoke at the dinner, When my sister-in-law heard we were trave;ling to Grand Rapids, she said, Its the first time I remember Maurice and Jean being out of the house together since their gas oven exploded.. Maurice Flitcroft genuinely believed he could win the Claret Jug. Local golfing bigwigs were also none too pleased about Maurice having shown up the sport, and promptly blackballed him. Maurice Flitcroft, who holds the record for the highest score ever recorded in the Open Championship - 121 in 1976 - goes to the States, where a tournament's been named after him at Blythefield CC, Grand Rapids, Michegan.Maurice's amazing rags-to-rags story is told in The Phantom of the Open, published by Yellow Jersey Press (http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Phantom-Open-Maurice-Flitcroft/dp/0224083163).\"Great book. He entered as Gerald Hoppy and made it into a qualifying round in 1984, dressed up as a suave Swiss and sporting a moustache. The next problem had to do with the venue. After posing as a professional player to enter an elite qualifying competition for the British Open of 1976, Maurice lined up his first drive and took a clumsy swing at his ball sending it a miserable 40 yards. Six Canadians are in the field at the Arnold Palmer Invitational while David Hearn pegs in Puerto Rico. Even though Maurice talked golf all the time, he never had complaints from wife Jean, played by Paddington actress Sally Hawkins in the movie. Our hero gave the Open a miss in 1977 but, by using a pseudonym, he tried again in 1978 and 79. Half an hour later and the starter was calling On the tee, Maurice Flitcroft. And that was when his knees began to quake. He said he would be invoicing my newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, for lost balls. View our online Press Pack. Flitcroft was married to Jean (died 2002) by whom he had two sons, one of whom caddied for him. While the brothers took a fair amount of ribbing, it was far worse for Maurice who was given his marching orders from work. The Phantom Of The Open (12A) is in cinemas from Friday. Mighty proud he was of them, too. An avid film buff, he feels lucky to have interviewed and written extensively about Hollywood's greatest talents. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! Son James says: My mum dyed his moustache and hair. We have kept that throughout life. Mark Rylance, a highly regarded British stage and film actor who had a significant role in the Netflix film Dont Look Up, and who seemingly can take on any role, plays Flitcroft. M aurice Flitcroft, who first hit the headlines in 1976 when he had an opening 121 in Open Qualifying at Formby, died in 2007. Ive made a lot of progress in the last few months and Im sorry I did not do any better.. The Maurice Flitcroft Spring Member-Guest was not the Honda Classic, but it was a lot of fun. (Supplied: Universal/Nick Wall) We first meet the aging Maurice Flitcroft played by Oscar-winning oddball Mark Rylance ( Bridge of Spies) in one of those Weve long been fans of Maurice Flitcrofts extraordinary story here at Todays Golfer. Michael Catling is the Features Editor ofTodays Golfer. The film tells the true story of Maurice Flitcroft, a dreamer and unrelenting optimist, who managed to enter the 1976 British Open Golf Not only was the 46-year-old dressed in a floppy jungle hat and a pair of tatty plastic shoes, he got down on all fours to place his tee. [1][2] Subsequently, he gained significant media coverage, being referred to as "the world's worst golfer". Things were going a bit sideways for him, and he needed an adventure. I asked him if he still harboured dreams of playing in The Open. Some faults had crept into my swing. And Craig knows her from a film he wrote and directed called "Eternal Beauty" so thankfully Sally liked the script.". It's what the current parlance might call shudder 'nicecore'. With Flitcroft seemingly unaware how many shots and penalty shots he had amassed, I made the silent assumption that I was two up. Academy and Tony Award-winning actor Sir Mark Rylance portrays Flitcroft in The Phantom of the Open. Are you kidding? So Maurice was assigned to a qualifying course. WebFlitcroft had golfing ambitions well above his ability and came to notoriety in 1976 when, posing as a professional golfer, he managed to obtain a place to play in the qualifying To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. He recalls with a smile: I wasnt keen on the confrontation but Dad revelled in it.. Okay, maybe just a tad. I think it's because for most of us, humiliation is our worst nightmare. Maurice Flitcroft, who died in 2007, came from the England port town of Barrow-in-Furness, decided he would try to take a shot at the British open after watching the sport on television. In desperation, Royal And Ancient secretary Keith Mackenzie played by Notting Hill actor Rhys Ifans in the new film employed a handwriting expert in an attempt to flush out the fake applications. But he was a self-anointed professional, right? The amateur player is a clear threat to anyone within hitting distance, but he also represents a challenge to the elitism of the sport. I think that a lot of the humour arises because so many people take golf very seriously. British Airways sprung for tickets for the family. He quite liked the idea when he saw us cleaning them and practising with our mates. It's a bit different now. Were you surprised by how The R&A acted after finding out he was an imposter? We didnt grasp how immense it was until we got to school on the Monday morning.. A Swiss player supposedly by the name Gerald Hoppy managed nine holes at Pleasington in 1983. When Maurice Flitcroft (Mark Rylance) imagines the moon as a golf ball, hes looking for a new way to make a living. Your email address will not be published. It was the same again in 83 and 84, The 83 edition was the biggest disappointment of all in that he made it to the turn an achievement in itself, even if the score was no better than 63 before being dismissed. By the time he was halfway round the course, red-faced officials were urgently trying to persuade Maurice to retire gracefully. That was and remains the highest score ever. Mark Rylance stars as Maurice Flitcroft, 'The World's Worst Golfer', in The Phantom of The Open. As long as you try to do your best, it doesnt matter what other people say. WebMaurice Flitcroft was the 'Phantom of the Open' - an undaunted amateur who tricked his way into competing among golf's elite. The great day arrived, and the enormity of the occasion began to hit him when a car-park attendant ushered him into a space in the competitors carpark. Flitcroft kept trying to pull off his hoax in qualifying rounds in later years. He humorously recalls growing up during World War II when dreams of fancy were put on hold. Farnaby admits he would have liked to be the leading man in his early acting days but he realized people thought he was funny and so he chose to enter the comedy side of the entertainment world. Farnaby grew up around golf and first remembers hearing about Flitcroft when he was around 11 years old. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. He didn't know anything about golf. In 2017 comedian and writer Simon Farnaby, who co-wrote a biography of Flitcroft, stated that he was writing a film script based on the book. [6] The Phantom of the Open, directed by Craig Roberts, starring Mark Rylance and Sally Hawkins, opened at the London Film Festival in October 2021 before a wider release in March 2022. The golfer was the Englishman Maurice Flitcroft (somehow the perfect name for such a fellow) who became the star of qualifying rounds for the British Open, starting in 1976 at Formby Golf Club for the upcoming championship at Royal Liverpool. Hes got to start somewhere, hasnt he? she said. Undeterred, Maurice practised hitting balls along his local beach, in the park, on school grounds and sometimes by sneaking on to courses at night. His shots did not improve, as he blasted into bushes and skewed simple putts. Maurice Flitcroft, who holds the record for the highest score ever recorded in the Open Championship - 121 in 1976 - goes to the States, where a tournament's been In the Philippines, there are more mothers like her, 'Western law has finally caught up.' If this wasn't enough, another green had a 12-inch (300mm) cup. 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