A dedicated follower of fashion? Well, not quite. When Sandy Lyle took to the tee at Augusta National last November sporting a pair of galluses to hold his troosers up, his bold sartorial statement just about dunted the green jacket itself out of the limelight.
Sandy is back this week for his 40th Masters and a record-breaking 37th consecutive outing at the opening men’s Major of the year. The braces are back too.
“I didn’t really wear it for fashion,” declared the 1988 Masters champion. “I wore it for a purpose. I’m fed up trying to keep my shirt in my trousers half the time because I have quite a long torso, and every shirt I have just seemed to come up over the top. So this way it stays in where it should stay in.”
With everything ship-shape and Bristol fashion on the clothing side of things, Lyle is hoping to be dressed for a little bit of success as he prepares to lock horns with this old adversary of Augusta National once again.
“Even though the course has sort of kicked my butt in the last four or five years, it’s never disappointing playing here,” said Lyle, who has not made the cut since 2014. “I’ve missed the cut by one shot a few times and it’s a bit aggravating. But I know it’s going to be tough the first two days, and I’ve got to try and save as much energy and as many shots as I can out there.”
Lyle, the first British player to win the green jacket, will now surpass Gary Player’s record of successive Augusta appearances. At a sprightly 63, there is plenty of life in the auld yin yet.
“It’s very good and I’ve managed to stay healthy at the right times in April,” he said of his longevity. “But I haven’t even been thinking about it, quite honestly. The Open Championship, I managed to play 43 years in that. Where the time has gone, I am not sure myself. If I feel that my health is good, then another three or four more years will definitely be plenty enough for me.”
He may be one of the elder statesmen this week but Lyle still keeps an eye on the youngsters.
“I’ve acquired a fairly new putter that Bryson DeChambeau uses, the SIC putter, and I’ve had it about four weeks and I like it a lot,” he said of a new-found confidence on the greens. “I like the way I roll the ball so I think that’s becoming my favourite club right now in the bag.”
Lyle has seen it, done it and got the green jacket. His fellow Scot, Robert MacIntyre, has it all to learn as he prepares for a Masters debut. Lyle has always been happy to pass on his vast knowledge. And it’s knowledge that was gleaned from the very best.
“I was never too nervous about asking Gary Player or Lee Trevino,” he reflected. “I used to meet them on quite a regular basis. Even Jack [Nicklaus] too. I’d just ask about the course.
“You need to hit all the shapes out here because those first opening holes you’re in uphill lies, you’re in downhill lies, you’re in side slopes. Everything is there. You’ve got to control your emotions and your ball.
“I don’t think there’s one particular shot you have to hit. And the course is so much longer than it was when I first started, it’s maybe 400 yards plus longer than in the early 1980s. Knowledge plays a big part.”
On the cusp of his 40th Masters, Lyle will never stop learning. That is the wonder of this great game.
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