It was there on the leaderboard: Pyman and Palmer -1

09/04/2024

Thirty years ago Iain Pyman played out every golfer's dream when he teed it up in the Masters and, even better, he would play the opening round with four-time winner and The King, Arnold Palmer.

Just seven years after taking up the game the Yorkshireman, who had finished as the leading amateur at the '93 Open, would sign off his amateur career in the best possible style with a trip down Magnolia Lane.

He still holds the record for the most wins (8) on the Challenge Tour and these days – as a PGA Professional - Pyman lives and teaches at PGA National Cyprus, Aphrodite Hills. Here he looks back on an unforgettable week at the '94 Masters.

What do you remember about winning the Amateur Championship in 1993?
I was on the 36th hole in the final against Paul Page at Royal Portrush and I was eight under. The last was a par 5 then and I had hit the green in two to about 30 feet – and it was the first time ever I thought that if I two putt this I am playing in the Open and the Masters and I was only 20 at the time. And I three putted it. I was thinking 'why did that just come into my head?' but I managed to keep calm. I was longer than Paul so I hit a 3-wood off the tee in the play-off, knowing that I wanted to hit in first and I managed to hit it really close. I remember my dad running on to the green going ‘We’re going to Augusta!'

Who caddied for you?
My dad caddied for me in the Open at Royal St George's in '93 and then Augusta. We played with Gary Player in the Open, and after 36 holes I was doing really well, and he said 'Is your dad going to caddy for you at Augusta?' My dad replied that he'd love to but that it was difficult financially. And he said 'I’ve not asked that. I said do you want to go and caddy for your son in Augusta? My dad said that he would struggle and Gary replied 'I’ll ask you one more time, do you want to go and caddy for your son in Augusta?' So he said yes and Gary paid for both my parents' flights and accommodation. It was incredibly generous. He introduced us to his manager there and then and he told us to sort all the details and he would pay for it. My dad had a handicap of three and back then the caddies then hit shots in to the 12th and 16th – he hit the green both times and I walked off with a four each time.

Did you play Augusta ahead of the Masters?
Two weeks before we actually went and stayed at the Golf Club of Georgia in Atlanta. I was the first winner of the Amateur Championship to be given honorary life membership and they invited me to go there before Augusta. So we rang Augusta and asked if we could come for a practice round beforehand? I was with my dad and my coach, now-PGA Master Professional Pete Cowen, and they said no problem at all. My dad said that he would see it at the Masters so Pete and I went down on our own. We got there and they asked where Mr Pyman Sr was as they had got him a caddy and some clubs so my dad could have played!

What were your initial thoughts about the course?
Everyone says the same but I couldn’t believe how hilly the course was, unbelievable. Even with all the new TV cameras it still doesn’t do it justice. It is hard walking, even if you are fit, and there are so many funny lies. And it was immaculate and back then it was all fairway just trimmed to the trees. It really was like a carpet.

The greens were running at 14 and there were no greens at home that you could play that were anywhere like that. We had a practice round with Nick Faldo and Fanny Sunesson, Nick was obviously keeping himself to himself but Fanny was really fantastic in helping me and my dad. She told us how they would somehow get the greens quicker for Thursday and she was right. She was fantastic about helping us, she told us where the pins would be and where to hit it.

How were you playing at the time?
On the Monday I played with Ian Woosnam and Peter Baker and I was playing unbelievably. I had spent the winter in Australia, then I went to Valderrama for a week just before and obviously the greens there were super fast as well. I shot 30 on the back nine and then literally half an hour after I had finished playing I was sitting down for a cup of tea with my parents and I had a massive problem with my wisdom teeth. On the Tuesday morning I was having root canal surgery and that was really the end of my tournament. I was coughing up blood on the way round and I had gum disease as well. They gave me painkillers that I could sleep with but I couldn’t play golf because they were too strong. So I took these other painkillers that I was able to play golf with but they still made me feel a bit groggy and I was bit all over the place.

Off the 17th tee I hit one right out the neck and I caught the top of the Eisenhower tree. Arnold put his arm around me and said 'Iain, back in 1960 something, I hit that tree as well...but I went on to win!'

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You were paired with Arnold Palmer in the first round which is the dream draw at Augusta?
We were off early on the Thursday and there were tens of thousands just watching him. We parred the first hole and we both birdied the second and it was up there on the leaderboard – Pyman and Palmer -1. The crowd and the noise was something I would never forget.

Everyone had heard about what had gone on with my teeth and he told me that his dentist was actually following us round and that he would take a look after the round. So I had Arnold Palmer arranging some dental help for me. By the end I was in so much pain that I just wanted the round to finish. Off the 17th tee I hit one right out the neck and I caught the top of the Eisenhower tree. I was thinking that in all the years that I had watched the Masters I had never seen anyone hit this tree so my head’s down and I’m walking off in a slump. Arnold put his arm around me and said 'Iain, back in 1960 something, I hit that tree as well...but I went on to win!' And we just finished the round laughing. When I got married my best man arranged a hand-written letter from him wishing me good luck and that he hoped that the teeth were better! What a gentleman he was.

The course measured 6,925 yards in 1994, how did that equate to the equipment that you were using then?
I remember playing the par-5 13th and I was classed as average to long back then. I didn’t quite turn over the tee shot in the practice round I still had to hit a 20-yard hook to get it round the corner. I could reach the par 5s, obviously it was difficult because I wasn’t very well but I remember on the 15th when I played with Woosnam and Baker, I was hitting a 3-iron in. The 8th was a driver and 3-wood that you had to shape round and the 2nd was also a wood.

I was helped out by Maxfli at the time but I wasn't allowed to use the tour bag as I was an amateur even though I didn't have my name on it. So they actually supplied me with an Augusta golf bag which obviously I have still got. When I used to work at Waterfront Golf near Sheffield, during the week of the Masters I took the bag with my old clubs in to show the juniors. They looked at the Persimmon woods and asked what they were – the kids thought it was amazing.

Which hole was your favourite?
I loved the 11th. I was hitting an 8-iron in and you would just look down there and it was so inviting. You have got the 12th in the distance and the 13th tee and it is just beautiful. As an amateur I suppose you don’t really fear the water, I just remember going to the middle of the green. Now they are hitting long irons and rescue clubs in and they are bailing out to the right.

How much does the Masters play with your emotions?
I wasn’t too emotional during the week. When I went with Pete beforehand there was more time to take photographs and to take it all in. You still can’t believe that you're there after only picking up a club at 14. Driving down Magnolia Lane is something else, it is just off the highway and then the clubhouse is right in front of you. I've never been back. I turned Pro afterwards and, at 21, you think that you'll be back there playing as a professional but that never happened.