1989 Open Championship: Mark Calcavecchia

Sunday July 23, 1989: Wayne Grady, Greg Norman and Mark Calcavecchia stand on the first tee at Royal Troon, the centre of the golfing world. For four days they have scrapped and battled, thrilled and entertained, just to get to this point. Four days, 72 holes. But now for four more.

Each man has a tale to tell. One was just a phone call away from missing out on the biggest day of his sporting life. Another would tear up the course on the Sunday, almost defying his final day odds of 25/1 to left the Claret Jug. The third would lead for over two days before stumbling at two par threes, setting up a piece of Open history.

1986 Open Championship: Guy McQuitty

Guy McQuitty may have an unwanted place in the Open Championship record books, but he deserves a great amount of credit for his determination and persistence.

“Never give in. Never give in.” Guy McQuitty had obviously taken the words of Sir Winston Churchill to heart. Because the 23-year-old assistant professional could have been excused if he had turned on his heels and dashed away from his turmoil at Turnberry in the summer of 1986. But McQuitty was not for quitting.

1986 US Open: Ray Floyd

It was becoming abundantly clear in 1986 that if you wanted to win a golf major then experience helped. In April, Jack Nicklaus had rolled back the years to claim his sixth US Masters, the 46-year-old adding an 18th major to his mightily impressive CV. Two months later, it would be the turn of another man over 40 to win his final major.

Dad and Masters Sunday

As a golf fan, there are not many occasions that compare to Masters Sunday. There are a number of aspects that make it what it is: the beautiful Augusta National course; the first major of the season; a signal of winter turning to spring in Britain; and the fact that when I was a child, that I could stay up and watch the drama unfold with my dad.

1987: Players Championship

Jeff Sluman looked set to win the 1987 Players Championship in a play-off against Sandy Lyle, before a drunk spectator plunged into the sporting hall of shame.

It should have been a moment in the spotlight for Jeff Sluman. After seven years as a professional, the 29-year-old stood over a putt on the notorious 17th hole at Sawgrass to claim not just his first tournament on the PGA Tour, but the prestigious Players Championship, an event that despite being relatively new, had such a strong field that some had already dubbed it as the fifth major.

1987 US Masters: Larry Mize

Thirty years ago Larry Mize shocked the golfing world by winning the US Masters. There may have been an element of luck involved in his winning shot, but does he get enough credit for his success?

It seems that Larry Hogan Mize cannot win. Before the 1987 US Masters, the Augusta-born 28-year-old was known for the odd collapse or two, harshly called Larry D. Mize (demise, get it?) after a final round 76 at the 1986 Players' Championship saw him lose the title by one shot. But even after his finest hour, claiming the 1987 US Masters in a play-off against Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros, there were doubting voices. Trawl the web for articles on the worst or luckiest player to have won a major, and the name Larry Mize is constantly mentioned.

1980s Open Championships

This week I am taking a look back on the Open Championships of the 1980s. A decade that was initially dominated by Tom Watson, saw Britain enjoy success, involved the joy of Seve, and witnessed record attendances, and high and low scores. Plus a few dodgy number ones....

1989 US Masters: Nick Faldo

Nick Faldo shot a final round 65, helping him to win his first green jacket, but his victory owed a lot to Scott Hoch and his infamous missed putt on the first play-off hole. 

1986 US PGA: Bob Tway

The passing years since 1986 have probably not been too kind to Bob Tway. Think of him now and it is hard not to view him as a one-off winner of a major title, one of the merry band of brothers that includes the likes of Larry Mize, Scott Simpson, Paul Lawrie, Ian Baker-Finch, Jeff Sluman and Michael Campbell. Say the name Bob Tway, and golf fans will probably recall that bunker shot, and mention his name in the same category as Mize, a man who got lucky and eroded another piece of Greg Norman's spirit.

1989 Open Championship: As it happened

This week I am attempting to pay a tribute to the excellent Guardian Open Championship live blogs that run every year. I've turned back time and revisited the first ever four-hole play-off at the Open Championship in 1989, and had a stab at writing a "as it happened" piece.

Please note: the times below are a rough approximation of the actual timetable of events, so please don't be too harsh on me if I am a couple of minutes out here or there.