Storm recalls battle with Woods as he led major championship

There are not many players who can boast about beating Rory McIlroy in a play-off and leading a major championship, but Graeme Storm is a proud member of that club.

The victory over McIlroy came on the third extra hole in the 2017 South African Open in Johannesburg, 83 days after Storm had lost his European Tour card.

It was his second victory on the circuit, his first coming in the 2007 French Open and he ultimately secured his US PGA Championship debut at Southern Hills six weeks later.

As temperatures soared in Tulsa, Storm started his opening round on the back nine with consecutive birdies and picked up further shots on the 13th and 16th to reach the turn four under.

The former Amateur Championship winner could only find one birdie on the front nine, but a bogey-free 65 gave him a two-shot lead over John Daly, with defending champion Tiger Woods carding a 71.

“It was 102 degrees and about 80% humidity and it was like being in Malaysia, but hotter,” Storm said.

“I think I played eight weeks in a row so I was kind of struggling.

“I played pretty well that day but that’s when it all hit home because I had to do all the press.

“It was quite surreal and I can understand why the best players in the world have their agents there to say, ‘Enough’s enough’ – it was just a little bit too much so I didn’t get any rest really, any time to chill out.

“I didn’t get much sleep that night and I was worried about missing my alarm call, which normally I don’t think about but when you are leading a major it’s obviously different.”

The alarm was essential as Storm was in the first group out on Friday morning and, after bogeys on the second and third, he responded with birdies on the next two holes to restore his lead.

However, a bogey at the seventh was followed by a double bogey on the next and Storm eventually signed for a 76 to fall seven shots behind Woods, who shot 63 and lipped out for a birdie on the last to card the lowest round in major history.

Further rounds of 74 and 78 meant Storm finished the week in a tie for 62nd, and also with just 13 clubs in his bag for the trip home.

“As a week overall it was a great week, you get so well looked after and I did enjoy it,” Storm added. “I remember walking off the 18th on Sunday and giving my putter to some little boy because I’d putted poorly over the weekend and just went ‘There you go son, you have that, it’s no good for me.’

“Someone’s got a nice Yes! putter stashed away somewhere.”

Graeme Storm at the English Championship in 2020.