Riley won’t forget day he was on the radar at Carnoustie
● Aussie beat Monty, Faldo and a teenager called Tiger for ‘special’ Scottish Open win
He may be better known these days as Sky Golf’s effervescent and colourful on-course commentator but Wayne Riley put himself on the “Radar” by recording a stunning Scottish Open success.
In the first of two back-toback stagings at Carnoustie after the end of the event’s lengthy run had ended at Gleneagles, the Australian claimed the coveted title by holding off both Colin Montgomerie and Nick Faldo to claim victory in 1995.
After opening with rounds of 66 and 69, Riley was tied for the lead with Montgomerie before storming five shots clear of Faldo heading into the final round with a second successive 69. Faldo applied some pressure on the last day as he closed with a 69 but Riley wasn’t going to be denied, signing off with a 72 for a 12-under-par total to win by two shots.
“I had six wins in my career, which is not a lot, but more than most,” recalled the 55-year-old from Sydney. “I look at two of those tournaments as being special – the Australian Open, which I won at Royal Melbourne in 1991, and the Scottish Open at Carnoustie.
“I am very proud of those titles but not as proud as where I won them. You can win tournaments at iffy venues and I think it sticks with you more when you win at iconic venues.
“Does it feel like more than 20 years ago? No. I was 83 kilos then and I am 85 kilos now. Twenty-three years is a long time, but it doesn’t feel like that at all.
“I still remember the last round in particular and some of the shots I hit. I sometimes think that if I had taken that game to St Andrews the next week for the Open I would have been champion as I don’t think anyone was going to beat me playing like that.
“That was the best I’ve ever played. I went head-to-head with Monty on the Friday as it was a Saturday finish back then. I put him away to sit five shots in front of Faldo. When he upped it in the final round, I was able to up it. I was at the top of my game. That is the best I have ever played.”
Riley, whose only other European Tour triumph came in the Portuguese Open the following year, was the fourth Australian to be crowned as Scottish Open champion after Graham Marsh (1973), Craig Parry (1991) and Peter O’malley (1992).
“We had a good run in the event,” added the man known widely in the game as “Radar”.
“That’s because the golf courses we were playing then were hard and fiery like the ones in the Sandbelt back home. That’s why we were so dominant at one time in the Scottish Open.
“For me, winning the Scottish Open was about as good as it gets without winning a major and I walk around Carnoustie these days when I’m working at the Dunhill Links Championship thinking about that win.
“It’s not set up nearly as severe and punishing as it was back then, but I remember where I hit it.
“I still walk around there with fond memories and it’s nice that locals still come up and say, ‘We were there when you won’. That’s a very nice thing.”
Also in that field back in 1995 was a certain Tiger Woods, who was still an amateur as he got his first taste of links golf before making his Open Championship debut at St Andrews the following week at the age of 19.
“I remember meeting Tiger, who was a young boy at the time, in the players’ lounge,” recalled Riley. “He had no logos on as he was still an amateur at the time and all he had was ‘USA’ on his hat.
“Everyone was talking to him and I remember one of the caddies called ‘The Judge’ saying to me, ‘There’s a young American kid here this week called Tiger Woods and he is the chosen one’. I have never forgotten that and the Judge was a good judge, for sure.”
After its short stint at Carnoustie, the Scottish Open was resurrected in 2001 at Loch Lomond, where it was held for ten years before starting on a links cycle that has seen it visit Castle Stuart, Royal Aberdeen, Gullane and Dundonald Links in recent years.
“I think the world deserves to see events being played on links courses. And that’s what you are famous for in Scotland. With all due respect, you are not famous for Haggs Castle,” said Riley.
“I look at Scotland and think you are famous for Rangers, Celtic and links golf. Kilts and maybe shortbread, too!
“You’ve got great little towns like Gullane. You’ve got great funky courses. You are famous for links and that’s what people want to see.”
‘Scotland is famous for Rangers, Celtic and links golf. Kilts and shortbread too’