Perhaps Tony Jacklin’s most notable on-course victory came stateside. Jacklin’s seven-stroke barnstorming in the 1970 U.S. Open was the lone outlier in an 84-year stretch between 1926 and 2009 whereby Europeans did not win the national championship. His win — as the lone Brit to finish within 15 strokes of the lead at a windswept Hazeltine — cemented a U.S. Open legacy that remains intact today.
Indeed, Jacklin’s favorite course is Pebble Beach, the very same track where Graeme McDowell became the next European to claim a U.S. Open in 2010. But in truth, Jacklin’s preferences reflect a love affair with the game that dates back to his childhood country of origin. St. Andrews, Muirfield, Turnberry — they might not be first on his list, but these European treasures reflect the bulk of Jacklin’s top 10 and his design influence.
The septuagenarian is done with his competitive playing days (concessions be damned). But in the time since, he’s begun a career as a bonafide course architect, merging the inspiration from his North American triumphs with his favorites from across the Atlantic (and beyond). The result is a unique palette of design brilliance, and in Jacklin’s case, a list of top 10 courses in the world worth debating.
Tony Jacklin’s top 10 courses in the world
1. Pebble Beach — Pebble Beach, Calif., https://www.pebblebeach.com/
2. St. Andrews — St Andrews, Scotland, https://www.standrews.com/
3. Muirfield — East Lothian, Scotland, https://www.muirfield.org.uk/
4. Royal Lytham & St. Annes — Lytham St. Annes, England, https://www.royallytham.org/
5. Turnberry — Ayrshire, Scotland, https://www.turnberry.co.uk/
6. Royal Birkdale — Southport, England, https://royalbirkdale.com/
7. Sunningdale (Old Course) — Sunningdale, England, https://www.sunningdale-golfclub.co.uk/courses/old-course/
8. Royal Melbourne — Melbourne, Australia, https://www.royalmelbourne.com.au/cms/
9. Cypress Point — Pebble Beach, Calif.
10. Woodhall Spa — Woodhall Spa, England, https://www.woodhallspagolf.com/
