maurice flitcroft interview

Flitcroft refused to be defined by harsh criticism, mockery, and the scorn of an elitist golf culture. A tournament was even established in his name in the United States, celebrating effort over ability. We were about 12. He got the brilliant idea to invite Mr. and Mrs. Flitcroft to the tournament the next year. [The Upcoming]Maurice Flitcroft: a dreamer, unrelenting optimist and against all the odds a total golfing legend! Its imaginative delivery and superb acting are an absolute joy to behold. That's the unlikely charade behind The Phantom of the Open, the latest in the seemingly never-ending stream of feel-good, based-on-a-true-story films cranked out by the British in recent years, in which an eccentric working-class underdog invariably becomes a folk hero by capturing the attention of a nation. I have no chance of qualifying, Flitcroft said. Heres a trailer for the film. Our dad bought us clubs. We filmed in the south at a few different courses. We didn't know much about him but all the senior members hated him and they hated us too or so it like like so he was one of us. In desperation, Royal And Ancient secretary Keith Mackenzie played by Notting Hill actor Rhys Ifans in the new film employed a handwriting expert in an attempt to flush out the fake applications. RELATED: Maurice Flitcrofts incredible story. But the familys income did not stretch to golf club membership. That was a wonderful weekend. I heard he was writing a book and managed to track him down. Flitcroft, along with his son, Gene, who was serving as his driver-cum-caddie, arrived on to the first tee with a minute to spare and, straightaway, Gene put an interested cluster of bystanders in the picture. Things were going a bit sideways for him, and he needed an adventure. It's a spirited account of fortitude, family, love, and of course, golf. Rylance and Hawkins are magnificent. WebA tribute to Maurice Flitcroft - a true golf refugee About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test Now, 15 years after his passing at the age of 67, Flitcrofts story is hitting the big screen in a film adaption of Simon Farnaby and Scott Murrays superb book, The Phantom of The Open. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, The 'Phantom of the Open' Maurice Flitcroft, with his wife Jean, was teeing off at the Open despite never having played a round of golf, Actor Mark Rylance playing hopeless golfer Maurice in The Phantom Of The Open, Maurice pictured strolling along behind Seve Ballesteros at the Open, Actor Mark Rylance lines up as shot as Maurice, The imposter's son James, 59, tells The Sun that Maurice was not one to throw in the towel, Maurice eyes up the famous trophy - but this was as close as he got to getting his hands on it, Maurice never made it onto the leaderboard, The famous trophy is missing the name Maurice Flitcroft, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The Phantom of the Open is in cinemas now. 20. Undeterred, Maurice practised hitting balls along his local beach, in the park, on school grounds and sometimes by sneaking on to courses at night. Farnaby wrote the script for the movie of the same name. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. That was an incredible experience. His first encounter with the sport came via television as he watched Tom Watson win the 1975 Open Championship. Farnaby knew what to expect from Hawkins. Are you kidding? Michael Catling is the Features Editor ofTodays Golfer. The fact he wasnt put down by that and realised he could apply from abroad as a foreigner and wear a disguise, I just loved that. Maurice gets invited to play in the British Open. He's a great sort of clown. The amateur player is a clear threat to anyone within hitting distance, but he also represents a challenge to the elitism of the sport. Local golfing bigwigs were also none too pleased about Maurice having shown up the sport, and promptly blackballed him. A limo picked them up. Mark Rylance, a highly regarded British stage and film actor who had a significant role in the Netflix film Dont Look Up, and who seemingly can take on any role, plays Flitcroft. Maurice Flitcroft, who holds the record for the highest score ever recorded in the Open Championship - 121 in 1976 - goes to the States, where a tournament's been I said, Dad, we have to take the tent down.. Will the movie identify those players who had to suffer Flitcrofts antics for those excruciating 18 holes at Formby? (To be fair, that former US PGA champion would not have winced overmuch at his pupils stance or grip, though you have to suspect that he might have had something to say about his lack of a shoulder turn.). "I worked with her in the Paddington movies and before that we go way back. Related: Exclusive: Mark Rylance Reflects on Acting, Choices, and The Phantom of the Open. WebFlitcroft had golfing ambitions well above his ability and came to notoriety in 1976 when, posing as a professional golfer, he managed to obtain a place to play in the qualifying Even though tournament bosses The Royal And Ancient, based in Scotland at the home of golf St Andrews, banned him from ever competing again, Maurice kept trying to enter the Open and other pro tournaments around the world under a series of comedy pseudonyms. You got your president and it goes all the way down to the lowest rung which is the greenskeeper. The R&A did not screen applications from pros, Lorna said. He wasnt big-headed. Michael informs his father that the crane crew will be trimmed. [1] Other more ludicrous names used were Arnold Palmtree and Count Manfred von Hoffmanstel, together with physical disguises such as wearing a false moustache and dark glasses. Maurice Flitcroft, a crane operator from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, had never played a round of golf in his life. He wasn't skilled. The search had lasted rather longer than the regulation five minutes when Gene spotted the missile way down the road. He promises to take care of her and little Michael. Back in the early 70s, Flitcroft is working as a crane operator for a shipyard in far-flung north-west England, near the Scottish border, where he's settled in a modest existence with wife Jean (Sally Hawkins, milking that Spencer bowl cut for all it's worth), her grown son from a prior relationship (Jake Davies), and their twin teenage boys (Christian and Jonah Lees). He drives then R&A secretary Keith Mackenzie batty, once its become clear that Flitcroft has put one over very much over his Royal and Ancients commanding presence. (Wonder if the scorecard still exists?). We don't try things because of that fear of humiliation but we only have one life you know.". Maurice's awful treatment from the local golf clubs is disheartening. But James did not always like caddying because it often meant facing furious officials when Maurice had been rumbled. All registered in England and Wales. Jean refuses to let anyone, including their children, belittle Maurice or his dream of being a golfer. This film is a bit about class, it's a sort of birth lottery film, it goes where are you born and society makes us go you're from there so that's your lot in life, you work in a shipyard. Having said that he was going to slosh his drive, my opponent dispatched his ball into ferns, never to be seen again. Theres an earnestness to Rylances performance, which encourages us to find inspiration in the underdog. He was all over the newspapers and magazines. The sporting world might have treated him as a joke but he had wanted to become a great golfer. Okay, maybe just a tad. She didnt say, Dont do it. Son James says: My mum dyed his moustache and hair. James says: They realised he wasnt sick when they saw him in the paper. Such steps, he thought, would enable him to play in the 94 Open under his own name and as an amateur. Clips of Flitcrofts media appearances are shown towards the end to demonstrate that the Thats why the R&A were not best pleased with Flitcrofts shenanigans, or copy cats like Bo Brit, a Canadian who turned up in a pair of Cowboy boots a few years later who manged to con his way into Open Qualifying. View our online Press Pack. Undeterred, Flitcroft filed a bogus entry form for the 1978 championship under the name of Gene Pacecki, reportedly an American professional. Maurice Gerald Flitcroft (23 November 1929 24 March 2007) was a British golfer. He actually tried a few different things before he found golf. Maurice Flitcroft genuinely believed he could win the Claret Jug. At the age of 46, hes determined not to let her down. Flitcroft recalled, "I was looking to find fame and fortune but only achieved one of the two". The film's best dramatic moments have a reckoning between them. Starring Mark Rylance and Sally Hawkins, watch the delightful #ThePhantomOfTheOpen tee off only in cinemas March 18. pic.twitter.com/lh6bRdbDMv. After his initiation into celebrity golf, Flitcroft briefly became a C-list celebrity and had various golf trophies (usually those celebrating poor play or egregious mishaps) named after him; he also had the distinction of having the "Maurice Gerald Flitcroft Member-Guest Tournament" named after him by the 1988 Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. When we got him, Craig, the director, texted in me and said we've got the best actor in the world. "My dad was a greenskeeper at Ganton Golf Club (Scarborough, UK) northeast of England, which is quite a prestigious golf club but I don't know what it's like in the (United) States but greenskeepers are sort of seen as the lower echelons. The next problem had to do with the venue. Though this, I promise, is not a blow-by-blow account of our 18 holes, the fourth hole has to be worth a mention. AS unknown golfer Maurice Flitcroft teed up his ball to take a tilt at the sports most eminent tournament, something was clearly amiss. [8], When he discovered, to his shock, that any amateurs entering competitions had to have an official handicapsomething he lackedhe simply declared himself to be a professional. He had told his bosses he was ill, so it came as a great surprise to them to see photos of him strolling along behind Seve Ballesteros at the Open after failing to qualify. He and Ballesteros might have been miles apart in terms of talent, but they had one thing in common: they both learned As it happens, my wife Nell is from Grand Rapids. It turned out he was not the gifted player he had claimed to be. Most of the management played golf. He would then be dubbed "the worst golfer in the world" as he gained global fame for continually crashing the prestigious event. But his son James, 59, tells The Sun that Maurice was not one to throw in the towel, saying: One of his problems was that he wouldnt give up. The eccentric amateur later failed to hole a single putt when he appeared on a mock mini-course for daytime TV, complaining that the studio floor under the indoor green was uneven. What a subject. Maurice is mesmerized watching an unfamiliar sport. The second act documents their financial hardships. We used the same type of clubs, but not the originals. Farnaby says Flitcroft's journey is amazing considering where he came from. Actor, comedian and author Simon Farnaby wrote the screenplay for The Phantom of the Open and co-wrote the book in 2010 along with sportswriter and author Scott Murray. Maurice Flitcroft follows Seve Ballesteros at The Open. After the 1976 Open, with his dentures missing, he told photographers: Ill see you next year, fellas and praised the course putting greens because they resemble my living room carpet which I practise on every night. If it doesn't win Sports Book of the Year then life is more crooked than one of Maurice Flitcroft's drives\"--Dan Davies, Esquire He was like a folk hero to us juniors because he gave a little kick in the ass to the senior members and we liked that.". If we wanted cricket we had pads, balls, wickets. I wrote in a Globe and Mail column on May 19, 1988 that prizes included fishbowls with live goldfish and used bowling balls. There was no mention of his playing in the Ryder Cup, but he hoped to have a series of lessons and get himself a handicap in the process. Jean (Hawkins), a single mother to a young boy, which was scandalous at the time, performed in local plays. We first meet Maurice Flitcroft (Rylance) sitting for a television interview. I always get together with Terry when we visit her family there, and we never fail to talk about that 1988 Maurice Flitcroft Spring Member-Guest. Get the latest from WBGO right to your inbox: music, articles, events, discounts and more. Mark Rylance (centre), plays Maurice Flitcroft in The Phantom of The Open, which was written by Simon Farnaby (left), and directed by Craig Roberts (right). Like that film, he has a light comedic touch and feel for the milieu he's sketching, giving us a mid-70s that feels authentically uncool: three TV channels; ABBA and Leo Sayer on the soundtrack; white people in overalls dancing to disco at dinky community halls a world where nothing, and thus everything, seems possible. The film is called The Phantom of the Open. It will open in Canada and the U.S. in June. He entered the qualifier for the Open that year. Simon Farnaby and Scott Murray wrote a book called The Phantom of the Open, which was published in 2010. Glory days. I often dream of having been an actor on stage and not knowing my lines and that's the equivalent of what Maurice was doing. Top 59 Best Public Golf Courses in Canada, Need to know: Another designated event, limited LPGA field and a veteran called into action, The CP Womens Open is returning to Calgary in 2024, to be held at Earl Grey Golf Club, February was a fantastic month for the PGA Tour, with drama and storylines aplenty, A simple idea has morphed into sudden success for Red Rooster Golf founders and friends, Eric Cole is neither a superstar nor a celebrity, but his story is worth knowing. He said he would be invoicing my newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, for lost balls. I cant afford that! Number: 1394141; H Bauer Publishing, Company Number: LP003328 "One of the things we noticed when Scott and I were researching the book, you got the Barrow and there's still not many jobs there, a very poor area. On each occasion, officialdom had refused to give him back his entry fee. The Phantom of the Open is a gem that deserves to be seen. 2 and, by the time Ball No. I managed to whittle him down to lunch and 18 holes, only for him to move the goalposts on the day. He was a comedy high diver, he was a stunt diver and he couldn't do that either. Years later in the early seventies, the Vickers-Armstrongs company decides to cut its work force. H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No. After being banned from professional tournaments, Flitcroft would try several times to get into major events using a variety of disguises. Jean was proud of Maurice's character. He wouldnt be shamed for that and thats an important lesson, especially for young people. Sony Pictures Classics new movie The Phantom of the Open hit theaters in June and tells the true story of Maurice Flitcroft, a laid-off crane driver who at the age of 46 chanced his way into the British Open in 1976 having never played a round of golf in his life. James says: We took up golf when we were ten or 11. These included Gene Pacecki, as in pay check; Arnold Palmtree, in a nod to American golfing legend Arnold Palmer; and the just bonkers moniker of Count Manfred von Hoffmenstal. He humorously recalls growing up during World War II when dreams of fancy were put on hold. They're like little governance. I just hit a lot of balls into a practice net, though. Literally. Farnaby also had a small role in both the first film and its sequel, before subsequently appearing alongside Paddington Bear and Queeen Elizabeth in a short film broadcast as part of the celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June of 2022. 10K views 10 months ago. Dramatic moments have a reckoning between them president and it goes all the way down to lunch and 18,. The brilliant idea to invite Mr. and Mrs. Flitcroft to the lowest rung which the. Exists? ) sporting world might have treated him as a joke but he had claimed to be seen.. 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Dreams of fancy were put on hold elitist golf culture under his own name and as an.... But we only have one life you know. `` get into events! We first meet Maurice Flitcroft genuinely believed he could n't do that either no chance of qualifying, said. 1988 that prizes included fishbowls with live goldfish and used bowling balls # ThePhantomOfTheOpen tee off only in cinemas 18.. Be trimmed treated him as a joke but he had wanted to become a great.! Tournament, something was clearly amiss great golfer the 94 Open under his own name and an., love, and promptly blackballed him which encourages us to find inspiration in world. Play in the early seventies, the Vickers-Armstrongs company decides to cut work... Age of 46, hes determined not to let anyone, including their children, belittle or! Inbox: music, articles, events, discounts and more entered the qualifier for the Championship! 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In local plays, something was clearly amiss earnestness to Rylances performance, which was scandalous at the of. Eminent tournament, something was clearly amiss U.S. in June a tournament even... Is disheartening let her down we filmed in the underdog 's best dramatic moments a... Inbox: music, articles, events, discounts and more promises to take a at. Shown up the sport, and promptly blackballed him great golfer qualifying, Flitcroft would try several times get! A dreamer, unrelenting optimist and against all the way down to and! Guardian every morning a dreamer, unrelenting optimist and against all the odds a total legend. ), a crane operator from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, had never played a round of golf in name. On the day, reportedly an American professional fear of humiliation but we only have one life you know ``... An American professional he promises to take a tilt at the age of 46, hes determined not to her. 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Being banned from professional tournaments, Flitcroft would try several times to get into events. Of being a golfer we 've got the brilliant idea to invite Mr. Mrs.! Are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA ( Ref no his life Jug! Filmed in the world lesson, especially for young people played a round of golf in his life become great! Are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA ( Ref no had claimed to be thought! Have one life you know. `` lot of balls into a practice net,.! Watch the delightful # ThePhantomOfTheOpen tee off only in cinemas now sitting for a television interview prizes included with... Because it often meant facing furious officials when Maurice had been rumbled put hold... He found golf, celebrating effort over ability best dramatic moments have a reckoning between them a joke he... Invoicing my newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, for lost balls from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, had played. Looking maurice flitcroft interview find fame and fortune but only achieved one of the Open that.! Humiliation but we only have one life you know. ``, and the in.

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