Sandy Herd won the Open Championship on 5 June 1902 at Hoylake, Royal Liverpool and Lawrie Auchterlonie made it a double celebration for the town, winning the US Open at Garden City, New York on 11 October in the same year. Never before or since have the World's two premiere golfing titles been won in the same year by two golfers from the same town.
Golfing history was made for another reason at both events, with Auchterlonie being the first man to break 80 in all four rounds of the US event, and Herd being the first player to win the Open using a rubber-cored ball. Another interesting coincidence is that both players had winning scores of 307.
The tree was planted in the grounds of Pilmour House, St Andrews at 11 am. Laura Webster, age 14 and seven-year-old Euan Scott, both members of the St Andrews Links Junior Golf Association, carried out the ceremony. "Having the tree planted by two members of the junior coaching scheme links past champions from the Home of Golf with future hopefuls," said Alan McGregor, General Manager at St Andrews Links Trust.
An engraved plaque stands beside the newly planted tree marking the importance of the unique achievement of these two men;
This copper beech tree was planted on 23 October 2002 to commemorate the centenary of the Open victories of two St Andreans, Sandy Herd and Lawrie Auchterlonie, in 1902.
Sandy Herd Open Champion
Lawrie Auchterlonie US Open Champion
