New Asia/Pacific Amateur champion Harrison Crowe may have some explaining to do next time he’s at the Home of Golf.
The reason is a video that is now going viral of the Aussie golfer hitting a shot on the footpath in front of the famed Dunvegan Hotel, over houses, and onto the first tee area of the even more famous Old Course.
It’s not the first time this highly illegal golf shot has been taken with double Open winning Ernie Els also believed to have played the same shot, using a 4-iron and performed in the early hours of the morning.
The 21-year-old Crowe was in the Dunvegan during normal hours earlier this year when the challenge to play the shot came about.
And it’s only now, following his impressive success on Sunday in Thailand that Crowe’s shot onto the Old Course is coming to light, and you can judge by the pictures that the light was fading that would suggest it was probably after the call of ‘last drinks’ in the famed St. Andrews watering hole.
His even-par final round of 72 at the Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand to seal the title means he will get to play The Open at St Andrews for real in 2023.
‘It means so much,’ Crowe.
‘I came out here this week with something to prove and I’m just really proud of myself the way I handled myself on and off the course.’
Random Golf Club Films Content creator Erik Anders Lang explained how Crewe’s shot from the footpath out from of the Dunvegan to the Old Course came about.
‘I heard this crazy story about a golfer who hit a shot from the Dunvegan, which is a bar about a nine iron away from the 18th green,’ Lang said to the Daily Mail.
‘I didn’t know who it was, tonight I found out it was Ernie Els.
‘Filled with excitement, I looked around inside the Dunvegan, the famous 19th hole of the oldest and most amazing golf course in the world, and I said, “Who thinks they can hit the 18th green from the corner?”.
‘Young Harrison came up to me and said, “I’m from Australia and I can do it”.’
For the first attempt, a tee was driven into a crack in the footpath and Crowe’s drinking buddy gave him some sage advice.
“I reckon it’s the right chimney,’ Crowe said.
That first attempt sailed over the nearby buildings, but missed the green to the right, so Crowe had to recalibrate.
‘All right, film this,’ he said as he ditched the tee and rested the ball directly on the footpath.
This time he used the left chimney as his reference point and the ball sailed over the buildings and landed on the green.
‘Let’s go, baby!’ Crowe said as onlookers cheered and congratulated him.
The Aussie and his friend went straight back to their drinks after the stunt – and now Crowe will be hoping his next drink at the pub comes as he celebrates a great round at the world’s most prestigious tournament.
