Hey Greg, I’ve Won The Australian Open. Greg? I’ve Won The Australian Open.

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“Hey Greg? I’ve Won the Australian Open?”  “Greg? I’ve Won the Australian Open”.

The words from Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley sharing his emotions with Aussie golfing great Greg Norman soon after capturing the 1991 Australian Open at Royal Melbourne.

The day continues to be a fondest in so many years reporting on the game when the then 29-year-old Riley holed a truly remarkable 40-foot putt on the last hole to complete a finishing burst of three straight birdies and win a then biggest title of his then 14-year pro career.

And no sooner had the putt dropped and here was the sight and captured in one of the best-ever ‘victory reaction’ photogaphs of Riley, dressed in a ‘will never forget it’ lemon-coloured sleeveless cotton vest, raising his left arm in triumph as he strode victorious after his final putt.

The win was Riley’s fourth Australasian Tour success coming a year after capturing the New Zealand Open and also what would be the second of four ‘national’ Open’s in his career, the best being the presitigous European Tour’s 1995 Scottish Open title at Carnoustie and in the process denying Nick Faldo into second and Monty third.

Australia’s Robert Allenby was waiting in the clubhouse at Royal Melbourne, hoping for what could have been the first victory by an amateur since Bruce Devlin took Australia’s most prestigous golf title in 1960.  But Allenby could only watch as Riley drained the 40-footer.

The then 20-year-old Allenby was an amateur at the time and he and Riley were two of only three players in the field to break par for the tournament, with Riley finishing at 3-under at 285 and Allenby at 1- under 286.

Both carded 4-under 68s Sunday.Allenby turned pro straight after the event and would go on and capture the Stonehaven trophy twice in a pro career boasting 22 victories.

Also in the Australian Open that field was Open champion, Greg Norman along with his fellow Queenslander Ian Baker-Finch and the reigning Open winner and with a young-looking Colin Montgomerie teeing-up at Royal Melbourne and who had made a big statement earlier in 1991 in denying Seve Ballesteros the Scandinavian Masters title, and just Monty’s second of now 54 career victories.

Norman had already won three of five Australian Open’s but never really recovered from an opening round of 76 on route to scores of 73, 71 and a closing 72 to eventually share 16th place and seven adrift of the leading scores.

It had also been a tough year for Norman having lost his long-running World No. 1 crown in February of 1991, though he would retain it three years later, while the year had been a winless year for ‘The Shark”.

Riley headed into final round among eight players within a stroke or two of the lead during the final day, on which the leader board changed almost hole by hole though it was Riley, who had finished third in the event a year earlier, brilliantly holding to win and a bank the first prize cheque of $100,000.

There was a first reaction with the sight of Riley jubilantly raising his left arm as strode after his winning putt and with the crowd joining into the celebration, getting to their feet and cheering loudly as one:  Radar, Radar, Radar, Radar.

There were more calls of Radar, Radar, Radar as Riley stepped forward to be handed the Stonehaven Trophy.

Next were the official trophy photographs and then as Riley made his way to the media centre the still ‘over the moon’ new champion bumped into Norman and you have already gathered from reading above Radar was one happy bunny in seeing the Australian golfing great.

“Hey Greg, I’ve Won the Australian Open?”  “Greg? I’ve Won the Australian Open”, said an overjoyed Riley.

Norman was naturally delighted for Radar.

The handshakes after handshakes continued for the popular new champion as he found his way to the media centre microphone and where an equally thrilled Kathy Shearer was all set to host proceedings.

‘This is a real special moment for me,’ Riled said.

‘I’ve been playing Royal Melbourne for many years and to win the Australian Open here as an Australian on this their centenary year is something special. It’s fantastic.’

Riley said he played ‘fantastically well’ in Europe last year, but his putting was ‘awful’.

‘But since then, I have played only one tournament in New Zealand and I timed myself for this one and it looks like I timed it very well.”

What a marvellous day for Australian golf and what an amazing victory for Radar and the beloved long-time SKY Sports Golf commentator.



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