When a world record top prize of £25,000 was offered in the John Player Classic at Hollinwell in 1970, it was captured by Christy O'Connor Snr who, in the process, claimed a unique place in the professional game. Indeed when inflation is taken into account, O'Connor's prize of 30 years ago would be worth about £190,000 at today's values.
In the meantime, Ronan Rafferty set a record for an Irish golfer in actual cash winnings when he collected £123,000 for winning the Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup in Australia in 1992. Then the figure went up to £166,000 when Darren Clarke captured the Volvo Masters at Montecastillo in 1998.
Against that background, Fred Daly's reward of £250 in 1947 at Hoylake, where he became, and remains, the only Irishman to capture the British Open, looks quite paltry.
Outstanding Irish performances through the years:
Fred Daly: British Open (1947), PGA Matchplay (1947, 1948, 1952).
Harry Bradshaw: Dunlop Masters (1953, 1955), PGA Close Championship (1958), Runner-up British Open 1949.
Christy O'Connor Snr: Dunlop Masters (1956, 1959), News of the World Matchplay (1957), Carrolls International (1964, 1966, 1967, 1972), John Player Classic (1970 - world record 25,000 pounds first prize).
Ronan Rafferty: European Order of Merit 1989.
Christy O'Connor Jnr: British Senior Open, State Farm Senior Classic (US), Foremost Insurance Championship (US), all 1999.
Joe Carr: British Amateur 1953, 1958, 1960.
Team Victories: Canada Cup/World Cup - Bradshaw and O'Connor, 1958; Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington 1997. Dunhill Cup - Eamonn Darcy, Des Smyth, Rafferty, 1988; David Feherty, Philip Walton, Rafferty, 1990. Men's European Amateur Team Championship 1965, 1967, 1983, 1987. Women's European Amateur Team Championship 1979, 1983.
