Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window). This whimsical comedy-drama tells the true story of Flitcroft, a daffy father of three, who blagged a spot in the 1976 Open championship, setting a new record for the tournaments highest ever score. Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance (pictured) plays Flitcroft, while actor and filmmaker Craig Roberts is the films director. It will be released theatrically in the United States on June 3rd from Sony Pictures Classics. Will there be some attractive woman who dotes on the would be major winner, someone Flitcroft confides his dreams to in some sort of Rocky Balboa-like tale. But James did not always like caddying because it often meant facing furious officials when Maurice had been rumbled. Michael joined Todays Golfer in 2016 and has exclusively interviewed dozens of Major champions, including Jordan Spieth, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus. The Phantom of the Open is a production of Ingenious, Water & Power, Baby Cow Films, BBC Film, Cornerstone Films, and BFI. But I hit a lot of good shots.. Mark Rylance stars as Maurice Flitcroft, 'The World's Worst Golfer', in The Phantom of The Open. Another performer might have played it more for laughs, making fun of Maurice, but Mark played him like a god of failure.". If Tiger Woods can do that, I dont need to feel bad about Maurice G. Flitcroft doing that! Maurice Flitcroft was not a golfer, but that didnt stop him trying to qualify for golfs most famous tournament. There was a stigma attached to what happened at the golf. Book tickets here. They congratulated him on his one par but, at the close of the day, they made plain that their own golf had suffered. Maurice Flitcroft, who died in 2007, came from the England port town of Barrow-in-Furness, decided he would try to take a shot at the British open after watching WebDubbed the 'world's worst golfer', Flitcroft had shot to prominence more than a decade earlier with a record score of 121 in his ill-fated quest to qualify for the 1976 Open I heard he was writing a book and managed to track him down. After he shot 121 the R&A was aghast that someone could beat the system.. 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. Are you kidding? That was a wonderful weekend. I never actually played a full 18-hole round. Following his marriage, he and his wife settled in Barrow-in-Furness, where he worked as a crane operator at the Vickers-Armstrongs shipyard. As a result of his abilities, he became known as "The Royal & Ancient Rabbit". It may have been out of bounds but, in the eyes of his mostly loyal son, the shot was not without its redeeming features. By the time he was halfway round the course, red-faced officials were urgently trying to persuade Maurice to retire gracefully. With the shipyard about to be privatised and Maurice out of a job, he decides at the urging of his wife that it's time to explore his dreams. 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. 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. My brother Philip lived in Switzerland, so he would send an entry form for Dad from there and he also had an American pal who would do the same. But Maurice was regularly chased off courses in his deerstalker hat, and threatened with arrest. Michael Catling is the Features Editor ofTodays Golfer. London, England (CNN)-- When Maurice G. Flitcroft strode towards the first tee on an unseasonably hot English morning to begin his qualifying round for the 1976 Not only was the 46-year-old dressed in a floppy jungle hat and a pair of tatty plastic shoes, he got down on all fours to place his tee. The chain-smoking crane driver made countless disastrous attempts to qualify for golfs most famous tournament despite never having played a round of golf before. Flitcroft planned to use his wedge; Gene said that he should take his putter. Hed paid his money so he wanted his moneys worth.. Doug and his staff have received more than 200 awards from organizations like PRNDI, AP, New York Association of Black Journalists, Garden State Association of Black Journalists and the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists. Farnaby says Flitcroft's journey is amazing considering where he came from. James says: We took up golf when we were ten or 11. I saw Tiger Woods making a 10 on one hole. He would then be dubbed "the worst golfer in the world" as he gained global fame for continually crashing the prestigious event. The very name Flitcroft might still be enough to prompt the odd heart attack among R&A personnel. Its pin high, dad, he cried. 10K views 10 months ago. Theres an earnestness to Rylances performance, which encourages us to find inspiration in the underdog. But Flitcroft became the scourge of the games authorites, flouting his ban by applying for qualifying under foreign names and wearing disguises, and rapidly becoming a folk hero with British fans. One night, he's inexplicably transfixed by a round of golf on television and, against all odds, it becomes his obsession a scene staged as fantastical hallucination, with our wide-eyed protagonist tumbling into a starry night sky and around a golf-ball-shaped moon, like Baron Munchausen soaring over the back nine. 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. That was the year 19-year-old Spanish prodigy Seve Ballesteros announced himself to the world by finishing joint-second behind US great Johnny Miller. The Phantom of the Open rests on the mighty shoulders of Rylance. That was and remains the highest score ever. Rather was our lunch-time discussion devoted to the three seven irons which, for some reason, had met with his full approval. In the 1976 British Open, Maurice Flitcroft, a crane operator turned aspiring golfer, shot the worst qualifying round in the tournament's history. Over the next decade, Flitcroft would continue in his attempts to enter the Open in a series of more outlandish identities, and the sight of Maurice in flagrantly fake disguises suggests an Andy Kaufman-like put-on that a more imaginative film might have indulged. WebMaurice Flitcroft was the 'Phantom of the Open' - an undaunted amateur who tricked his way into competing among golf's elite. What did you admire most about Maurice and his story? Maurice had turned up to watch and got close enough to Seve to be photographed with him. I managed to whittle him down to lunch and 18 holes, only for him to move the goalposts on the day. He had been true to his word. A major you might say, I wrote, in my Globe column. Therell be less pressure that way, he said. We first meet Maurice Flitcroft (Rylance) sitting for a television interview. Simon Farnaby and Scott Murray wrote a book called The Phantom of the Open, which was published in 2010. As for mischievous Maurice, he bombed out of qualifying after an 18-hole score of 121 at Merseysides Formby Golf Club a disastrous 49 OVER PAR and the worst round in British Open history. He has been a journalist for more than 10 years and was shortlisted for Bauer Media Journalist of the Year in 2019. The Phantom of the Open is in cinemas now. Heres a trailer for the film. Jean was proud of Maurice's character. The Phantom Of The Open (12A) is in cinemas from Friday. Flitcroft, then 46, became a popular figure after shooting 121 in the qualifying round. 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 The dissonance gives The Phantom of the Open what passes for a point of curiosity, with Rylance getting at something some essential derangement, whether from trauma, mental illness, or a childhood dream quashed that the script can't conjure, in a film that seems to be happening beyond the frame, where only he can see it. A Swiss player supposedly by the name Gerald Hoppy managed nine holes at Pleasington in 1983. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/the-phantom-of-the-open-review-mark-rylance-british-open-comedy/101233668, Get breaking news alerts directly to your phone with our app. Flitcroft kept trying to pull off his hoax in qualifying rounds in later years. With Flitcroft seemingly unaware how many shots and penalty shots he had amassed, I made the silent assumption that I was two up. Forthcoming movie The Phantom of the Open details golfs famed hoaxer. Maurices twin sons had no idea their dad was taking part in the British Open qualifying during the summer of 1976 and neither did his employers. James adds: One weekend he went away and we didnt think anything of it. Maurice Flitcroft genuinely believed he could win the Claret Jug. The twins inherited their dads sense of dedication James and Gene loved dancing and went on to become world disco champions. Local golfing bigwigs were also none too pleased about Maurice having shown up the sport, and promptly blackballed him. Things were going a bit sideways for him, and he needed an adventure. He has written and appeared in films such as Mindhorn and Paddington 2, and in the BBC sitcom Detectorists. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. The next problem had to do with the venue. It probably affected some of our job prospects when we left school. As it happens, my wife Nell is from Grand Rapids. Twelve as it turned out. It was a pity they missed the par-four second. Unlock All Content, Become A Subscriber Today. Farnaby joined WBGO Studios podcast SportsJam with Doug Doyle to talk about the film, his career and his love for the game of golf and Flitcroft's legendary story. M aurice Flitcroft, who first hit the headlines in 1976 when he had an opening 121 in Open Qualifying at Formby, died in 2007. Hes got to start somewhere, hasnt he? she said. Though he had still to play on a course, he wrote to Peter Alliss to request an entry form and, with no reply forthcoming, he tried the R&A who dispatched one by the next post. Such steps, he thought, would enable him to play in the 94 Open under his own name and as an amateur. Its imaginative delivery and superb acting are an absolute joy to behold. He had a dream and he was inspired by it. 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 Moore, Terry that is, had played in the 1987 Flitcroft as a guest. Maurice worked diligently to provide a stable life for her and the children. Then, in 1988, my friend and colleague Terry Moore told me about the Maurice Flitcroft Spring Member-Guest that had been held at the Blythefield Country Club in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich. Moores brother Tim, a member there, had attached Flitcrofts name to the event in 1978. It's a bit different now. He's embarrassed by his father's antics. I guess you would call it a docker in the U.S. but that was the only option. 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. He had his own definition of who he was, regardless of the contrary evidence. Then, when someone drew his attention to how the 1976 Open was to be played not too far from Barrow-in-Furness at Birkdale to be precise there was no stopping him. An avid film buff, he feels lucky to have interviewed and written extensively about Hollywood's greatest talents. in a recent interview on the PGA website. His fantastical character traits lead to a conflict with Michael. I became aware of Flitcroft when he played that first time in the Open qualifier in 1976. Maurice is mesmerized watching an unfamiliar sport. He humorously recalls growing up during World War II when dreams of fancy were put on hold. As for the player who missed out at Formby in 1976 because Flitcroft stole his place, he probably has Walter Mitty-like dreams about beating Miller and Ballesteros over the closing holes in the greatest championship ever played. He was a comedy high diver, he was a stunt diver and he couldn't do that either. It was one of my favorite books. Were you surprised by how The R&A acted after finding out he was an imposter? But Phantom, directed by Craig Roberts from a script by Paddington 2 writer Simon Farnaby, shows what happens when that formula isn't finessed; when a film is allowed to drift into saccharine homilies at the expense of dramatic tension. It's what the current parlance might call shudder 'nicecore'. You must have JavaScript enabled to fill out this form. Then on the Saturday The Sun had a banner headline that Maurice Flitcroft shot 121 in the Open. Registered Office: Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough. Maurice Flitcroft (Mark Rylance) crashes British golf tournaments in The Phantom of the Open. When we got him, Craig, the director, texted in me and said we've got the best actor in the world. He entered one tournament as General Hoppy of France, wearing a drooping moustache. 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. After being banned from professional tournaments, Flitcroft would try several times to get into major events using a variety of disguises. Julian Roman has been with Movieweb for nearly twenty years. On anything. You know golf clubs are like little sorts of parliaments. Okay, maybe just a tad. No disservice to the Tim Burton film, but I adore the Gene Wilder film, the 1973 version (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) even all the sets were made of plastic". 3 had stopped just short of the green, patience was wearing a little thin. Our dad bought us clubs. Jean's love for Maurice was transcendent. Far fetched? His shots did not improve, as he blasted into bushes and skewed simple putts. Though this, I promise, is not a blow-by-blow account of our 18 holes, the fourth hole has to be worth a mention. He would shot the Open's record worst score of 121. He was the most besotted golfer I ever met. You deserve it!\"--Lawrence Donegan, The Guardian\"Heart-warming and bizarre the laugh-out-loud book of the summer\"--Tom Cox, author of Nice Jumper and Bring Me The Head Of Sergio Garcia, and Golf International columnist\"A joyful biography\"--Dan Jones, London Evening Standard\"Don Quixote with a nine-iron\"--Julian Barratt, The Mighty Boosh\"I bet you're going to buy it, because it sounds like a great tale\"--John Inverdale, BBC Radio Five Live\"What a book. After 63 shots, the R&A realised the man with the false moustache was Flitcroft. Rylance connects to the contradictions in Maurice's childlike mind; to his dreamy optimism and his neglect of responsibility elements that the film hints at but can't quite reconcile, because it's too enamoured with its warm-blanket world view. While the brothers took a fair amount of ribbing, it was far worse for Maurice who was given his marching orders from work. He humorously recalls growing up during World War II when dreams of fancy were put on hold. I love the character (Willy Wonka), love the sort of magic, the chocolate, I mean just great. That he had lost every hole in our game never got a mention, either from me or from him. (Laughs) I dont think I would do better than Maurice. [6] The Phantom of the Open, directed by Craig Roberts, starring Mark Rylance and Sally Hawkins, opened at the London Film Festival in October 2021 before a wider release in March 2022.[11][12]. Your email address will not be published. Clips of Flitcrofts media appearances are shown towards the end to demonstrate that the We were annoyed about that growing up. "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. The great day arrived, and the enormity of the occasion began to hit him when a car-park attendant ushered him into a space in the competitors carpark. Flitcroft spoke at the dinner. Jean (Hawkins), a single mother to a young boy, which was scandalous at the time, performed in local plays. He was all over the newspapers and magazines. For other inquiries, Contact Us. A limo picked them up. If this wasn't enough, another green had a 12-inch (300mm) cup. 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. He recalls with a smile: I wasnt keen on the confrontation but Dad revelled in it.. The film includes a sweet scene of Flitcrofts wife picking up the invitation in the mail and showing it to her husband and their three sons. What about the player who missed out because Flitcroft took his spot? Flitcroft retired from Vickers in the 1970s and devoted himself to his golfbut was reduced to the ignominy of once again playing on local fields, having been banned from every local golf club after sneaking into their grounds to play without permission. 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