Brian Huggett, the last Welshman to captain a Ryder Cup Team against the United States prior to Ian Woosnam’’s appointment, has been honoured for his enormous contribution to golf at a special tribute lunch in Cardiff.
The last man to lead Great Britain and Ireland (in 1977) before the addition of Europe two years later, Huggett was presented with a tantalus on behalf of the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) by Past Captain, John Stirling, who was also guest speaker.
PGA Chief Executive Sandy Jones paid tribute to Huggett, one of only six Welshmen to have played in The Ryder Cup, which was on display for the special occasion. More than 200 golf enthusiasts and professionals, representing a number of Welsh clubs, attended the lunch organised by the Wales and West Region of the PGA.
Huggett, 68, was born in Porthcawl, where his father was assistant professional before becoming the professional at Neath, where he first played the game and is now an Honorary Member.
He played in six Ryder Cup Matches before leading the team at Royal Lytham and St Anne's. Afterwards, he took a key role in discussions to add continental Europe to the competition, thus transforming a frequently one-sided match of limited appeal to the Americans into one of sport's most exciting spectacles.
He turned down the chance to retain the captaincy in 1979 as he preferred to try and qualify as a player, but just missed out. His record was nine wins, six halves and ten defeats in his 25 appearances at a time when the Americans were winning regularly.
He was unbeaten at Muirfield in 1973 when he teamed up with Maurice Bembridge to beat the legendary pairing of Palmer and Jack Nicklaus 3 and 1 in the fourballs.
But perhaps his greatest Ryder Cup moment came four years earlier when his brave four-and-a-half foot putt on the final green halved his singles match with Billy Casper and paved the way for Tony Jacklin to earn Great Britain and Ireland a famous tied match, 16-16, thanks to a sporting concession from Nicklaus.
Huggett won the Harry Vardon Trophy in 1968 as the leading money-winner with £8,000 on The European Tour and was awarded an MBE for services to golf in 1978. The first of his 16 European titles came in Holland in 1962 and his last in 2000 when he claimed the Beko Seniors Classic in Turkey.
He became a golf course architect and plays regularly at Ross-on-Wye near his home, and also at the Rolls of Monmouth. He now plays a supporting role with Ryder Cup 2010.
"The rest of the world now knows we are a country of our own and not a part of England," he said. "I have had a fantastic time in golf and a lovely family life as well."
The lunch raised more than £10,000 from an auction and draw. Huggett is also helping young golfers. He announced that he is adding £500 to the young players' fund and donating £500 each to the junior sections of the Ross-on-Wye and Neath clubs
