Welsh golfing legend Brian Huggett believes his countryman Rhys Davies, The European Tour’s newest champion, has the ability to follow in the footsteps of Ian Woosnam and be the country’s next golfing superstar.
The 73 year old, speaking at the launch of the new Ryder Cup-themed schools curriculum initiative in Newport, admitted he had not missed a shot of Davies’ stunning 25 under par winning total in the Trophée Hassan II in Morocco at the weekend and cheered him home to victory along with many more in Wales.
“Rhys’ victory was fantastic,” said Huggett. “I watched it all and he played absolutely brilliantly. It was a fantastic win and the way he put it all together was so memorable. He was solid, he never flinched, went straight at the pin all the time and his winning total for his first European Tour win was a bit special.
“I played with Rhys about five years ago in Harlech and I did an interview on BBC television after the round and I was so impressed with him. He was absolutely terrific for his age then.
“However, for the first couple of years as a professional he found it difficult but, in some ways, that might not have been a bad thing for him and his career development as he knows how difficult it can be on Tour but now, the form he had a few years ago is coming back.
“His confidence is definitely back to where it was too and I think he has every chance of following in the footsteps of Ian Woosnam and becoming our next golfing superstar, our new Prince of Wales if you like. Hopefully he will not only be that, but also he will go on to be a golfing king.”
In his six Ryder Cup appearances as well as being Captain of the last Great Britain and Ireland side at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1977 – before Continental European players got involved in 1979 – Huggett has played alongside the best in the game and admitted Davies’ performance reminded him of one of the truly great American players of the past.
“One of his strengths is the fact that he is cool under pressure and has a wonderful temperament,” said Huggett. “He was so cool in the final round, attacked all the time and his putting stroke was just absolutely brilliant. He has such a wonderful stroke that it reminded me a lot of the putting stroke of Ben Crenshaw. If he putts for 25 to 30 years like Crenshaw did, he should do all right!”
Inevitably, in a year where his country hosts The Ryder Cup, Davies has already had to field questions about the prospect of lining up in Colin Montgomerie’s Team to face the United States at Celtic Manor in October. Huggett admits that is entirely understandable.
“For Wales to have a winner on Tour was absolutely tremendous because we’ve been a bit stagnant in the past couple of years and that was a real boost, exactly what golf in Wales needed and it was lovely, of course, that it has come in Ryder Cup year too.
“You have to say now I suppose that he has an outside chance of making the Team but we shouldn’t push him too hard and expect too much of him. He will get in all the big tournaments where the first prizes are huge so he has a chance, that’s all.
“It’ll do his confidence good too and shows the progress he has made since he came through the Challenge Tour last year. He was sixth in Abu Dhabi and third in Malaysia and now has won in Morocco. Shows he is learning all the time which is the main thing. As for The Ryder Cup, who knows, let’s wait and see.”
