Historian in headstone fundraiser for early Open legend

Say the name, Jamie Anderson, to the next golf fan you meet and the vast majority will offer a swift shrug of the shoulders.

But rewind 140 years and Anderson was the best golfer in the world, winning his first of three Open Championship titles in a row and regularly playing in front of thousands.

He was a ‘King of Golf’ in the same breadth as Willie Park Snr, Young Tom Morris and Old Tom Morris and is widely known as being the golfer who inspired a young James Braid at Elie. Braid, of course, went onto win The Open five times from 1901-10.

So from the supreme highs of his golfing successes, it may come as a shock that Anderson sadly died in a poorhouse in Thornton. He’s buried in St Andrews cemetery in an unmarked grave alongside his father, ‘Daw’ the ginger beer seller.

Now, historian Roger McStravick, who wrote the award-winning book, St Andrews: In the Footsteps of Tom Morris, is determined to put things right for one of golf’s great early champions by setting up a JustGiving page for a headstone in his honour.

“It’s 140 years since his first Open win and 112 years since his death so it’s about time to recognise one of Scotland’s and golf’s greatest champions,” McStravick told bunkered.co.uk.

“He was the best golfer in the world in his time and, being so long ago, it’s hard to appreciate how big these names were back in the day. They attracted audiences of thousands and it was heartbreaking to see how someone at the height of their fame could end up like Jamie did.

“Looking around St Andrews cemetery, it’s a remarkable place with so many golfers – I think around 21 – buried there. There’s nowhere like it in the world. There’s an obelisk for Allan Robertson, a monument to Tommy Morris but nothing for Jamie Anderson and it just felt like an injustice.

“It felt very wrong that there was nothing there for a three-time champion and hopefully this headstone is the first step towards wider recognition.”

The headstone is an absolute replica shape wise, albeit larger, of the one Anderson himself picked for his own son David, who died at the age of one. The names on the grave will include Jamie, Daw (above), and family, as they are in that lair, while the writing on the headstone is deliberately meant to look as if penned in the early 20th century.

To donate to the campaign towards a headstone for Jamie Anderson in St Andrews cemetery, click here.