“It feels like Old Tom has come home,” said local historian, Roger McStravick. And he did, a century after he died in 1908, Old Tom Morris could be seen again near St. Andrews as he looked over the Old Course’s 18th fairway, the same place where Old Tom Morris won the Open Championship at the age of 46. To this day, he is the oldest Open winner.

The statue seems to be in the perfect spot as the project’s chairman, Ronald Sandford discussed they went through various options. But to the right of it is a shop and a flat above occupied by Morris’s great-great-granddaughter, where he lived for a while as well. It was a great sort of memorabilia for one of the greatest names in the golf world. However, just a month after its inauguration, the statue was vandalized.

Roger McStravick who celebrated the statue a month ago posted the heartbreaking news on X, he was also involved in the making of the statue. The historian wrote, “Gutted to say that the Tom Morris statue in St Andrews was vandalized last night. They snapped the clubbed off.” Morris was holding an iron in his statue as seen in the pictures but some people broke it off. McStravick informed that they were analyzing all the CCTV cameras to catch the perpetrators and asked anyone who had more camera access to send him a message. He frustratingly added, “Just mindless.” 

Indeed, it is quite disheartening to see that the statue of one of the greatest golfers, who grew the game of golf to another level would be ruined but it is the truth. And it made all the golf fans and the ‘Grand Old Man of Golf’ rightfully angry.

Netizens are angry at those who destroyed Tom Morris’ Statue

From just an idea to the unveiling of the statue, it took Ronald Sanford and his team a total of nine hard years. And only in January 2024, a committee of nine was set up for the final preparation of the Old Tom Morris statue. And then, after years of hard work, it was all destroyed by some people. Thus, this user angrily commented and also speculated who would’ve done it. They said, “Unbelievably insensitive and ignorant. Let’s hope the local police find both the club and the perpetrators. Not saying it was a Hooray Henry student but…..”

Another golf enthusiast was equally appalled by the action and they asked for a severe punishment for the perpetrators so that no one else would attempt a similar thing. They said, “Disgraceful. A massive example should be made of the perpetrators, no matter how young.” While St. Andrews has a great history with golf and is regarded as the Home of Golf, the place is historically rich for many other reasons. One is the St. Andrew Castle, where the Bottle Dungeon is placed. It was a prison used from the 15th century onwards and the people used to be kept in complete isolation. This fan was so engaged by the vandalization that they asked, “Please please find them and confine them to the Bottle Dungeon… I want them found and paraded around the town as scum.”

On the other hand, one user wanted a different kind of punishment for the culprits. They said, “What kind of stupid would you need to be to do this? Hope they are caught and sentenced to hard labor out on the course.” As many asked for punishment for those perpetrators, one user was just so taken aback by the utterly disgusting behaviors because why would anyone destroy a statue and that too of Old Tom Moriss? They dejectedly said, “Truly shocking behavior and a total lack of respect.” The investigation has begun the search for the culprit/s, and hopefully, they will be caught soon.