Tony Jacklin's gets Arty!

Tony Jacklin CBE, the greatest Ryder Cup Captain of all time, launched a commemorative Ryder Cup art collection yesterday at  Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews.

Tony Jacklin’s personal selection of the golfers who have made the greatest contribution to The Ryder Cup throughout its history will form the ‘Tony Jacklin Ryder Cup Collection’.

The Collection will consist of oil painted portraits by world renowned golf artist Joe Austen and will be permanently exhibited in the Austen Gallery of Champions in Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, a few feet from the 18th fairway of The Old Course, St Andrews.

More than 30 golfing greats are anticipated to make it into the ‘Tony Jacklin Ryder Cup Collection’. The portraits of the first 14 have been announced and are now on display in the Austen Gallery of Champions, these include:

1.      Tony Jacklin
2.      Jack Nicklaus
3.      Tom Watson
4.      Paul McGinley
5.      Seve Ballesteros
6.      Ian Poulter
7.      Arnold Palmer
8.      Samuel Ryder
9.      Abe Mitchell
10.   Walter Hagen
11.   Phil Mickelson
12.   Paul Azinger
13.   Sam Torrance CBE
14.   Ian Woosnam CBE

Further champions will be added to the growing Collection throughout 2014 and announced at a later date.

Tony Jacklin, said: “It goes without saying that the Ryder Cup is very close to my heart and I strongly believe that the competition would not have become the worldwide phenomenon that it is today without the sporting greats of the past like Samuel Ryder, Abe Mitchell, Walter Hagen and so many others.

“The rich history of the Ryder Cup interests me greatly and the idea of capturing this legacy for generations to come inspired me to work with Joe Austen. It is with this collection that I hope to honour both the historical champions and the present players who have made, and continue to make, the greatest contribution to the Ryder Cup.”

Joe Austen, Tony Jacklin Ryder Cup Collection artist, said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with Tony to bring the Tony Jacklin Ryder Cup Collection to fruition. As the person who has done the most to transform the Ryder Cup into the spectacle it has become, Tony Jacklin is best placed to select the golfing greats who will be included in his Collection.

“The Austen Gallery of Champions is also an ideal location to showcase this Collection at Macdonald Rusacks Hotel due to its position by the 18th fairway of The Old Course in the Home of Golf.”

Exclusive Limited Edition Prints of the Collection, co-signed by Tony Jacklin and Joe Austen, are being produced in order to pay tribute to the golfers selected and to celebrate the return of The Ryder Cup to Scotland. The prints will be available to purchase from www.rydercupcollection.com.

Chris Feeney, General Manager, Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, commented: “Macdonald Rusacks Hotel is very proud to be chosen to display Joe Austen’s paintings of Tony Jacklin’s collection of European and US Ryder Cup greats within what is one of the world’s most iconic golfing hotels.

“With the acclaimed Rocca Bar & Grill restaurant and many of our bedrooms overlooking the 18th fairway of the Old Course, Macdonald Rusacks Hotel attracts golfers from around the world.  The decision by such a world renowned artist to place the Ryder Cup Collection permanently within our hotel is a tremendous honour and I am sure will prove highly popular with our guests and visitors alike.”