Yes, as unbelievable as the film might seem \u2013 and as larger than life as some of the characters are \u2013 The Phantom of the Open is indeed based on true events, right down to the fact that Flitcroft\u2019s sons were<\/em> world championship-winning disco dancers.<\/p>\n

The real Maurice Flitcroft first became interested in golf while watching the\u00a01974 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship on his TV, and shortly afterward, his ambition of playing at the Open Championship was born.<\/p>\n

Apparently, his inspiration came partly in the form of Walter Danecki, an American amateur who pulled a similar stunt in 1965, posing as a professional in order to gain access to the tournament after he had been barred from becoming a professional by the Professional Golfers\u2019 Association of America.<\/p>\n

Flitcroft\u2019s original plan had been to enter the Championship as an amateur, but when it became apparent that in order to be eligible he\u2019d need to have a handicap, he decided on a different course instead \u2013 writing on his application form for the 1976 tournament that he was a pro.<\/p>\n

After he had been accepted into qualifying, he practised extensively at a nearby beach (a membership to a club was prohibitively expensive) and also read up on the rules of the game, with a golf instruction manual by Peter Alliss and further articles by 1966 PGA Championship winner Al Geiberger proving to be especially valuable resources.<\/p>\n

When the big day came, it quickly became clear to those attending the tournament that he was something of a fraud, and he managed to score 121 (49-over par) in qualifying, bagging him the unfortunate record of the worst score in Open history.<\/p>\n

$\""Phantom\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
While it might seem like an amusing story, several of those involved in the golfing world were not the slightest bit happy about his participation \u2013 he was swiftly barred from using The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, while several of the players demanded refunds of their entry fees.<\/p>\n
Of course, as is shown in the film, Flitcroft was not the sort to give up at the first sign of hardship, and he continued to dream about achieving his goal, while also making the most of his newfound celebrity to appear on a number of TV shows \u2013 including a disastrous appearance on daytime TV when he failed to hole a single ball on a mock mini-golf course.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also true that Flitcroft did indeed create a variety of alter-egos in an attempt to hoodwink the golfing authorities, using names such as Gene Pacecki, Arnold Palmtree and Count Manfred von Hoffmenstal and making use of a range of physical disguises in order to gain entry in subsequent years.<\/p>\n
Another interesting aspect of the film that \u2013 although slightly exaggerated \u2013 is based on real events, is Fltcroft\u2019s encounter with a young Seve Ballesteros, who shot to fame at the 1976 Open Championships when he finished second. Although there is no evidence of a locker room meeting between the two men, as in the film, Flitcroft reportedly did get close enough to the Spaniard to take a photo with him.<\/p>\n
Speaking about his golfing career and his brief dalliance with celebrity after the fact, Flitcroft was once quoted as saying: \u201cI was looking to find fame and fortune but only achieved one of the two.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read more:<\/strong> Mark Rylance: \u2018The government has too much influence on the BBC\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n
The Phantom of the Open is released in UK cinemas on Friday 18th March 2022. Check out our\u00a0TV Guide<\/a>\u00a0to see what\u2019s on tonight.\u00a0For more film news, have a look at our\u00a0 Movies<\/a> hub.<\/strong><\/p>\n
The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now \u2013\u00a0subscribe now<\/a>\u00a0to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, l<\/strong>isten to the\u00a0Radio Times podcast<\/a> with Jane Garvey.<\/strong><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n
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