In Pictures: St. Andrews’ Old Tom Morris statue vandalized again; broken glass found near site

The statue built in honor of Old Tom Morris has been vandalized for the second time in three months since it was unveiled. It was first destroyed in November last year when the vandals reportedly chopped off the club head.

Old Tom Morris was one of the pioneers in modern golf, playing an important role as a player and a course architect. On February 3, golf historian, Roger McStravick from St. Andrews shared the images of the vandalized statue via his X (formerly Twitter) handle and expressed his disappointment as he wrote:

"I don’t know what to say. The Tom Morris statue has been damaged again. The club was snapped off and they didn’t leave the club this time. If anybody saw anything, please DM. Seems that there was some partying going on. Broken glass near statue."

David Annand is the renowned Sculptor behind the historic statue built to honor golf legend Old Tom Morris. The statue stands on Bow Butts facing the Royal and Ancient golf clubhouse.

The unveiling ceremony, which took place in October 2024, was attended by several stars from the golfing community, such as Morris's great-great-granddaughter, Sheila Walker, former Open champion Sandy Lyle, and actor Bill Murray.

The sculpture was a community project, and with the help of the Royal & Ancient and St. Andrews Link Trust, the initiative saw the light of day. This was in recognition of Morris's exploits and contribution to sports development in Scotland.

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A look at the major achievements of Old Tom Morris

Thomas Mitchell Morris, fondly known as Old Tom, is a towering figure in the world of golf. His works on the Old Course and many popular links helped define the popularity of golf which also earned him the name the "Grandfather of Golf." He achieved a lot during his playing career and was a four-time Open Championship winner, winning the titles in 1861, 1862, 1864, and 1867. At 46 years old in 1867, he became the oldest player to win The Open, a record that still stands.

The Scott introduced revolutionary golf course maintenance practices, including top-dressing greens with sand to improve playing conditions, and also redesigned the Old Course at St. Andrews, known as the world’s most famous golf course.

Morris played a crucial role in establishing 18 holes as the standard golf course layout and in addition designed the over 50 Golf Courses by laying out many iconic courses, including Prestwick, Muirfield, Carnoustie, and Royal Dornoch.

He trained his son, Young Tom Morris, who also became a four-time Open champion. Tom is known for his powerful swing, he once recorded a 300-yard drive using 19th-century equipment. He elevated greenkeeping and course design into professional roles, setting standards that still influence the sport today.