Historic Old Tom Morris Statue Vandalized Again At St Andrews - Second Attack In 3 Months
The iconic Old Tom Morris statue at St Andrews has been vandalized for the second time in three months, with vandals breaking off and stealing the golf club portion of the bronze artwork.
Golf historian Roger McStravick discovered the damage on Sunday, noting evidence of partying and broken glass near the statue. The vandalism comes shortly after the statue was repaired from a similar incident in late 2024.
Bronze statue beside golf course building
The statue, unveiled in October and costing approximately £100,000 ($123,000), honors Old Tom Morris, the oldest Open Championship winner at age 46. Created by sculptor David Annand, it sits near the 18th green of the Old Course at St Andrews.
The first vandalism incident occurred less than a month after installation, prompting widespread condemnation from golf professionals including Billy Horschel and Stephan Jaeger, as well as Sky Sports presenter Iona Stephen. Community donations helped fund the initial repairs.
This incident is part of a concerning trend of vandalism at British golf courses, including recent damage at Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club and significant destruction estimated at £100,000 at another top English course.
Morris, who died in 1908 at age 86, remains a legendary figure in golf history. He and his son are the only father-son duo to both win the Claret Jug in the tournament's 150-plus-year history.