For Mark James, it has been a long and winding road from bad-tempered schoolboy prodigy to the first European to win a major on the US Champions Tour.
He reached what he claims is the pinnacle of his illustrious career yesterday by claiming the Ford Senior Players Championship at TPC of Michigan at Deerborn with a one-shot win only months after his 50th birthday.
With a one over par 73, he finished 13 under par – one better than former Ryder Cup colleague Jose-Maria Canizares of Spain, who dunked his approached to the 17th green in water to drown a one stroke advantage with two holes to play.
It was the kind of misfortune James can relate to during his chequered career which began as a talented but volatile contemporary of mine at Stamford School, where he would spend his spare time playing the golfing gamblers at Burghley Park.
His Dad ‘Jimmy’ under-wrote his early moves on the amateur circuit and he rewarded him with the Brabazon Trophy in 1974 before turning pro in 1976 and finishing fifth behind Johnny Miller at the Open at Royal Birkdale.
A hard-nosed match-player, he gained selection for the Ryder Cup the following year but upset the establishment with his antics alongside another rebel Ken Brown, before knuckling down to six more appearances in which he won 8.5 points in 24 matches.
His appointment was observed by some as a case of poacher turned game-keeper when he was made Ryder Cup captain in the bear-pit of Brookline in 1999, inspiring his team to a three-point lead before capitulation in the final day’s stormy singles matches.
With five top ten finishes in 25 Open appearances James was one of the most consistent links golfers of his era and when he was in the mood he was tough to shake off the leaderboard, winning £3.5million, including 23 tournaments around the world.
Even before he was diagnosed with testicular cancer four years ago, James had mellowed as an elder statesman of the European Tour and chairman of the policy-forming Players Committee.
"But golf wasn’t exactly life or death for me," he said at the time, caring as much for his rose garden in Wharfedale as he did for his profession.
Known for his dry humour he once said: "I feel at home in ground under repair."
