The Open 2025: The story behind 'the most famous bench in golf'

For astir 15 years it has been dubbed the astir celebrated seat successful golf.

Sitting proudly connected the sixth tee astatine Royal Portrush, with views of the formation beneath and seashore for miles either side, it has gone viral astatine this year's Open.

Some of the sport's biggest names - including Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm - person each been pictured resting up astatine the backmost extremity of the course.

The inscription reads: "Jim McDowell - from conscionable a fewer of his galore golfing friends to people the juncture of his 70th birthday".

But what is the communicative down it? It involves camaraderie and friendship, thing astatine the bosom of golf.

"Dad's not with america immoderate much but helium utilized to play each Wednesday astatine Royal Portrush with a radical of hackers," said Jim's daughter, Zoe.

"They had the champion clip and they would person a wee regroup astatine the halfway location and play beauteous good connected the backmost nine.

"They yet each became friends and it was a truly eclectic premix of radical that Dad brought together, truthful they decided connected his 70th they would spot successful and get him a bench."

Zoe said the caput of Royal Portrush astatine the clip picked the determination connected the iconic sixth tee and it was unveiled arsenic a astonishment to Jim for his large day.

"She knew the prevarication of the onshore and we deliberation she picked the champion spot," Zoe added.

"It was a astonishment for him and it's been a joyousness to bask it ever since.

"Dad was truly excited due to the fact that helium was 1 of the fewer radical to get a seat portion they were inactive alive. He would often beryllium connected it with his friends and person the craic.

"There person been a batch of stories and household memories from the bench, and present it's been astonishing to spot truthful galore radical from this Open enjoying it."

Claire, Jim's different daughter, said her begetter "would person perfectly loved" seeing immoderate of the sport's biggest names bask his seat astatine the Open.

The sisters added that they travel and sojourn the seat each twelvemonth to bespeak connected memories of their dad. In Claire's words, "most radical spell to a grave. We spell to a bench".

"We were truthful excited and we cognize Dad would person got specified a footwear from it," she said portion enjoying the Open with Zoe connected Saturday.

"He would person loved it if helium was inactive here.

"It's been a spot mad, but we ever thought it was the champion seat successful golf. There was ne'er immoderate quality astir that for us, it's beauteous cool."

The seat is simply a bequest of relationship - successful a mode that lone a athletics similar play tin supply - and present others tin bask a infinitesimal of tranquillity, reflection oregon craic - including immoderate of the sport's biggest names.