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Alexander Walter Lyle (Sandy Lyle) (born February
9, 1958) is a British golfer. Lyle was born in
Shrewsbury, England but represented Scotland. 
Along with Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, he became
one of Britain's top golfers during the 1980s.

==Career outline==
Lyle was introduced to golf by his father. He
began playing with miniature clubs at the age of
3. As an amateur Lyle won the English Amateur
Stroke Play championship in 1975 and 1977. He was
a member of the Walker Cup team. 

In 1977 he turned professional. Lyle showed his
quality by winning The Open Championship at
Sandwich in 1985. The first British winner since
Tony Jacklin in 1969, and continued the rise of
European golfers in the world scene. Lyle was a
member of the European Ryder Cup team that was
victorious at the The De Vere Belfry|Belfry in the
autumn of 1985.

For many golf fans he is best known for the bunker
shot at the 18th hole in the final round of the
Masters Tournament|Masters in 1988 when he became
the first Briton to wear the green jacket. He also
won the HSBC World Match Play Championship|World
Match Play Championship in 1988 after being a
losing finalist on several occasions.

Lyle topped the European Tour's order of merit in
1979, 1980 and 1985. He finished in the top ten
nine times between 1979 and 1992. The was also a
member of the PGA Tour for several years and
finished seventh on the money list in 1988. In
1989 Lyle's form fell away, and apart from a good
year in Europe in 1992, he has not been a regular
contender since then. His prime thus ended in his
early thirties, which is unusually young for a
professional golfer.

As a player, Lyle is known for his cool
temperament and placid exterior. His achievements
inspired fellow rivals such as Nick Faldo and Ian
Woosnam to raise their games, and go on to win the
majors.

==European Tour wins==
*1979 BA/Avis Open, Scandinavian Enterprise Open,
European Open Championship
*1980 Coral Welsh Classic
*1981 Paco Rabanne Open de France, Lawrence Batley
International
*1982 Lawrence Batley International
*1983 Cespa Madrid Open
*1984 Italian Open, Lancome Trophy
*1985 The Open Championship, Benson & Hedges
International Open
*1987 German Masters
*1988 Dunhill British Masters 
*1991 BMW International Open
*1992 Lancia Martini Italian Open, Volvo Masters

==Other professional wins==
*1978 Nigerian Open
*1979 Scottish Professional Championship (not a
European Tour event)
*1984 Kapalua International (Hawaii - not a PGA
Tour event), Casio World Open (Japan)
*1986 Greater Greensboro Open (PGA Tour)
*1987 The Players Championship (PGA Tour)
*1988 Phoenix Open (PGA Tour), Masters Tournament
(PGA Tour), Greater Greensboro Open (PGA Tour)
*1989 Suntory World Match Play Championship
(United Kingdom - not then a European Tour event)

==Amateur wins==
*1975 English Amateur Open Stroke-Play
Championship (Brabazon Trophy), English Boys
Amateur Stroke-Play Championship (Carris Trophy)
*1977 English Amateur Open Stroke-Play
Championship, British Youths Open Amateur
Championship

==See also==
*Golfers with most European Tour wins

==External link==
*http://www.europeantour.com/players/bio.sps?iPlay
erNo=108 Profile on the European Tour's official
site
*http://www.golfstarsonline.com/L/Sandy_Lyle/ Golf
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