Sam Torrance may well have been a joker throughout his golf career, but fellow players were left laughing at him when his time came to meet the 'world's most beautiful woman'.
The likeable Scotsman is a legendary figure in UK and European circles, given his legacy in the Ryder Cup. He represented Europe eight times as a player, famously sinking the winning putt at the 18th green at The Belfry in 1985 - denying the Americans of the trophy for the first time in 28 years.
He was also part of the victorious squads in 1987, 1989, and 1995, and captained the side to glory back at The Belfry in 2002. In doing so, he became only the second European player to both sink the winning putt and captain a successful side.
He had individual pedigree too, winning 21 times on the European Tour. And it was the Lancome event in France during the 1980s that once left him red faced thanks to travel partner David Feherty.
Torrance had a difficult week aside from a searing second round 62, meaning he would receive a Rolex watch for shooting the lowest round score of the week. And in an interview with aceodds.com, he revealed his joy at learning that Isabella Rossellini, once voted the most beautiful woman in the world, would be presenting it.
Describing himself as 'happy as larry' as he sank a few glasses of wine and sat waiting for his prize, he was suddenly spooked by Feherty approaching him from nowhere: "I look up at him and he's just got this huge grin on his face and he brings from behind his back a pint of water and he throws it all over my crotch and I've gone, "what the f**k?" he recalled.
"And I've looked up and he's gone. Like a rat in a sinking ship running away, laughing like a bloody hyena. And I'm looking down at my trousers, and it's ridiculous. My whole crotch is just saturated. And within 30 seconds, the announcement: 'and the low round of the week, Sam Torrance. Sam, please come up and collect your award from the beautiful Isabella Rossellini'."
Having to walk 40 yards across stunning lawns with a "sodden crotch," the now 69-year-old was at least relieved that the presenter was understanding: "I got there and I told the beautiful lady immediately what my best friend had just done to me, and she had a wee giggle," he said. "So I kind of got away with it with her, but he didn't get away with it with me."
Around 40 years on, Torrance admitted he's yet to achieve payback. But he vowed the humorous feud is not over yet: "I still haven't had revenge yet, but I will come up with something before we pass," he joked.
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