Ben Curtis rolled into the quaint seaside town of Sandwich on England’s south-east coast 22 years ago with a dream of winning The Open Championship.
Many would say that it was nothing more than a pipe dream, but for Curtis, becoming an Open champion became reality in what was arguably the biggest shock major win in the 21st century.
The now 48-year-old American arrived at Royal St Georges as a completely unheralded name in the world of professional golf.
He was just 26 at the time, and hadn’t even won a regular PGA Tour event before he teed it up at The Open in 2003.
Heading into the week, Tiger Woods – the undisputed world number one at the time – was the overwhelming favourite to win the tournament.
However, it was Curtis who reigned supreme and lifted the Claret Jug in the end.
When Ben Curtis stunned the golfing world by winning The Open in 2003
Curtis got his week off to a solid start at Royal St Georges with a round of one-over par 72, and he replicated that on day two.
Things improved for the American on Saturday, when he carded an impressive one-under par 70 – a round that featured a back nine of 32.
However, the fireworks really began for Curtis on Sunday.
He burst out of the blocks with six birdies inside his first 11 holes to open up a huge lead on the field but when the pressure cranked up, Curtis began to wilt.
Fortunately he held on in the end, despite making four bogeys in a six-hole stretch from the 12th hole onwards.
Curtis ended up finishing one shot clear of Thomas Bjorn and Vijay Singh, and a further shot in front of Tiger Woods and Davis Love III.
The American’s victory at St Georges was a true Cinderella story – one that would have given great hope to journeymen professionals all over the world.
Incredibly, another unheralded American won The Open in 2004 as well, with Todd Hamilton triumphing at Royal Troon.
Ben Curtis’ PGA Tour record after his Open win
Curtis managed to win a further three times on the PGA Tour after his Open victory in 2003.
He won the 2006 Booz Allen Classic and the 84 LUMBER Classic in the same year.
Then he earned his fourth and final PGA Tour title at the Valero Texas Open in 2012.
Curtis has gone 13 years without winning another tournament but rest assured, he would not swap his Open win for another 10 PGA Tour titles.
He wrote his name into the history books with his incredible victory at Royal St Georges way back in 2003.
Whatever anybody says about him, he will always be known as a major champion, and there aren’t many golfers in the world who can lay claim to that.