THE STONEHAVEN CUP
The $225,000 first prize cheque on offer at this week’s Australian Open isn’t to be sneezed at, but celebrating with the Stonehaven Cup trophy will be the highlight for the winner at Royal Sydney.
The chance to forever be part of Australian sporting history is an immeasurable reward for the winner of this year’s Australian Open as the Stonehaven Cup is etched with the names of golf's most accomplished professionals and amateurs.
Legends such as Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Peter Thomson, Norman Von Nida and Greg Norman have all been winners of the Stonehaven Cup, while Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are current players who have recently added their names to the trophy.
However, the winners of the Australian Open from its inception in 1904 through to 1929 didn’t have a trophy to hoist.
The lack of suitable silverware must have grated on the Governor-General of Australia at the time, John Lawrence Baird. Baird, who descended from a well-heeled Scottish lineage, was given the title Baron Stonehaven and clearly must’ve been a golf tragic.
He sprang into action in 1930 and organised a trophy for the Australian Open champion. And, as was the done thing at the time, it was named after him. The Stonehaven Cup was born and Baron Stonehaven presented it to the winner of the 1930 Australian Open, New South Welshman Frank Eyre. Each year, the winner’s name is added to this original Stonehaven Cup before it is returned to the Australian Golf Museum in Victoria.
The Australian Open champion gets to keep a replica of the trophy for a year.