Revealed! The fascinating tales of an Open Championship referee

Having attended many Open Championships, for me it's not always about the Claret Jug winner but about some of the people on the periphery who still play a role but prefer to keep a low profile in the shadows.

Such a guy is John Roger Jones - the man they call JR - who told his own personal story of the part he played at Royal Lytham & St Annes in a fascinating article in Wales Online.

It included telling Rory McIlroy he'd driven out of bounds on the opening day, keeping HRH the Duke of York behind the ropes and, after walking with Ernie Els throughout his march to glory, sipping champagne with the South African in celebration of his fourth major title.

The 69-year-old, former Welsh amateur international from Rhos-on-Sea is now an R&A referee and in his last Open before he retires, got the prime matches to control with his usual quiet efficiency

Recalling the incident where Rory hit out of bounds on the 15th in the opening round he said: “I had 20-odd million people watching and it was a decision I had to get right. Rory hit the ball so far right, he smacked that poor boy on the head and it bounced a further 25 yards and out of bounds.

“My first concern was for the injured youngster and I called for paramedics who were there in two minutes. Rory apologised and signed a glove for the injured lad and then we go in search of the ball.

“There were people everywhere and we find the ball a good yard the wrong side of out of bounds. Rory asks his caddie how far he’s got to the green and I have to tell him ‘Rory, you’re out of bounds.’

“The irony was if he hadn’t hit that lad he'd have stayed in bounds and could have a decent lie on the trampled grass.”

The referee is also responsible for policing the fairways of his allocated match, which brought him into a royal appointment with Prince Andrew while officiating Brandt Snedeker's third round match with Adam Scott.

“On the sixth fairway I was made aware somebody was standing to my right who shouldn’t be there,” recalled Jones.

“People shouldn’t come on the hole without authority and I have to send them on their way. I was going over politely to this chap to tell him to get behind the ropes when I noticed it was HRH.

“It was just at the time when Snedeker started going into bunkers and dropping shots so I jokingly blamed the Prince for it and moved on.”

As for that the walk down the 18th fairway with Els, it was something JR will always remember. 

“I’ve refereed Ernie three or four times in the Open including at Turnberry three years ago when he dropped shots on the closing holes after a long wait on the 15th tee.

“We talked about that last Sunday. When he holed that putt on 18 for birdie an amazing roar went up but I’m sure Ernie at the time thought he was just playing for pride,” Jones recalled.

“On the back nine, I’ve never seen such a display of accurate driving. All were more than 300 yards and the only time he strayed was down the 16th hole when his tee-shot hit the top of a hospitality box. He'd have been out of bounds had it not bounced back.”

Opens are won and lost on such quirks of fate, but later Els thanked Jones for his work as they sipped champagne together.

Jones said he fully appreciates that careers and millions of pounds can be on the line with decisions a match referee can make.

“Players ask you for free drops and I have to turn them down. Their private jets are revving up on some airport runway ready to take them off to another part of the world and there’s me thinking about having to go home and mow the lawn.

“There’s a whole world of difference between us and them but you still have to turn them down at times.”

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