Tournament torment for New Saatchi

The golf course has in recent years become the home of the business deal. With that in mind New Saatchi Agency joint chief executive Moray MacLennan went off to the Benson & Hedges (Gallaher is a client) International Open pro-am tournament to partner Mark James for the curtain raiser to the main event held at St Mellion.

Imagine MacLennan’s surprise when confronted by a crowd of over 7,000 to watch him tee-off at the first hole. His anxiety increased as golfer after golfer – pro and am – hit perfect drive shots. Sadly for MacLennan, his shot limped rather than flew down the fairway landing a mere 30 yards from where it had begun.

“It was worse than any pitch I’ve ever been involved in,” says MacLennan, who still breaks out in a cold sweat when he remembers the incident. “I only embarrassed myself off that first tee but that was the one that everybody saw.” That’s what they all say.

In the club: Worse than pitching