Ivor Robson, Golf’s Celebrated Voice at the British Open, Dies at 83

At the British Open, a Scotsman named Ivor Robson became one of the most distinctive and revered voices in golf by saying little. Called a starter, he stood at a lectern near the first tee at each round of that major championship, where his job was simple: to introduce each player.

“On the tee, from U.S.A., Jack Nicklaus,” he would say in his slightly high-pitched, singsong brogue.

Or, “On the tee, from Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy.”

Once he was at his post, around 6:30 in the morning, he didn’t leave until every golfer had teed off — 156 in all in each of the first two rounds. He did not eat or drink anything before he took his position or for the next nine or 10 hours.

Nor would he take a bathroom break, at a “comfort station,” even if he had time between introductions.

“No input,” he would say, “no output.”

He explained his on-course restraint to Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated in 1999: “I don’t want cups of water spilling over. I don’t want food around. I don’t have time to excuse myself. There’s no time!”

When he was done for the day and back at his hotel, he would call room service for his only meal of the day.

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