Bill Fields

By Bill Fields

The plane crash that took the life of Tony Lema in 1966 makes the memory of his greatest golf triumph -- a British Open victory 50 years ago at St. Andrews -- all the more bittersweet.

The USGA's two-week stay in North Carolina exceeded expectations, with Martin Kaymer, Michelle Wie and -- in particular -- the No. 2 course leaving lasting impressions

Golf World's Bill Fields has seen much since covering his first national championship in 1985. His memories include the obvious and the offbeat

Jesse Nelson was an unassuming shop operator at a small North Carolina golf course, but the impact he had on this golfer's life was powerful.

Regular showdowns between top players are rare in golf, but with several young stars on the rise, the LPGA Tour is positioned nicely to see one or more come to fruition.