Veteran Journalists make Hazeltine their Port of Call

 

 

CHASKA, Minn. (June 23, 2019) – Photographer David Cannon and golf columnist-author Ron Sirak, two of the most respected chroniclers of golf’s major championships, worked the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.

 

Together, Cannon and Sirak have combined to cover 359 major championships spanning 37 years. Cannon, 63, is a resident of West Hoathly, Sussex, England, and in his 37^th year covering the majors – first for Allsport, which he gained a share of the business in 1986. The agency was acquired by Getty Images in 1998.

 

Sirak, recipient of the 2015 PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism, spent 18 years with The Associated Press, the final two years as national golf writer. Sirak then transitioned to serve 18 years with Golf Digest and Golf World. Today, he’s an independent journalist and a regular guest on national golf radio and television programs.

 

At closer glance, Sirak has covered 96 men’s and 74 women’s major championships. Cannon has 119 men’s and 70 women’s majors in his résumé.

 

“I still get goosebumps watching exceptional athletes competing on a different level,” said Sirak, who made the 1988 Masters and Sandy Lyle’s lone green jacket victory his first working assignment. “Majors never cease to produce surprises.”

 

Cannon, regarded as golf’s premier photographer, said that majors are “The best players playing the best courses and going head to head.”

 

Cannon began his major championship career covering the 1982 Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland, where Tom Watson triumphed. He’s also worked 19 Ryder Cups, 19 Walker Cups and all 15 Solheim Cups since its origin in 1990.

 

In 2016, Cannon said he had no plans to retire. “As long as I can walk and hump the cameras around, I’ll keep going,” he said. “I have this ambition to photograph 50 Open championships and 50 Masters and leave a unique legacy to the sport I totally love.”

 

Cannon and Sirak are still marching with the majors.