Professional Golfer. He was the best known golfer of his generation and generally thought to have been the greatest player of his day. He was the first to score below 80 on the Old Course at Saint Andrews, and was voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001. He was born into golf, with his grandfather and father both being caddies at Saint Andrews as well as being feathery ball and club makers of the highest repute. As expected he entered and eventually inherited the family business, and was considered the premier ball and club maker of the time. His shop overlooked the 18th Green of the Old Course, from where he met local demand and exported his merchandise all over the world. Today, a ‘Robertson’ ball carrying the ‘Allan’ stamp is highly sought after by collectors. Following the introduction of the ‘guttie ball’ that revolutionized golf, his business collapsed and he was forced quickly moved to manufacture the ‘guttie’, made from liquid rubber (gutta percha) found in Malaysia. However, it was his playing ability that set him apart and it was not long before he established himself. From 1843 onward he was generally regarded as the best golfer. His style was neat and effective. He held his clubs near the end of the handle, even his putter high up. His clubs were light, and his stroke an easy, swift switch. He always kept cool and generally pulled through a match even when he got behind. It is said that he never lost a match when playing for money and occasionally deliberately extended his challenge matches to the 17th hole, when he could have polished off his foe much earlier. He did that not only to avoid wounding his opponent’s pride, but also to make it impossible for the opponent to ask for increased odds at their next match. It was in 1858 that he became the first person to score less than 80 on the Old Course, recording a round of 79, using a ‘guttie’. A year later he died, a few months after an attack of jaundice. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) issued a statement on his death exalting his contribution to golf, and organized an annual collection to provide for his widow. His portrait is displayed in the R&A's gallery. It is believed that The Open Championship came about as a result of his death. Since he was recognized as the best player during much of his lifetime, golfers at Prestwick Golf Club formed a competition in 1860, to decide who would succeed him as the ‘Champion Golfer’. The Open, has been contested annually ever since, except for war years, and is the longest-running golf championship, and the oldest of the four major championships.