Edward Rivers John Ray was a British professional golfer, one of the leading players of the first quarter of the 20th century. He won two major championships, the Open Championship in 1912 and the U.S. Open in 1920, and contended in many others. He was captain of the British team in the inaugural Ryder Cup, in 1927.
The British PGA Matchplay Championship was a match play golf tournament that began in 1903 and ran until 1979. Between 1903 and 1969, the event was sponsored by the now defunct British newspaper the News of the World, and was commonly known by the paper's name. Initially organised as the championship of British professionals, the event came to include invited players from other countries – in particular from around the Commonwealth. On occasion, American professionals also took part, notably in 1949 when eight members of the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup side accepted invites to the event, Lloyd Mangrum reaching the semi-finals.
The Tooting Bec Cup is a trophy currently awarded by the Professional Golfers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland to the association member born in, or with a parent or parents born in, the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland who returns the lowest single-round score in The Open Championship.
The Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament was a professional golf tournament played annually from 1911 to 1914. Total prize money was £350 provided by the owners of The Sphere and The Tatler. The winners received individual silver trophies. It followed a similar format to that used for the popular News of the World Matchplay except that it was a foursomes event rather than singles.
Bertie Snowball was an English professional golfer who played in the early 20th century. He was at his peak as a player from 1904 to 1908 but was still competitive as late as 1914. He was killed in 1915 during World War I.
Phillip John Gaudin was a professional golfer from Jersey who played in the late 19th and early 20th century. He had three top-10 finishes in the Open Championship. His best result was a tie for eighth place in the 1914 Open Championship. He tied for ninth place in both the 1901 and 1908 Open Championships.
The England–Scotland Professional Match was an annual men's professional golf competition between teams representing England and Scotland. It was played from 1903 to the start of World War I and was then revived in 1932 and played until the start of World War II. The match was played on a single day, generally a few days before the Open Championship. Except on one occasion, there were 12 players in each team who played 12 singles matches and 6 foursomes. Scotland won the inaugural match in 1903 but didn't win another match, although three matches were tied. The event was organised by the PGA and only members of the PGA were eligible to play.
The Midland Professional Championship is an annual golf tournament played in the English Midlands. The event is organised by the Midlands Region of the Professional Golfers' Association. It is the oldest tournament in professional golf having been first contested in 1898.
Robert Thomson was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the late 19th century into the early 20th century. Thomson had two career top-10 finishes in the Open Championship. In 1903 he finished tied for 6th place and in 1905 finished 7th.
The 1903 News of the World Match Play was the first News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 October at Sunningdale Golf Club. 32 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £200. James Braid defeated Ted Ray 4 & 3 in the final to win the tournament.
The 1904 News of the World Match Play was the second News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Tuesday 4 to Thursday 6 October at Mid-Surrey Golf Club. 32 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £240. J.H. Taylor defeated Alfred Toogood 5 & 3 in the final to win the tournament.
The 1905 News of the World Match Play was the third News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 October at Walton Heath Golf Club. 32 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £240. James Braid defeated Tom Vardon 4 & 3 in the final to win the tournament.
The 1906 News of the World Match Play was the fourth News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Tuesday 2 to Thursday 4 October at Notts Golf Club. 32 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £240. Sandy Herd defeated Charles Mayo 8 & 7 in the final to win the tournament.
The 1907 News of the World Match Play was the fifth News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Tuesday 15 to Thursday 17 October at Sunningdale Golf Club. 32 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £240. James Braid defeated J.H. Taylor 4 & 2 in the final to win the tournament.
The 1908 News of the World Match Play was the sixth News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Tuesday 6 to Thursday 8 October at Mid-Surrey Golf Club. 32 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £240. J.H. Taylor defeated Fred Robson by 2 holes in the final to win the tournament.
The 1909 News of the World Match Play was the seventh News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 October at Walton Heath Golf Club. 32 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £240. Tom Ball defeated Sandy Herd 7 & 5 in the final to win the tournament.
The 1911 News of the World Match Play was the ninth News of the World Match Play tournament, played from 3 to 5 October 1911 at the Walton Heath Golf Club. 32 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £400. James Braid defeated Ted Ray by 1 hole in the final to win the tournament.
The 1912 News of the World Match Play was the tenth News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 October at Sunningdale Golf Club. 32 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £400. Harry Vardon defeated Ted Ray by 1 hole in the final to win the tournament.
The 1913 News of the World Match Play was the eleventh News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Tuesday 7 to Thursday 9 October at Walton Heath Golf Club. 32 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £400. George Duncan defeated James Braid 3 & 2 in the final to win the tournament. This was Braid's fifth final but the first time he had been beaten.
The 1919 News of the World Match Play was the twelfth News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Monday 29 September to Thursday 2 October at Walton Heath Golf Club. 64 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £590. Abe Mitchell defeated George Duncan by 1 hole in the final to win the tournament. It was Mitchell's first appearance in the event.
James Sherlock 
