London Professional Foursomes Tournament

Last updated

London Professional Foursomes
Tournament information
Location England
Established1907
Final year1911
Final champion
Tom Ball and Fred Robson

The London Professional Foursomes Tournament was a professional golf tournament played annually from 1907 to 1911. In 1909 the southern section of the PGA took over the organisation of the event which was called the Southern Professional Foursomes Tournament. The winners received the "Dewar Shields" donated by Sir Thomas Dewar.

Contents

The Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament started in 1911 and the Southern Professional Foursomes was not played again.

History

1907

In late 1906 Sir Thomas Dewar presented a 50-guinea challenge cup for a London Professional Foursomes Tournament. [1] The tournament was a knock-out event. In the early rounds the first named couple in the draw had the choice of course. The semi-finals and final were to be played at a neutral venue. Each round had to be completed by a specific date with the final to be completed by the end of February 1907. Matches were over 36 holes with a sudden-death playoff in the event of a tie. [2] Initially 7 first-round matches were played but, through some oversight, this only reduced the number of pairs to 18 and two further first-round matches were needed to reduce the number of pairs from the initial 25 to 16. [3] The final was between Rowland Jones/Alfred Toogood and Ralph Smith/Albert Tingey, Sr. and was arranged for 27 February. However, Jones had arranged to play in Grand Duke Michael's Tournament in Cannes on 26 and 27 February and so could not play on the pre-arranged date. It was suggested that the final be postponed but it was argued that Jones should not have entered unless he was available and so Smith and Tingey claimed the final. [4] [5] A fill-in match involving Smith and Tingey was arranged. The chief prizes were a pair of shields to be held for one year and gold medals presented by Mr F A Johnson. [4]

In late August a 108-hole match was arranged on the Isle of Wight between the finalists. 36 holes were played on three successive days on three different courses, at St Helens, the Needles and Sandown. [6] Jones and Toogood, both of whom were from the Isle of Wight, won comfortably 12&10. [7]

The interest in the London Professional Foursomes led to running of a Midland Professional Foursomes tournament using a similar format. [8]

1908

The format was revised for 1908 with each round being played on the same day on a specific course. 13 matches were played at Banstead Downs on 3 March which reduced the field from 29 to 16 pairs. [9] The final was arranged for 6 April at Walton Heath and was to be between George Duncan/Charles Mayo and Ben Sayers, Jr./Jack White. Unfortunately Jack White was ill and, a postponement not being allowed, the final was awarded to George Duncan and Charles Mayo. [10]

1909

In early 1909 the southern section of the PGA took over the management of the event from Mr Johnson. Entry was restricted to southern section members. [11] The first four rounds were played at Bushey Hall on 6 and 7 April, matches being reduced to 18 holes. 27 pairs played. [12] The 36-hole final was played at Walton Heath on 26 May and resulted in a convincing win for James Batley and William Horne. [13]

1910

The 1910 event was planned for 26 to 28 January at Stoke Poges with four 18-hole rounds on the first two days followed by a 36-hole final. 26 pairs played. The ground was very frosty for the first two days and then there was snow followed by a rapid thaw which left the course waterlogged and the final had to be postponed. [14] The final was rearranged for 8 February and was won by the Taylor brothers, J.H. and Josh. [15]

1911

The 1911 event was played from 14 to 16 March at Fulwell. As in 1910 there were four 18-hole rounds on the first two days followed by a 36-hole final. 29 pairs played. The final was won by Tom Ball and Fred Robson. [16]

Winners

YearWinnersCountryVenueMargin
of victory
Runners-upWinner's
share (£)
Ref
London Professional Foursomes Tournament
1907 Ralph Smith &
Albert Tingey, Sr.
Flag of England.svg  England
Flag of England.svg  England
Bramshot Golf Club Walk-over Flag of England.svg Rowland Jones &
Flag of England.svg Alfred Toogood
[17]
1908 George Duncan &
Charles Mayo
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland
Flag of England.svg  England
Walton Heath Golf Club Walk-over Flag of Scotland.svg Ben Sayers, Jr. &
Flag of Scotland.svg Jack White
[18]
Southern Professional Foursomes Tournament
1909 James Batley &
William Horne
Flag of England.svg  England
Flag of England.svg  England
Walton Heath Golf Club 11 & 10 Flag of England.svg James Bradbeer &
Flag of England.svg George Charles
[13]
1910 J.H. Taylor &
Josh Taylor
Flag of England.svg  England
Flag of England.svg  England
Stoke Poges Golf Club 6 & 5 Flag of England.svg James Bradbeer &
Flag of England.svg George Charles
[15]
1911 Tom Ball &
Fred Robson
Flag of England.svg  England
Flag of England.svg  England
Fulwell Golf Club 3 & 2 Flag of England.svg Charles Johns &
Flag of England.svg Anthony Kettley
[16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Ray (golfer)</span> English professional golfer (1877–1943)

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 Penfold Tournament was a golf tournament on the British PGA tournament circuit. Since the circuit later evolved into the European Tour, the tournament is recognised as an official European Tour event from 1972. It was played between 1932 and 1935, and from 1946 to 1974 at a variety of courses in the United Kingdom. The tournament was sponsored by Penfold Golf and was often played at coastal resorts, whose councils shared the costs. In 1974, Penfold were taken over by Colgate-Palmolive and continued their sponsorship through the Penfold PGA Championship from 1975 to 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Toogood</span> English golfer

Alfred Henry Toogood, Sr. was an English professional golfer who played during the late 19th and early 20th century. Toogood finished fourth in the 1894 Open Championship and won £7. He also tied for ninth place in the 1895 Open Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Mayo (golfer)</span> English professional golfer (1884–1977)

Charles Henry Mayo was an English professional golfer of the early 20th century. Mayo won the 1911 Belgian Open held at the Royal Golf Club of Belgium. Frenchman Arnaud Massy finished in second place. He had seven starts in the Open Championship, his best finish being T11 in 1912. He finished runner-up in the 1908 French Open and had five international appearances representing England against Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bertie Snowball</span> English professional golfer

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.

Grand Duke Michael's Tournament was a professional invitational golf tournament played at Cannes Golf Club in Cannes, France, and promoted by the Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia. The event was held just once, on 26 February 1907. The tournament was contested by 12 invited players. The main event was a stroke-play contest over 36 holes, won by Arnaud Massy, a stroke ahead of Ted Ray.

Geoffrey Michael Hunt is an English professional golfer, the younger brother of Bernard Hunt. Hunt is best remembered for playing in the 1963 Ryder Cup with his brother Bernard, the first brothers to play in the same Ryder Cup team since the Whitcombe brothers in 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Tingey Sr.</span> English golfer

Albert Tingey Sr. was an English professional golfer. Tingey finished tied for ninth in the 1899 Open Championship. He was a club maker, specializing in the production of putters. He served in World War I in a pals battalion and was one of the founding members of the British PGA.

The Goodwin (Sheffield) Foursomes Tournament was a professional golf tournament played in the Sheffield area of England. The event was held from 1952 to 1954 and had total prize money of £3,000. The winning finalists shared £500 with £300 to the runners-up. The event was sponsored by Sir Stuart Goodwin, a Yorkshire steel industrialist.

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 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 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 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.

James Benjamin Batley (1876–1964) was an English professional golfer. His main successes came in foursomes events, winning the 1909 London Professional Foursomes Tournament and the 1914 Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament. He played for England in the 1912 England–Scotland Professional Match.

Charles Johns was an English professional golfer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Taylor (golfer)</span> English golfer

Joshua Taylor was an English professional golfer, the younger brother of J. H. Taylor. He played in the 1913 England–Scotland Professional Match and for Great Britain in the 1921 match against America.

Michael Moran was an Irish professional golfer, the leading Irish golfer of his generation. He won the Irish Professional Championship five years in succession from 1909 to 1913 before moving to England and being ineligible to compete in 1914. He played in the Open Championship from 1909 to 1914 with a series of high finishes. He finished joint third in 1913 despite a disastrous 89 in the third round which included a 10 at the first hole. He died in France in 1918 at the age of 31.

The Midland Professional Foursomes was an annual professional foursomes golf tournament played in the English Midlands. The event ran from 1907 to 1939. Initially it was a match-play event but from 1925 it became a 36-hole stroke-play tournament. Martini sponsored a similar event from 1956 to 1960, while other events were held in 1963 and 1965.

References

  1. "Golf – The London Professional Foursome Tournament". The Times. 21 December 1906. p. 10.
  2. "Golf – The London Professional Foursome Tournament". The Times. 22 December 1906. p. 7.
  3. "Golf – The London Professional Foursome Tournament". The Times. 19 January 1907. p. 7.
  4. 1 2 "Golf – London Professional Foursome Tournament". The Times. 22 February 1907. p. 8.
  5. "Golf – London Professional Foursome Tournament". The Times. 23 February 1907. p. 12.
  6. "Professional Foursome for £50". The Times. 23 May 1907. p. 10.
  7. "Professional Foursome for £50". The Times. 31 August 1907. p. 9.
  8. "Midland professional foursome competition". Birmingham Gazette and Express. 26 January 1907. p. 7 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Golf – London Professional Foursome Tournament". The Times. 4 March 1908. p. 13.
  10. "Golf – The London Professional Foursome Tournament". The Times. 7 April 1908. p. 11.
  11. "London Professional Foursomes". The Times. 20 March 1909. p. 20.
  12. "Golf – Southern Professional Foursomes". The Times. 8 April 1909. p. 4.
  13. 1 2 "London professional foursomes". The Glasgow Herald . 27 May 1909. p. 13.
  14. "Golf – Southern Professional Foursome Tournament". The Times. 29 January 1910. p. 16.
  15. 1 2 "Southern professional foursomes – The Taylors win the final". The Glasgow Herald . 9 February 1910. p. 13.
  16. 1 2 "Professional golf foursome – Victory of Ball and Robson". The Glasgow Herald . 17 March 1911. p. 9.
  17. "Professional match at Bramshot". The Glasgow Herald . 28 February 1907. p. 13.
  18. "London foursomes". The Glasgow Herald . 7 April 1908. p. 13.