Tournament information | |
---|---|
Location | English Midlands |
Established | 1903 |
Format | Stroke-play |
Final year | 1961 |
The Midland Challenge Cup was an annual professional golf tournament played in the English Midlands. The event was organised by the Midlands Region of the Professional Golfers' Association and ran from 1903 to 1961. For most of its existence it acted as the Midland section qualifying event for the News of the World Match Play. Sectional qualification was discontinued after 1961 and the event was not held again.
The Midland Professional Golf Club held its first meeting in late 1897. [1] Initially four tournaments were held each year, one being a championship. The first championship was held in May 1898. [2] However, in 1900 the schedule was reduced to two, a championship meeting in April and an open meeting in October, open to professionals from outside the Midland region. the first open event, at Sandwell Park, was won by Robert Munro. [3] There was another open meeting at Olton in 1901, won by James Sherlock. [4] In 1902 the Midland Professional Golf Club amalgamated with the Professional Golfers' Association, which had been formed in 1901, becoming the Midland section of the PGA. [5] The 1902 open tournament saw Harry Vardon, JH Taylor, and James Braid competing and was won by JH Taylor. [6]
In 1902 the Midland Counties Competition, an organisation that ran some important amateur competitions in the Midlands and a predecessor of the current Midland Golf Union, passed a resolution recommending that clubs in the region subscribe a maximum of two guineas towards prize money in the two Midland professional tournaments. [7] Some of the money raised was used to purchase a new trophy, the "Midland Challenge Cup", which was first awarded at the 1903 open meeting at Hollinwell. [8] The first News of the World Match Play tournament was also held in 1903. Each section was allocated a number of places in the final stage, the Midland section having 5 of the 32 places. The open event acted as the qualifying event, the leading five midland players progressing to the final stage. [9] The tournament was a 36-hole stroke-play event, contested in a single day. Tom Williamson won, four strokes ahead of James Sherlock. [9]
The same system was used for a number of years. The Midland Professional Championship was held in April with the open event played in September, at which the Midland Challenge Cup was awarded and places for the midland golfers in the final stage of the News of the World Match Play. Sandy Herd won the Midland Challenge Cup in 1904, six strokes ahead of George Cawsey, the leading midland player. [10] Tom Williamson won for the second time in 1905 with George Cawsey winning in 1906. [11] [12] Philip Wynne won in 1907 with George Coburn the leading midland golfer. In 1907 the number of News of the World qualifiers was reduced to four. [13] Coburn won in 1908. [14] 1909 produced the first tie in the event, between Charles Mayo and Wilfrid Reid. The pair played another nine holes in the evening, Mayo winning by two strokes. Frank Coltart tied for third place and was the leading midland player. [15] 1910 produced another tie, between two midland players George Tuck and William Jeffries. As in 1909 a 9-hole playoff was arranged, Tuck winning by several strokes. [16]
1911 saw the introduction of a second event for which was sectional qualification was required. the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament. Qualification was based on individual stroke-play, qualifiers being drawn randomly into pairs for the finals stage. The Midland section was allocated 9 of the 64 places. The Midland section took the opportunity to switch the events; the Midland Challenge Cup being played as an open event in April, serving as the qualifying for the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes in May, while the championship was held in the autumn and acted as qualification for the News of the World Match Play, for which five places were now available. [17] [18] The reversal of the events caused some confusion in the press. Wilfrid Reid won the event three years in a row from 1911 to 1913. In 1911 he finished two strokes ahead of Jack Oke while in 1912 he was a stroke ahead of Tom Williamson. [19] [20] In 1913 he was tied with Laurie Ayton Snr but won the 18-hole playoff the following day by five strokes. [21] Tom Williamson won in 1914. He was tied with Jack B. Ross but won the playoff the next day by six strokes, [22]
In May 1919 the Midland section held a "Victory Tournament". Tom Williamson tied with Archie Compston after the 36 holes and they were still tied after a further nine holes. Williamson won after a further nine holes were player. [23]
Although the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes was not revived after the war, another event, the 72-hole Daily Mail Tournament, replaced it in the calendar and also involved sectional qualifying. The Midland Challenge Cup continued to be played in April acting as the qualification event for the Daily Mail tournament. At Hollinwell in 1920 the cup was won by Hugh Roberts, a stroke ahead of Tom Williamson. [24] Len Holland won in 1921, beating Arthur Ham and Alfred Matthews in an 18-hole playoff. [25] From 1922 to 1924 there were big wins, James Adwick winnin9g by five strokes in 1922, Michael Bingham by four in 1923 and Holland by five in 1924. [26] [27] [28] Williamson won three times in a row from 1925 to 1927, each time by one stroke. [29] [30] [31]
The Daily Mail Tournament was not played from 1928 to 1935 and the opportunity was taken to separate the News of the World Match Play qualifying from the championship. The Midland Challenge Cup was awarded to the winner of the News of the World qualifying event, as was the case before 1911. The number of qualification places for the News of the World event varied from year to year but in this period was either 9 or 10. In 1928 this was held in June with the championship in September but from 1929 the order was reversed, with the championship played in the early part of the year and the News of the World qualifying in September. Tom Barber won the cup in 1928, after a playoff against Charles Pixton, and retained it the following year. [32] [33] There were two multiple winners in the 1930, Bill Martin winning in 1934 and 1935, while Jack McMillan won in 1936 and 1939. [34] [35] [36] [37]
In early 1940 the cup was awarded to the leading qualifier in the Midland section of the Daily Mail Tournament, and was won by Tom Haliburton. [38] For a number of year the winner of the cup was not widely reported but it seems that was also given to leading Midland qualifier in the Daily Mail event in 1949 and 1950, the last two year of that tournament. From 1951 it was awarded again awarded to the winner of the News of the World Match Play qualification event. From 1956 the Midland Professional Championship and the Midland Challenge Cup were played on successive days at the same venue. Ralph Moffitt won the Midland Challenge Cup three times, in 1954, 1956 and 1960. [39] In 1956 the winner of the event was Alex Tibbles, then working in Peru. He was not eligible to win the Midland Challenge Cup, which was won by Moffitt, the runner-up in the event. [40] Frank Jowle was another multiple winner, winning in 1955 and 1959. [41] [42] George Maisey was final winner of the event, winning in 1961. [43] From 1962 sectional qualification for the News of the World championship was replaced by local qualifying on the two days prior to the knock-out stage.
In 1980 the cup was reused as the trophy for the Midland Matchplay Championship which had started in 1972 and ran until 1999. [44]
Year | Winner | Score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | Venue | Ref | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Midland Challenge Cup | ||||||||
1903 | Tom Williamson | 151 | 4 strokes | James Sherlock | Hollinwell | [9] | ||
1904 | Sandy Herd | 146 | 6 strokes | George Cawsey | Sandwell Park | [10] | ||
1905 | Tom Williamson | 145 | 1 stroke | John Hutchings | Kings Norton | [11] | ||
1906 | George Cawsey | 152 | 1 stroke | Harry Cawsey Jack Oke | Handsworth | [12] | ||
1907 | Philip Wynne | 146 | 3 strokes | George Coburn | Olton | [13] | ||
1908 | George Coburn | 148 | 1 stroke | George Cawkwell | Streetly | [14] | ||
1909 | Charles Mayo | 149 | Playoff [lower-alpha 1] | Wilfrid Reid | Kings Norton | [15] | ||
1910 | George Tuck | 146 | Playoff [lower-alpha 2] | William Jeffries | Castle Bromwich | [16] | ||
1911 | Wilfrid Reid | 153 | 2 strokes | Jack Oke | Harborne | [19] | ||
1912 | Wilfrid Reid | 148 | 1 stroke | Tom Williamson | Hallowes | [20] | ||
1913 | Wilfrid Reid | 150 | Playoff [lower-alpha 3] | Laurie Ayton Snr | Walmley | [45] [21] | ||
1914 | Tom Williamson | 148 | Playoff [lower-alpha 4] | Jack B. Ross | Northampton County | [46] [22] | ||
1915–1918: No tournament | ||||||||
PGA Midland Section Victory Tournament | ||||||||
1919 | Tom Williamson | 152 | Playoff [lower-alpha 5] | Archie Compston | Castle Bromwich | [23] | ||
Midland Challenge Cup | ||||||||
1920 | Hugh Roberts | 156 | 1 stroke | Tom Williamson | Hollinwell | [24] | ||
1921 | Len Holland | 150 | Playoff [lower-alpha 6] | Arthur Ham Alfred Matthews | North Shore | [47] [25] | ||
1922 | James Adwick | 149 | 5 strokes | W,J. King | Burton-on-Trent | [26] | ||
1923 | Michael Bingham | 144 | 4 strokes | Ted Douglas Willie Robertson Frank Weston | Coventry | [27] | ||
1924 | Len Holland | 146 | 5 strokes | Cecil Hobley | Sherwood Forest | [28] | ||
1925 | Tom Williamson | 149 | 1 stroke | James Adwick Ted Douglas | Leek | [29] | ||
1926 | Tom Williamson | 144 | 1 stroke | Harry Walker | Sandwell Park | [30] | ||
1927 | Tom Williamson | 156 | 1 stroke | Tom Barber George Buckle Ken Hooker Jim Morris | Hollinwell | [31] | ||
1928 | Tom Barber | 150 | Playoff [lower-alpha 7] | Charles Pixton | Little Aston | [32] [48] | ||
1929 | Tom Barber | 145 | 1 stroke | Freddie Beck | Sherwood Forest | [33] | ||
1930 | Frank Weston | 145 | Playoff [lower-alpha 8] | Jack Seager | Birstall | [49] [50] | ||
1931 | Bill Firkins | 140 | Playoff [lower-alpha 9] | Alfred Matthews | Walmley | [51] [52] | ||
1932 | George Buckle | 145 | 1 stroke | Tom Green | Harborne | [53] | ||
1933 | Tom Green | 143 | 1 stroke | Ernest Cawsey | Burnham Beeches | [54] | ||
1934 | Bill Martin | 134 | 10 strokes | George Buckle | Hollinwell | [34] | ||
1935 | Bill Martin | 140 | 1 stroke | Charlie Ward | Copt Heath | [35] | ||
1936 | Jack McMillan | 139 | 3 strokes | George Buckle | Handsworth | [36] | ||
1937 | Ken Hooker | 137 | Playoff [lower-alpha 10] | George Buckle | Copt Heath | [55] [56] | ||
1938 | George Johnson | 141 | 1 stroke | Bill Branch | Leicestershire | [57] | ||
1939 | Jack McMillan | 138 | 2 strokes | Bob Pemberton | Moseley | [37] | ||
1940–1945: No tournament | ||||||||
1946 | Tom Haliburton | 152 | 4 strokes | Herbert Manton Charlie Ward | Little Aston | [38] | ||
1947 | Not known | |||||||
1948 | Not known | |||||||
1949 | Norman Roffe | 140 | 3 strokes | Freddie Beck Charlie Ward Bert Williamson | Cotswold Hills | [58] | ||
1950 | Jack Seager | 146 | 2 strokes | Jack Hargreaves Alex Tibbles Bert Williamson | Woodhall Spa | [59] | ||
1951 | Bert Williamson | 138 | 2 strokes | Jack Green | Abbeydale | [60] | ||
1952 | Bernard Hunt | 142 | 2 strokes | Henry Coleman | South Staffordshire | [61] | ||
1953 | Jack Hargreaves | 140 | 1 stroke | George Johnson | Sherwood Forest | [62] | ||
1954 | Ralph Moffitt | 137 | 4 strokes | Norman Roffe | Finham Park | [63] | ||
1955 | Frank Jowle | 134 | 5 strokes | Charlie Ward | Copt Heath | [41] | ||
1956 | Alex Tibbles [lower-alpha 11] | 140 | 3 strokes | Ralph Moffitt | Walsall | [40] | ||
1957 | David Snell | 151 | 3 strokes | Jack Hargreaves | Seacroft | [64] | ||
1958 | Charlie Ward | 136 | 5 strokes | Peter Butler | Hawkstone Park | [65] | ||
1959 | Frank Jowle | 141 | 2 strokes | Peter Butler | Luffenham Heath | [42] | ||
1960 | Ralph Moffitt | 140 | 2 strokes | Peter Butler Ron Moses Charlie Ward | Ladbrook Park | [39] | ||
1961 | George Maisey | 139 | 1 stroke | Peter Butler | Hawkstone Park | [43] |
From 1903 to 1910, from 1928 to 1939 and from 1951 to 1961 it was the Midland section qualifying event for the News of the World Matchplay. From 1911 to 1914 it was the qualifying event for the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament. From 1920 to 1927 and in 1946, 1949 and 1950 it was the qualifying event for the Daily Mail Tournament.
Paul Stewart Lawrie is a Scottish professional golfer who is best known for winning The Open Championship in 1999. He was a vice-captain for the European Ryder Cup team in 2016.
Brian J. Waites is an English professional golfer. Although he turned professional in 1957, he played little top-level golf for the next 20 years, but then has considerable success, winning twice on the European Tour, five times on the Safari Circuit and playing in the 1983 Ryder Cup. After reaching 50 he had further success as a senior, winning the PGA Seniors Championship twice, and winning four times on the European Senior Tour.
Peter Joseph Butler was an English professional golfer. He was one of the leading British golfers of the 1960s and early 1970s. He won a number of important tournaments including the 1963 PGA Close Championship and the 1968 French Open. He played in four Ryder Cup matches between 1965 and 1973 and three times in the World Cup. He played in the Open Championship 23 times, with two top-10 finishes, and seven successive times in the Masters from 1964 to 1970.
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 1916 PGA Championship was the first PGA Championship, which is now considered one of golf's major championships. It was held October 10–14 at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York, just north of New York City in Westchester County.
Tom Williamson was an English professional golfer who played in the early 20th century. Williamson finished in the top 10 in the Open Championship on six occasions and played in it over fifty years. His best performance came in the 1914 Open Championship when he tied for fourth place, six shots behind the winner. With Harry Vardon he won the 1913 Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament by a convincing 7 & 5 margin. He was Captain of England in 1909 and represented England between 1904 and 1913. He won the Midland Professional Championship when it was first held in 1897 and a further six times. He was a renowned club maker and was the first to number clubs in 1906. He experimented with score cards placing a course plan on the reverse side in 1930. He designed sixty courses, the majority in the East Midlands. He was a founder member of the PGA and became its Captain in 1928. He had a good reputation as a teacher and taught Enid Wilson who won the English Ladies Championship three times. He was known as a modest man of integrity.
The Roehampton Invitation Tournament was a British golf tournament played each April at the Roehampton Club from 1920 to 1935. From 1922 the tournament was played over three days. There was 36 holes of stroke play on the first day with the leading 16 players qualifying for a knock-out contest on the following two days. Except in 1920 the total prize money was £200. A challenge cup was awarded to the winner to remain the absolute property of any player who won the tournament on two occasions, not necessarily consecutive. Three players won the cup outright: Abe Mitchell, Mark Seymour and Archie Compston. The tournament was cancelled in 1936 because of "the crowded state of the fixture list".
The Northern Professional Championship was a professional golf tournament played in Northern England. The event was generally a regional tournament but from 1923 and 1927 and in 1936 it was an open event with significant prize money.
The Leeds Cup is a golf tournament that has been played annually in northern England since 1902. The event is organised by the north region of the Professional Golfers' Association. It is the oldest trophy in professional golf that is still played for. The Tooting Bec Cup is older, having been first played for in 1901, but is no longer contested.
The PGA Assistants' Championship is a golf tournament for golf club assistant professionals. It is held by the British PGA. The first championship was held in 1930 but earlier national tournaments for assistant professionals had been held since 1910.
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.
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 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.
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.
The Midland Open is an annual golf tournament played in the English Midlands. The event is currently organised by the Midlands Region of the Professional Golfers' Association.
The Martini Professional Foursomes was a series of regional and national professional foursomes golf tournaments played in the England and Scotland between 1956 and 1960.
Stuart William Thomas Murray was a Scottish professional golfer. He had success as an amateur, winning the Scottish Amateur in 1961 and playing in the 1963 Walker Cup. A change in the rules relating to amateur status pushed him into turning professional in late 1963. He won the Midland Professional Championship three times between 1964 and 1968 and also the Strong Country Tournament in 1965.