British PGA Matchplay Championship

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(Redirected from
News of the World Match Play
)

British PGA Matchplay Championship
Tournament information
Location
European Tour
FormatMatch play
Prize fund£40,000
Final year1979
Tournament record score
Score10 and 8 Henry Cotton (1932)
Final champion
Republic of Ireland Des Smyth
Location Map
Fulford GC is located in England
Fulford GC
Fulford GC
Location in England

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,[1] 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 (it was won on four occasions by Australia's Peter Thomson, a record number of victories shared with Dai Rees and James Braid). 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.

For many years, the event had the richest prize fund in British golf, and certainly in the pre-

J. H. Taylor and James Braid, along with Ted Ray, who would go on to win both the British and U.S. Opens
.

After World War II, the event provided several notable British and Irish players, like Christy O'Connor Snr, Eric Brown and Dave Thomas, with their greatest triumphs, and also became a showcase for the matchplay strength of Neil Coles, who was at least a semi-finalist eleven times in eighteen years, a remarkable achievement considering the field normally comprised 64 and on occasion 128 players.

The tournament was also often notable for remarkable runs to the later stages by veteran players –

European Tour from its first season in 1972, but was discontinued following the 1979 event when a replacement sponsor could not be found after Sun Alliance moved to supporting the stroke play championship instead.[1][2] The last champion was Irishman Des Smyth, who beat a youthful Nick Price
in the final.

History

1903

The tournament was announced in August. £200 had been given by the News of the World to the PGA for the competition. The final stage would be at Sunningdale Golf Club from 13 to 15 October and would be a knock-out match-play contest by 32 professionals. Qualification was by a series of 36-hole stroke-play competitions; one for each of the five PGA sections. The number of qualifiers from each section was based on the membership of that section. The Southern section had 16 qualifiers, the Midland and Northern sections had 5 each, the Scottish section 4 and the Irish section 2. The matches in the final stage were over 18 holes except for the final which was over 36 holes. Extra holes were played in the event of a tied match. The winner received £100, the runner-up £30, losing semi-finalists £15 and losing quarter-finalists £10.[3] The semi-finalists also received medals: the winner gold, the runner-up silver and the losing semi-finalists bronze.

In the first round

J.H. Taylor and won 4&2. Ray beat George Coburn 4&3 in the other match. They had been level after 7 holes but Ray won the next 4 to take a convincing lead.[5] In the final Braid led by 1 hole after the first round. In the afternoon Braid won 3 of the first 5 holes to go 4 up and, although Ray won the next two, Braid eventually won 4&3.[6]

1914

The final stages were planned for Oxhey Golf Club on 6, 7 and 8 October with the same format and prize money as previously. In mid-August the PGA cancelled the tournament. The Western section had played their qualification tournament on 9 July at which Charles and Ernest Whitcombe qualified.

1919

The arrangements for the 1919 tournament were sorted out at a late stage. In mid-July it was decided that the number of qualifiers for the final stage would be increased from 32 to 64 and the "News of the World" agreed to increase the prize money. The West of England section had already played their qualifying competition under the impression there were 2 places available. They were allocated 4 in the new system. Other sections were allocated the following places: Southern 26, Northern 12, Midland 10, Scotland 5, Welsh 4, Eastern 2 and Irish 1. The tournament was extended to a fourth day with the 32 18-hole first round matches played on the first day. The losing quarter-finalists received £12 10s, third round losers £10, second round losers £7 10s and first round losers £5. Prize money totalled £590.

1921

Prize money was increased to £750 with the winner receiving £200, the runner-up £50, the losing semi-finalists £30, the losing quarter-finalists £15 and third round losers £12 10s.

1925

Prize money was increased to £1,040 with the winner receiving £300, the runner-up £100, the losing semi-finalists £50, the losing quarter-finalists £25 and prizes of £15, £10 and £5 for losers in the first three rounds.

1935

Prize money was increased to £1,250 with the losing quarter-finalists receiving £27 10s and prizes of £20, £15 and £7 10s for losers in the first three rounds.

1939

The final stages were planned for St George's Hill Golf Club from 12 to 15 September with the same format and prize money as previously. Qualifying events had been completed when the PGA cancelled the tournament in early September on the outbreak of World War II.

1940

The cancelled 1939 event was re-arranged for Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club from 30 April to 3 May. The 64 qualifiers for the 1939 tournament were invited although a number were unable to play.

1945

The 1945 event was arranged at short notice and there were no qualifying events. There were 149 entries and the tournament was played at Walton Heath Golf Club from 23 to 27 July. 21 matches were played on the first day to reduce the field to 128. There were 64 matches on the second day and then two rounds were played each day. The final was played over 18 holes for the first time. Both New and Old courses were used for the last-128 and last-64 rounds. Total prize money was £2,000 with the winner receiving £600, the runner-up £200, semi-finalists £100, quarter-finalists £50 and prizes of £30, £15 and £10 for those reaching the last-64 stage.

1946

The 1946 tournament reverted to the earlier format with 64 players qualifying for the knock-out stage played from 25 to 28 September. The final was over 36 holes. Prize money remained at £2,000 with £550 for the winner, £250 for the losing finalist and £120 for the losing semi-finalists.

1947

Prize money was increased to £2,500 with £750 for the winner and £250 for the losing finalist.

1949

Eight American golfers who had played in the 1949 Ryder Cup were added to the 64 qualifiers. The 8 were: Skip Alexander, Jimmy Demaret, Bob Hamilton, Dutch Harrison, Clayton Heafner, Lloyd Mangrum, Johnny Palmer and Sam Snead. The additional players meant that 8 preliminary match had to be played to reduce the field to 64. These matches were played on 20 September, extending the event to a fifth day. Total prize money was £2,620.

1950

The 1949 winner (Dai Rees) and the 1950 Open Champion (Bobby Locke) were exempted from qualifying. Locke did not play but with 64 players reaching the final stage through the sectional qualifying events there were 65 qualifiers. This meant that one preliminary match was needed; the match being played the day before the main event started. Total prize money was £2,530.

1951

The 1950 winner (Dai Rees) and the 1951 Open Champion (Max Faulkner) were exempted from qualifying. With a total of 66 players reaching the final stage, two preliminary matches were played the day before the main event started.

1953

The leaders in the Order of Merit were exempted, increasing the number of qualifiers to 76. 12 first-round matches were played to reduce the field to 64. Total prize money was £2,650.

1955

The leader 10 in the Order of Merit were exempted. 10 first-round matches were played to reduce the field to 64. Total prize money was increased to £3,000, although the first prize remained unchanged at £750.

1956

The number of qualifiers from the sectional events was reduced so that there were just 64 contestants in the final stage. The quarter-finals and semi-finals were extended to 36 holes, the event being played over 5 days from 11 to 15 September.

1957

The format was changed, with the first round matches being over 36 holes, spread over two days. The quarter-finals and semi-finals were reduced again to 18 holes, although the final was still over 36 holes.

1958

The format was changed again. All matches were reduced to 18 holes and the event reduced from 5 days to 4. One round was played on the first two days, the third round and quarter-finals were played on the third day with the semi-finals and final on the final day. This was only the second final, after 1945, to be contested over 18 holes.

1962

Sectional qualifying was dropped and replaced by local qualifying on the two days prior to the knock-out stage. Two courses were used. There was a sudden-death playoff to get exactly 64 qualifiers.

1964

12 players who had competed in the Carling World Open the previous week were exempted from qualifying so that only 52 qualified through local qualifying.

Winners

Year Winner Score Runner-up Winner's
share (£)
Venue Ref.
Sun Alliance Match Play Championship
1979 Republic of Ireland Des Smyth 1 up Zimbabwe Nick Price 6,660 Fulford
1978 England Mark James 3 and 2 England Neil Coles 8,000
Dalmahoy
[7]
1977 South Africa Hugh Baiocchi 6 and 5 Wales Brian Huggett 4,000
Stoke Poges
[8]
1976 Scotland Brian Barnes 4 and 3 Wales Craig Defoy 3,500 Kings Norton [9]
1975 Northern Ireland Eddie Polland 23 holes England Peter Butler 3,500 Lindrick [10]
Benson & Hedges Match Play Championship
1974 Australia Jack Newton 2 and 1 Mexico Cesar Sanudo 3,500 Downfield [11]
1973 England Neil Coles (3) 2 holes England Doug McClelland 3,500 Hillside [12]
1972 England John Garner 7 and 6 England Neil Coles 3,500 Moor Park
1971: No tournament
Long John Scotch Whisky Match Play Championship
1970 England Tommy Horton 3 and 2 Scotland Ronnie Shade 2,000 Moor Park [13]
News of the World Match Play Championship
1969 England Maurice Bembridge 6 and 5 Wales Dai Rees 1,250 Walton Heath [14]
1968 Wales Brian Huggett 1 up Scotland John Panton 1,250 Walton Heath [15]
1967 Australia Peter Thomson (4) 4 and 3 Wales Dai Rees 1,250 Walton Heath [16]
1966 Australia Peter Thomson (3) 2 and 1 England Neil Coles 1,250 Walton Heath [17]
1965 England Neil Coles (2) 19 holes England Lionel Platts 1,250 Walton Heath [18]
1964 England Neil Coles 3 and 2 England Peter Butler 1,250 Walton Heath [19]
1963 Wales Dave Thomas 3 and 2 Scotland John MacDonald 1,250 Turnberry [20]
1962 Scotland Eric Brown (2) 19 holes England Ross Whitehead Walton Heath [21]
1961 Australia Peter Thomson (2) 3 and 1 England Ralph Moffitt Walton Heath
1960 Scotland Eric Brown 20 holes England Harry Weetman 750 Turnberry [22]
1959 England David Snell 3 and 2 England Harry Weetman 750 Royal Birkdale [23]
1958 England Harry Weetman (2) 1 up England Bernard Hunt 750 Walton Heath [24]
1957 Republic of Ireland Christy O'Connor Snr 5 and 4 Scotland Tom Haliburton 750 Turnberry [25]
1956 Scotland John Panton 1 up England Harry Weetman 750 Royal Liverpool [26]
1955 England Ken Bousfield 4 and 3 Scotland Eric Brown 750 Walton Heath [27]
1954 Australia Peter Thomson 38 holes Scotland John Fallon 750 St Andrews [28]
1953 England Max Faulkner 1 up Wales Dai Rees 750 Ganton [29]
1952 Northern Ireland Fred Daly (3) 4 and 3 Belgium Flory Van Donck 750 Walton Heath [30]
1951 England Harry Weetman 5 and 4 Scotland Jimmy Adams 750 Royal Liverpool
1950 Wales Dai Rees (4) 7 and 6 England Frank Jowle 750 Carnoustie [31]
1949 Wales Dai Rees (3) 1 up England Henry Cotton 750 Walton Heath [32]
1948 Northern Ireland Fred Daly (2) 4 and 3
Laurie Ayton, Jnr
750 Royal Birkdale
1947 Northern Ireland Fred Daly 3 and 2 Belgium Flory Van Donck 750 Royal Lytham & St Annes [33]
1946 England Henry Cotton (3) 8 and 7 Scotland Jimmy Adams 550 Royal Liverpool [34]
News of the World Match Play
1945 England Reg Horne 4 and 3 England Percy Alliss 600 Walton Heath [35]
1941–1944: No tournament due to World War II
1940 England Henry Cotton (2) 37 holes England Alf Padgham 300 Royal Mid-Surrey [36]
1939: No tournament
1938 Wales Dai Rees (2) 4 and 3 England Eddie Whitcombe 300 Walton Heath [37]
1937 England Percy Alliss (2) 3 and 2 Scotland Jimmy Adams 300
Stoke Poges
[38]
1936 Wales Dai Rees 1 up England Ernest Whitcombe 300 Oxhey [39]
1935 England Alf Padgham (2) 3 and 2 England Percy Alliss 300 Royal Mid-Surrey [40]
1934 England Jack Busson 2 up England Charles Whitcombe 300 Walton Heath [41]
1933 England Percy Alliss 5 and 4 England Mark Seymour 300 Purley Downs [42]
1932 England Henry Cotton 10 and 8 England Alf Perry 300 Moor Park [43]
1931 England Alf Padgham 5 and 4 England Mark Seymour 300 Royal Mid-Surrey [44]
1930 England Charles Whitcombe (2) 4 and 2 England Henry Cotton 300 Oxhey [45]
1929 England Abe Mitchell (3) 8 and 7 England Philip Rodgers 300 Wentworth [46]
1928 England Charles Whitcombe 4 and 2 England Henry Cotton 300
Stoke Poges
[47]
1927 England Archie Compston (2) 8 and 7 Scotland James Braid 300 Walton Heath [48]
1926 Scotland Sandy Herd (2) 38 holes England Jack Bloxham 300 Royal Mid-Surrey [49]
1925 England Archie Compston 3 and 1 England George Gadd 300 Moor Park [50]
1924 England Ernest Whitcombe 3 and 2 England George Gadd 200
St George's Hill
[51]
1923 England Reg Wilson 4 and 2 Jersey Thomas Renouf 200 Walton Heath [52]
1922 England George Gadd 5 and 4 England Fred Leach 200 Sunningdale [53]
1921 England Bert Seymour 40 holes Jersey Jack Gaudin 200 Oxhey [54]
1920 England Abe Mitchell (2) 3 and 2 England Josh Taylor 100
Mid-Surrey
[55]
1919 England Abe Mitchell 1 up Scotland George Duncan 100 Walton Heath [56]
1914–1918: No tournament due to World War I
1913 Scotland George Duncan 3 and 2 Scotland James Braid 100 Walton Heath [57]
1912 Jersey Harry Vardon 1 up Jersey Ted Ray 100 Sunningdale [58]
1911 Scotland James Braid (4) 1 up Jersey Ted Ray 100 Walton Heath [59]
1910 England James Sherlock 8 and 6 Scotland George Duncan 100 Sunningdale [60]
1909 England Tom Ball 7 and 5 Scotland Sandy Herd 100 Walton Heath [61]
1908
J.H. Taylor
(2)
2 up England Fred Robson 100
Mid-Surrey
[62]
1907 Scotland James Braid (3) 4 and 2
J.H. Taylor
100 Sunningdale [63]
1906 Scotland Sandy Herd 8 and 7 England Charles Mayo 100 Notts [64]
1905 Scotland James Braid (2) 4 and 3 Jersey Tom Vardon 100 Walton Heath [65]
1904
J.H. Taylor
5 and 3 England Alfred Toogood 100
Mid-Surrey
[66]
1903 Scotland James Braid 4 and 3 Jersey Ted Ray 100 Sunningdale [6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Matchplay's days could be numbered". Reading Evening Post. Reading, England. 3 August 1979. p. 28. Retrieved 10 June 2020 – via British Newspapers Archive.
  2. ^ "Now Euro stars chase record £1.8m in circuit cash bonanza". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, England. 20 December 1979. p. 33. Retrieved 10 June 2020 – via British Newspapers Archive.
  3. ^ "Golf – Professional Golfers' Association". The Times. 3 August 1903. p. 10.
  4. The Glasgow Herald
    . 14 October 1903. p. 12.
  5. The Glasgow Herald
    . 15 October 1903. p. 11.
  6. ^
    The Glasgow Herald
    . 16 October 1903. p. 15.
  7. The Glasgow Herald
    . 3 July 1978. p. 17.
  8. The Glasgow Herald
    . 23 May 1977. p. 17.
  9. The Glasgow Herald
    . 6 September 1976. p. 22.
  10. The Glasgow Herald
    . 8 September 1975. p. 19.
  11. The Glasgow Herald
    . 16 September 1974. p. 5.
  12. The Glasgow Herald
    . 28 May 1973. p. 4.
  13. The Glasgow Herald
    . 31 August 1970. p. 5.
  14. The Glasgow Herald
    . 8 September 1969. p. 4.
  15. The Glasgow Herald
    . 9 September 1968. p. 6.
  16. The Glasgow Herald
    . 11 September 1967. p. 5.
  17. The Glasgow Herald
    . 12 September 1966. p. 5.
  18. The Glasgow Herald
    . 6 September 1965. p. 4.
  19. ^ Crawley, Leonard (7 September 1964). "Mechanical Coles proves worthy champion". The Daily Telegraph. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. The Glasgow Herald
    . 9 September 1963. p. 9.
  21. The Glasgow Herald
    . 10 September 1962. p. 4.
  22. The Glasgow Herald
    . 12 September 1960. p. 3.
  23. The Glasgow Herald
    . 14 September 1959. p. 9.
  24. The Glasgow Herald
    . 15 September 1958. p. 4.
  25. The Glasgow Herald
    . 16 September 1957. p. 11.
  26. The Glasgow Herald
    . 17 September 1956. p. 4.
  27. The Glasgow Herald
    . 19 September 1955. p. 4.
  28. The Glasgow Herald
    . 4 October 1954. p. 4.
  29. The Glasgow Herald
    . 21 September 1953. p. 9.
  30. The Glasgow Herald
    . 22 September 1952. p. 7.
  31. The Glasgow Herald
    . 25 September 1950. p. 6.
  32. The Glasgow Herald
    . 26 September 1949. p. 3.
  33. The Glasgow Herald
    . 29 September 1947. p. 5.
  34. The Glasgow Herald
    . 30 September 1946. p. 2.
  35. The Glasgow Herald
    . 28 July 1945. p. 6.
  36. The Glasgow Herald
    . 4 May 1940. p. 3.
  37. The Glasgow Herald
    . 17 September 1938. p. 3.
  38. The Glasgow Herald
    . 20 September 1937. p. 3.
  39. The Glasgow Herald
    . 19 September 1936. p. 3.
  40. The Glasgow Herald
    . 14 September 1935. p. 3.
  41. The Glasgow Herald
    . 22 September 1934. p. 17.
  42. The Glasgow Herald
    . 23 September 1933. p. 17.
  43. The Glasgow Herald
    . 24 September 1932. p. 16.
  44. The Glasgow Herald
    . 26 September 1931. p. 18.
  45. The Glasgow Herald
    . 27 September 1930. p. 4.
  46. The Glasgow Herald
    . 21 September 1929. p. 16.
  47. The Glasgow Herald
    . 22 September 1928. p. 12.
  48. The Glasgow Herald
    . 24 September 1927. p. 12.
  49. The Glasgow Herald
    . 25 September 1926. p. 15.
  50. The Glasgow Herald
    . 26 September 1925. p. 8.
  51. The Glasgow Herald
    . 11 October 1924. p. 15.
  52. The Glasgow Herald
    . 6 October 1923. p. 15.
  53. The Glasgow Herald
    . 7 October 1922. p. 12.
  54. The Glasgow Herald
    . 8 October 1921. p. 4.
  55. The Glasgow Herald
    . 9 October 1920. p. 9.
  56. The Glasgow Herald
    . 3 October 1919. p. 13.
  57. The Glasgow Herald
    . 10 October 1913. p. 9.
  58. The Glasgow Herald
    . 5 October 1912. p. 15.
  59. The Glasgow Herald
    . 6 October 1911. p. 15.
  60. The Glasgow Herald
    . 7 October 1910. p. 15.
  61. The Glasgow Herald
    . 8 October 1909. p. 9.
  62. The Glasgow Herald
    . 9 October 1908. p. 12.
  63. The Glasgow Herald
    . 18 October 1907. p. 12.
  64. The Glasgow Herald
    . 5 October 1906. p. 15.
  65. The Glasgow Herald
    . 6 October 1905. p. 11.
  66. The Glasgow Herald
    . 7 October 1904. p. 12.

External links