Leeds Cup
![]() Plaque on Leeds Golf Club clubhouse where the cup was first played | |
Tournament information | |
---|---|
Established | 1902 |
Course(s) | Leeds Golf Club (2024) |
Current champion | |
Paul Kinnear (2024) |
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.[1]
The Leeds Challenge Cup was first contested in May 1902 at Leeds Golf Club. The trophy was presented by Alderman Penrose-Green, Lord Mayor of Leeds and President of Leeds Golf Club to be competed for annually by professional golfers.[2] Harry Vardon was the first winner.[3] 2015 marked the 100th staging of the event.[3]
History
The Northern Counties Professional Golfers' Association was formed as a result of a meeting in Leeds on 9 January 1902.[4] At a subsequent meeting, also in Leeds, on 24 March it was decided that, subject to certain conditions, it would amalgamate with the London-based Professional Golfers' Association and become the northern section of the new enlarged association.[5] The same meeting also agreed to accept an offer from the Leeds Golf Club to host a tournament on 6 May at which the club would provide a prize.[5]
The tournament was contested over 36 holes of stroke play, on a single day. The winner received the Challenge Cup, a memento and the first of six small prizes. There was also a prize for the first apprentice.[6] It was the third tournament organised by the PGA with the Tooting Bec Cup having been contested in October 1901, followed by a tournament at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club on 23 April 1902.[7]
The weather on 6 June was wintry and the professionals had to play in a blinding hailstorm which also made putting difficult. 26 professionals entered included three times Open Champions J.H. Taylor and Harry Vardon and Sandy Herd, twice runner-up in the Open. James Braid was absent, having a prior engagement. Vardon won the cup with score of 149, his second round 73 being the best of the day. Herd and Taylor tied for second place on 153. Bertie Snowball, then a young professional at Bradford, won the apprentice prize. 21 of the 26 players returned scores for the two rounds. Mrs Penrose-Green presented the cup to Vardon and Taylor made a short speech thanking the members of the Leeds club.[6]
Winners
Year | Winner | Country | Venue | Score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | Winner's share (£) | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1902 | Harry Vardon | ![]() | Leeds Golf Club | 149 | 4 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [8] | |
1903 | Ted Ray | ![]() | Cleveland Golf Club | 147 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [9] | |
1904 | Sandy Herd | ![]() | Manchester Golf Club | 146 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() | [10] | |
1905 | Sandy Herd | ![]() | Bradford Golf Club | 145 | 5 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [11] | |
1906 | George Duncan | ![]() | Wallasey Golf Club | 154 | 5 strokes | ![]() | [12] | |
1907 | Ted Ray | ![]() | Ilkley Golf Club | 144 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [13] | |
1908 | Tom Ball | ![]() | Hesketh Golf Club | 148 | 2 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [14] | |
1909 | James Kay | ![]() | Harrogate Golf Club | 151 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [15] | |
1910 | Ted Ray | ![]() | Chorlton Golf Club | 143 | 4 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [16] | |
1911 | Ted Ray | ![]() | Roundhay Golf Club | 147 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [17] | |
1912 | Peter McEwan Jr. | ![]() | Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club | 154 | Playoff (18 holes) | ![]() | [18][19] | |
1913 | Walter Hambleton | ![]() | Bradford Golf Club | 155 | Playoff (9 holes) | ![]() | [20] | |
1914 | Thomas Renouf | ![]() | Northumberland Golf Club | 153 | 2 strokes | ![]() ![]() ![]() | [21] | |
1915–18: No tournament | ||||||||
1919 | Ted Ray | ![]() | Alwoodley Golf Club | 158 | Playoff (9 holes) | ![]() | [22] | |
1920 | Cyril Hughes | ![]() | West Lancashire Golf Club | 152 | 2 strokes | ![]() | [23] | |
1921 | Arthur Day | ![]() | Ganton Golf Club | 147 | 4 strokes | ![]() ![]() | 10 | [24][25] |
1922 | Jack Gaudin | ![]() | Manchester Golf Club | 147 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() ![]() | [26] | |
1923 | Jack Gaudin | ![]() | Hallamshire Golf Club | 141 | 2 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [27] | |
1924 | Willie Robertson | ![]() | West Lancashire Golf Club | 150 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() | [28] | |
1925 | Archie Compston | ![]() | Keighley Golf Club | 140 | 11 strokes | ![]() | [29] | |
1926 | Archie Compston | ![]() | Harrogate Golf Club | 143 | Playoff (18 holes) | ![]() | 10 | [30] |
1927 | Robert Leather | ![]() | Manchester Golf Club | 150 | 4 strokes | ![]() | [31] | |
1928 | D. C. Jones | ![]() | Oakdale Golf Club (Harrogate) | 146 | 2 strokes | ![]() | ||
1929 | Abe Mitchell | ![]() | North Shore Golf Club | 142 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [32] | |
1930 | D. C. Jones | ![]() | Lytham & St Annes Golf Club | 148 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() ![]() | [33] | |
1931 | Bill Davies | ![]() | Harrogate Golf Club | 137 | 6 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [34] | |
1932 | Bob Kenyon | ![]() | North Manchester Golf Club | 149 | Playoff (18 holes) | ![]() | [35][36] | |
1933 | Ted Jarman | ![]() | Pannal Golf Club | 144 | Playoff (18 holes) | ![]() | [37] | |
1934 | Jack Busson | ![]() | Lancaster Golf Club | 140 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [38] | |
1935 | Frank Jowle | ![]() | Moor Allerton Golf Club | 147 | Playoff (18 holes) | ![]() | [39][40] | |
1936 | Ted Jarman | ![]() | Morecambe Golf Club | 142 | 3 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [41] | |
1937 | John Fallon | ![]() | Mere Golf and Country Club | 142 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() | [42] | |
1938 | Jack Busson | ![]() | Temple Newsam Golf Club | 140 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() | [43][44] | |
1939 | Bill Davies | ![]() | Ormskirk Golf Club | 139 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [45][46] | |
1940–45: No tournament | ||||||||
1946 | Norman Sutton | ![]() | Sand Moor Golf Club | 140 | 5 strokes | ![]() | [47] | |
1947 | Eric Green | ![]() | Morecambe Golf Club | 135 | Playoff (36 holes) | ![]() | [48][49] | |
1948 | Bill Shankland | ![]() | Heysham Golf Club | 140 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [50] | |
1949 | John Fallon | ![]() | Reddish Vale Golf Club | 137 | 2 strokes | ![]() | [51] | |
1950 | Syd Scott | ![]() | Carlisle City Golf Club | 148 | Playoff (18 holes) | ![]() | [52] | |
1951 | Norman Sutton | ![]() | Heysham Golf Club | 142 | Playoff (18 holes) | ![]() | [53] | |
1952 | Syd Scott | ![]() | Worsley Golf Club | 145 | 3 strokes | ![]() ![]() ![]() | [54] | |
1953 | Syd Scott | ![]() | Harrogate Golf Club | 137 | 2 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [55] | |
1954 | Bill Branch | ![]() | Blackpool Park Golf Club | 138 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [56] | |
1955 | Syd Scott | ![]() | Huddersfield Golf Club | 146 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [57] | |
1956 | Eric Lester | ![]() | Scarcroft Golf Club | 136 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [58] | |
1957–58: Not contested | ||||||||
1959 | Tom Fairbairn | ![]() | Rotherham Golf Club | 137 | 2 strokes | ![]() | [59] | |
1960: Not contested | ||||||||
1961 | George Parton | ![]() | Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club | 142 | 2 strokes | ![]() | [60] | |
1962 | Hedley Muscroft | ![]() | Heysham Golf Club | 139 | Playoff (5 holes) | ![]() | [61] | |
1963: Not contested | ||||||||
1964 | Alex Caygill | ![]() | ||||||
1965 | Tony Coop | ![]() | Manchester Golf Club | 141 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() | [62] | |
1966 | David Naylor | ![]() | Manchester Golf Club | 141 | 4 strokes | ![]() | [63] | |
1967 | Alex Caygill | ![]() | Manchester Golf Club | 140 | [64] | |||
1968 | Bryon Hutchinson | ![]() | Manchester Golf Club | 140 | 4 strokes | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | [65] | |
1969 | Bryon Hutchinson | ![]() | Manchester Golf Club | 142 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() | [66] | |
1970 | Hedley Muscroft | ![]() | Leeds Golf Club | 139 | 1 stroke | ![]() | [67] | |
1971 | Bryon Hutchinson | ![]() | Scarcroft Golf Club | 135 | 4 strokes | ![]() | [68] | |
1972 | Bryon Hutchinson | ![]() | Carlisle Golf Club | 138 | 3 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [69] | |
1973 | Alex Caygill | ![]() | Pontefract Golf Club | 138 | 4 strokes | ![]() ![]() | [70] | |
1974: Not contested | ||||||||
1975 | David Dunk | ![]() | Scarcroft Golf Club | 136 | 4 strokes | ![]() | [71] | |
1976 | David Dunk | ![]() | Scarcroft Golf Club | 144 | Playoff | ![]() | [72] |
- 1977 Howard Clark
- 1978 Michael Nutter
- 1979 Garry Logan
- 1980 David Jagger
- 1981 Alec Bickerdike
- 1982 Mike Ingham
- 1983 Martin Foster
- 1984 Donald Stirling
- 1985 Bob Longworth
- 1986 Chris Gray
- 1987 Steve Rolley
- 1988 Gordon J. Brand
- 1989 Paul Affleck
- 1990 Donald Stirling
- 1991 Simon Townend
- 1992 Paul Carman
- 1993 Ged Furey
- 1994 Donald Stirling
- 1995 Raife Hutt
- 1996 Mike Archer
- 1997 Peter Scott
- 1998 Neil Price
- 1999 Mike Bradley
- 2000 Phillip Archer
- 2001 Robert Giles
- 2002 Graeme Bell
- 2003 Jonathan Cheetham
- 2004 James Godbold
- 2005 Simon Edwards
- 2006 Neil Price
- 2007 John Wells
- 2008 Scott Barber
- 2009 Chris Clarke
- 2010 Steve Parry
- 2011 David Smith
- 2012 Garry Houston
- 2013 Nick Ludwell
- 2014 Ben Mason
- 2015 Garry Houston
- 2016 Phillip Archer
- 2017 Michael Ramsden
- 2018 Jason Shufflebotham
- 2019 Gareth Davies
- 2020 Haydn McCullen
- 2021 Phillip Archer
- 2022 Phillip Archer
- 2023 Daniel Croft
- 2024 Paul Kinnear
Source:[73]
In 1912 McEwan beat Pulford 78 to 83 in the playoff, played the following day. In 1913 Hambleton beat Beck 40 to 43 in the playoff, played the same evening. In 1919 Ray beat Whiting 40 to 46 in the playoff, played the same evening. In 1926 Compston beat Fryer 72 to 76 in the playoff, played the same evening. In 1932 Kenyon beat Taggart 71 to 74 in the playoff, played the following day. In 1933 Jarman beat Ballantine 72 to 74 in the playoff, played the following day. In 1935 Jowle beat Fallon 72 to 73 in the playoff, played the following day. In 1947 Green beat Jowle 137 to 139 in the playoff, played the following day. In 1950 Scott beat Kenyon 72 to 76 in the playoff, played the same evening. In 1951 Sutton beat Howard 68 to 75 in the playoff, played the same evening.
The 1904 and 1905 contests were the northern section qualifying events for the News of the World Matchplay. From 1911 to 1914 the cup was awarded to the winner of the northern section qualifying competition for the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament. From 1920 to 1927 and from 1948 to 1950 the cup was awarded to the winner of the northern section qualifying competition for the Daily Mail Tournament. From 1930 to 1939 and in 1946, 1947, 1951, 1955 and 1961 the cup was awarded to the winner of the northern section qualifying competition for the News of the World Matchplay. From 1952 to 1954 the cup was held in connection with qualifying for the Goodwin Foursomes. In 1956 it was held in connection with qualifying for the Goodwin Tournament and similarly in 1959 for the Sherwood Forest Foursomes Tournament.
In 1937 the event was combined with the 72-hole Northern Professional Championship; the Leeds Cup and qualifying for the News of the World Matchplay being based on the first two rounds. Ties for qualifying places were determined by the third round scores in the Northern Professional Championship.[74] The same system was used in 1946 when the Northern Professional Championship was revived.[75] In 1947 the Northern Professional Championship was reduced to 36 holes and the two events were combined.[76] In 1948 the events were again separated with the Leeds Cup being used for the qualifying for the Daily Mail Tournament, the Northern Professional Championship being used for the News of the World Matchplay qualifying.[77] The Daily Mail Tournament was not held in 1951 and the Leeds Cup was contested, as in 1947, at the same time as the Northern Professional Championship.
References
- ^ "Another PGA medal haul for Rory". PGA. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ "History of Leeds Golf Club". Leeds Golf Club Limited. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ a b "Moortown to host Leeds Cup". PGA. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ "Golf". The Times. 10 January 1902. p. 9.
- ^ a b "Golf". The Times. 25 March 1902. p. 10.
- ^ a b "Golf – Professional competition at Leeds". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 7 May 1902. Retrieved 15 June 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "The London professional association tournament". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 24 April 1902. Retrieved 15 June 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Northern professional tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 7 May 1902. p. 8.
- ^ "Professional challenge cup competition". The Times. 16 July 1903. p. 12.
- ^ "The professional association". The Glasgow Herald. 14 July 1904. p. 10.
- ^ "Professional golfers' association". The Glasgow Herald. 27 July 1905. p. 11.
- ^ "Professional tournament at Wallasey". The Glasgow Herald. 11 July 1906. p. 11.
- ^ "Leeds challenge cup". The Times. 15 May 1907. p. 11.
- ^ "The professional competitions – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 14 May 1908. p. 13.
- ^ "Professional competition at Harrogate". The Glasgow Herald. 15 May 1909. p. 13.
- ^ "Northern professional competition – Victory of E Ray". The Glasgow Herald. 12 May 1910. p. 12.
- ^ "Northern competition – Victory of E Ray". The Glasgow Herald. 4 May 1911. p. 12.
- ^ "£350 tournament – Qualifying competitions – At Southport". The Glasgow Herald. 25 April 1912. p. 15.
- ^ ""Leeds" challenge cup". The Glasgow Herald. 26 April 1912. p. 16.
- ^ "Professional golfers' association – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 1 May 1913. p. 14.
- ^ "Sphere and Tatler competition – Five qualifying competitions – Northern section". The Times. 30 April 1914. p. 15.
- ^ "Golf – Professional competition at Leeds". The Glasgow Herald. 1 May 1919. p. 3.
- ^ "The £520 tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 22 April 1920. p. 3.
- ^ "Golf – The £600 tournament – Northern section". The Times. 21 April 1921. p. 6.
- ^ "Golf – The £600 tournament – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 21 April 1921. p. 3.
- ^ "Golf – The £1000 tournament – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 13 April 1922. p. 12.
- ^ "The £1000 tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 12 April 1923. p. 15.
- ^ "£1000 tournament – Trio of holes in one". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1924. p. 3.
- ^ "The £1200 tournament – Record play at Keithley". The Glasgow Herald. 2 May 1925. p. 13.
- ^ "The £1200 tournament – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 22 April 1926. p. 3.
- ^ "Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 28 April 1927. p. 4.
- ^ "Mitchell wins Leeds cup". The Glasgow Herald. 6 July 1929. p. 3.
- ^ "£1040 tournament – Sectional qualifying rounds – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 4 September 1930. p. 3.
- ^ "Golf – Davies and McMinn in form – Lead qualifiers in £1040 tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 13 August 1931. p. 3.
- ^ "Northern qualifiers for £1040 tourney". The Glasgow Herald. 18 August 1932. p. 10.
- ^ "Kenyon wins Leeds cup". The Glasgow Herald. 19 August 1932. p. 10.
- ^ "Golf – The "News of the World" tournament". The Times. 31 August 1933. p. 4.
- ^ "Keen scoring for Leeds challenge cup". The Glasgow Herald. 2 August 1934. p. 16.
- ^ "Northern professionals' competition". The Times. 18 July 1935. p. 7.
- ^ "Leeds Cup replay". The Times. 19 July 1935. p. 5.
- ^ "£1250 professional tournament – Qualifying surprises in northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 8 September 1936. p. 17.
- ^ "Scot wins Leeds Cup – Alliss's task in £1250 tourney". The Glasgow Herald. 19 August 1937. p. 3.
- ^ "£1,250 tournament – Alliss and Adams fail to qualify". The Times. 26 August 1938. p. 6.
- ^ "Qualifying play surprises – Alliss and Adams fail in £1250 tourney". The Glasgow Herald. 26 August 1938. p. 20.
- ^ "£1,250 tournament – W H Davies retains his form". The Times. 25 August 1939. p. 4.
- ^ "Open golf champion fails to qualify – Adams and Fallon on same mark". The Glasgow Herald. 25 August 1939. p. 20.
- ^ "N Sutton leads golf qualifiers". The Glasgow Herald. 1 August 1946. p. 6.
- ^ "Green and Jowle tie at Morecambe". The Guardian. 29 August 1947. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "E. Green (Hurst Park)". The Guardian. 30 August 1947. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shankland wins cup". The Guardian. 23 April 1948. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "J. Fallon leads the qualifiers". The Guardian. 29 April 1949. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ ""Daliy Mail" group qualifiers". The Guardian. 2 April 1950. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Sutton's play-off win". The Glasgow Herald. 20 July 1951. p. 6.
- ^ "Qualifiers for Sheffield". The Guardian. 30 May 1952. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Scott keeps his lead". The Guardian. 30 May 1953. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Leeds Cup for Branch". The Guardian. 4 June 1954. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Scott again wins Leeds Cup". The Guardian. 28 July 1955. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Leeds Cup for Lester". The Guardian. 17 August 1956. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Fairbairn wins a long last". The Guardian. 14 August 1959. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Surprise winner". The Glasgow Herald. 22 August 1961. p. 5.
- ^ "Play-off decides". The Glasgow Herald. 29 June 1962. p. 11.
- ^ "Coop keeps going to victory". The Guardian. 20 August 1965. p. 6.
- ^ "Naylor's splendid rounds". The Guardian. 30 July 1966. p. 12.
- ^ "Caygill does it". The Guardian. 29 July 1967. p. 11.
- ^ "Victory well earned". The Guardian. 27 July 1968. p. 14.
- ^ "Hutchinson retains Leeds Cup". The Guardian. 7 August 1969. p. 15.
- ^ "Muscroft makes up lost ground". The Guardian. 3 October 1970. p. 19.
- ^ "Melling slips to third". The Guardian. 29 May 1971. p. 17.
- ^ "Hutchinson retains Leeds Cup". The Guardian. 6 May 1972. p. 17.
- ^ "Caygill leaves Yorks in style". The Guardian. 5 May 1973. p. 21.
- ^ "Double for Dunk". The Guardian. 22 August 1975. p. 19.
- ^ "Dunk keeps cup". The Guardian. 6 August 1976. p. 18.
- ^ "The Leeds Cup winners". Leeds Golf Club. Archived from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ "Northern title retained – Alliss wins professional championship". The Glasgow Herald. 20 August 1937. p. 7.
- ^ "Sutton wins Northern championship". The Glasgow Herald. 2 August 1946. p. 6.
- ^ "Test for our Ryder Cup nominees". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 27 August 1947. Retrieved 28 June 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Perry's success". The Guardian. 27 August 1948. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.