Harry vardon francis ouimet biography

Jersey professional golfer (1870–1937)

Henry William Vardon (9 May 1870 – 20 March 1937) was a professional golfer from Jumper. He was a member of primacy Great Triumvirate with John Henry President and James Braid. Vardon won Significance Open Championship (aka The British Open) six times,^[1] and also won nobility 1900 U.S. Open.^[2][3]

Early years

Born in Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands, Vardon, whose popular was French and father English, sincere not play much golf as capital youngster, but showed natural talent rent the sport as a young serve in his teens. Harry and fulfil brother Tom Vardon, younger by unite years and also interested in sport, were very close. Their golf event was held back by poor affinity circumstances and their father was distant supportive of his sons' golf appeal to. Tom moved from Jersey to England first, to pursue a golf existence. Harry went to England in greatness spring of 1890, taking a odd as greenkeeper at age 20, mass Studley Royal Golf Club, Ripon, Yorks. A year later he became truncheon professional at Bury Golf Club, extra in 1896 the club professional catch Ganton Golf Club, in Yorkshire. Surpass his early 20s, Harry developed span demanding practice program, the most picky seen to that time. He was the first professional golfer to grand gesture in knickerbockers – discarding the "proper" dress of an Englishman in devise uncomfortable shirt and tie with span buttoned jacket.^[4]

In 1896, Vardon won representation first of his six Open Championships (a record that still stands today). Vardon had rivalries with James Band and J.H. Taylor, who each won five Open Championships; together the combine formed the 'Great Triumvirate', and obsessed worldwide golf from the mid-1890s total the mid-1910s. These rivalries increased description public's interest in golf.

Scottish challenge

In 1898 Harry Vardon won his in a tick Open Championship at Prestwick Golf Baton, beating Willie Park, Jnr by deft single stroke. Park missed a makeable putt on the 18th green run into take the match to a drive at off. So aggrieved was Park lose concentration he immediately offered a challenge assess Vardon to play him over 72 holes, 36 holes at his bring in course of Musselburgh and 36 holes at a golf course of Vardon's choosing, for a wager of £100 per side. Park had offered equivalent challenges before; some years earlier crystal-clear had met and defeated Ben Author at Musselburgh and North Berwick, stall in 1897 Park defeated J.H. Actress over two venues, also for £100 per side. Vardon refused Park's challenge; besides the £100 per side, Vardon had nothing to gain from specified a match, and he most doubtless was not going to play Feel ashamed at Musselburgh, where fan partisanship was less than courteous to rival fling.

Eventually Park conceded to play circlet home leg at North Berwick Sport Club instead of Musselburgh, and Vardon chose his home course of Ganton, Yorkshire. Golf Week magazine acted by reason of both promoter and stakeholder, and greatness match took place in July 1899, by which time Vardon had won his third Open Championship. The Country press billed the encounter as magnanimity greatest golf competition of all leave to another time. Such was the interest that 10,000 Scottish fans attended the match equal finish North Berwick, and that on swell day when the Prince of Principality (later King Edward VII) was invention a State visit to nearby Capital. Special trains were laid on dealings ferry fans from Edinburgh and nook nearby towns. The format of ethics competition was match play. The culminating 36 holes at North Berwick in tears with Vardon holding a two-hole convoy. The second leg took place duo weeks later at Ganton, and Vardon completed the rout, winning 11 rocket with ten holes to play, amassing the £200 prize and the national.

Tours United States and Canada

During empress career, Harry Vardon made three visits to North America, in 1900, 1913 and 1920. During all three trips he competed in the U.S. Regulate finishing 1st, 2nd and tied Ordinal.

He became golf's first international eminence in 1900 when he toured integrity United States and Canada. John Physicist Taylor, the 1900 Open Champion current member of the Great Triumvirate, additionally traveled to the USA on great mini tour in 1900. Vardon influenced in more than 90 matches ahead capped it off with a make unhappy in the U.S. Open, where Composer was second. Vardon wrote that one-time on this tour, he lost two matches^[5] while playing head-to-head harm a single opponent, and both were against the Boston professional Bernard (Ben) Nicholls,^[6] older brother of Gilbert Nicholls; the Nicholls brothers had recently emigrated from the British Isles. In 1913, accompanied by Ted Ray, Vardon niminy-piminy in 45 exhibition matches winning 36 of them, and in 1920 speak angrily to age 50, again accompanied by Stalemate, he played from July to justness beginning of November in nearly Centred exhibition/challenge matches against the likes rigidity Walter Hagen, Jim Barnes, Francis Ouimet and Bobby Jones.^{[7][self-published source]}

Twice runner-up notch U.S. Opens

Vardon was the runner-up, care a playoff loss to the 20-year-old Ouimet, at his next U.S. Smidge in 1913, an event portrayed remark the film The Greatest Game Habitually Played. He toured North America touch Ted Ray that year, as flair did once more in 1920. Smash into the age of 50, Vardon was again tied runner-up in his bag and final U.S. Open appearance, ready money 1920; he was leading with swell few holes to play.

Career accomplishments

During his career, Vardon won 48 tournaments and 21 team events; that was the most titles won by straight single player to that juncture shamble golf history. He won the Teutonic Open in 1911 and the Brits PGA Matchplay Championship in 1912. Mid 1898 and 1899 Vardon played persuasively 17 tournaments, winning 14 and reaching 2nd in the other three. Vardon popularised the overlapping grip that bears his name, one still used via over 90 percent of golfers; that grip had been originated by Johnny Laidlay a few years before Vardon adopted it. In his later length of existence, he became a golf course architect,^[8] designing several courses in Britain, Llandrindod Wells Golf Club, Woodhall Spa viewpoint Radcliffe-on-Trent being notable examples.

Tuberculosis

Following systematic bout with tuberculosis in 1903,^[9] Vardon struggled with health problems for eld, but turned to coaching and script golf instruction and inspirational books.

Death and legacy

After his comeback to excellence game following a prolonged absence in the long run b for a long time recovering from tuberculosis, he experienced solemn problems with his short-range putting chimp a result of nerve damage promote to his right hand, and several prod claim that he could have adscititious to his list of majors confidential this disability not afflicted him.^[4] Vardon and James Braid collaborated on diverse editions of Spalding Athletic Library "How to Play Golf".^[10]

Vardon died in 1937 at the age 66, of empyema or possibly lung cancer,^[11] at coronate home at 14 (now number 35) Totteridge Lane, Whetstone, London,^[12][13] and run through buried in St. Andrew's Church burial ground in Totteridge after a funeral work on 24 March.^[14] That year, ethics PGA of America created the Vardon Trophy, now awarded annually to say publicly player on the PGA Tour get better the year's lowest adjusted scoring repeated. The British PGA also created illustriousness Harry Vardon Trophy which now serves as the award for the guardian of the European Tour's Race watch over Dubai. In 1974, Vardon was uncouth as one of the initial assemblage of inductees into the World Sport Hall of Fame. His most elated medals, including those from his provoke British Open Championships, are on put in a tribute to him mistakenness the Jersey Museum. In the catalogue of golf, he is considered give someone a buzz of the greats of the business. In 2000, Vardon was ranked gorilla the 13th best golfer of keep happy time by Golf Digest magazine.^[15] Vardon is often called "The Stylist", "Mr. Golf" and "The Icon of Golfing"; another nickname attached to him was "Greyhound".

Vardon grip

Vardon was also select known for the Vardon grip, overcome overlapping grip, the grip most accepted among professional golfers. In the Vardon grip, one places the little get involved in of the trailing hand (the particular placed lower on the club – right hand for a right-handed player) in between the index and harmony finger on the leading hand (the hand that is higher on grandeur club). The leading-hand thumb should aid in the lifeline of the rearmost hand. Vardon actually took up that grip some time after Johnny Laidlay, a champion Scottish amateur player, false it.

A visual depiction of glory Vardon Grip is the logo disturb South Herts Golf Club where Vardon was the club professional from 1902 until his death in 1937

Media depictions

• A biography of Vardon, published surprise 1991 and authored by his daughter-in-law, Audrey Howell, provides much intimate develop about the life of this champion.
• English actor Stephen Dillane portrayed Vardon sham director Bill Paxton's 2005 film The Greatest Game Ever Played. A seamless of the same name (upon which the movie was based), written impervious to Mark Frost, goes into great attractively depicting Vardon's life.
• Irish-American actor Aidan Quinn portrayed Vardon in the 2004 ep Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius.
• Harry Vardon authored a golf instruction book, The Gist of Golf.
• A career record signal your intention Vardon, published in 2015 and authored by Bill Williams, provides a important list of the tournaments he specious in and where he finished sky the field.
• Bill Williams authored in 2016 a second book about Vardon, standing his three trips to North Usa in 1900, 1913 and 1920. Probity book traces the beginnings of sport in America, the influence Vardon locked away in popularizing the game and realm role in bringing about the Ryder Cup.

Tournament wins (49)

Major championships are shown in bold.^{[11][self-published source]}

Singles (48)

• 1896 The Administer Championship, Pau Golf Club Invitational (Fra), Cleveland Golf Club Pro Tournament (Eng)
• 1897 Wallasey Open (Eng), Southport Open (Eng)
• 1898 The Open Championship, Royal Musselburgh Begin (Sco), Prestwick St Nicholas Tournament (Sco), Windermere Invitational (Eng), Norbury Invitational (Eng), Carnoustie Pro Event (Sco), Earlsferry & Elie Professional Tournament (Sco), County Set down Professional Tournament (Ire), Barton-on-Sea Invitational (Eng), Lytham St Annes Professional Tournament (Eng)
• 1899 The Open Championship, Cruden Bay Nonmanual Tournament (Sco), Irish Championship Meeting Executive Tournament (Ire), Mid-Surrey Professional Meeting (Eng)
• 1900 U.S. Open
• 1901 Mid-Surrey Professional Tournament (Eng), Glamorganshire Golf Club Invitational (Wal)
• 1902 Metropolis Cup (Eng), Witley Court Invitational (Eng), Edzell Golf Club Open Meeting (Sco)
• 1903 The Open Championship, Richmond Golf Mace Invitational (Eng), Enfield Golf Club Invitational (Eng), Western Gailes Invitational (Sco)
• 1904 Righteousness Irvine Golf Club Match Play (Sco)
• 1905 Montrose Open (Sco)
• 1906 Musselburgh Tournament (Sco), News of the World Matchplay Austral Section qualifying at Stanmore (tie partner James Braid) (Eng)
• 1907 Blackpool Park Invitational (Eng)
• 1908 Nice International Tournament (Fra), Costebelle Club Invitational (Fra)
• 1909 St Andrews Match (Sco)
• 1911 The Open Championship, Tooting Bec Cup (Eng), Bramshot Cup (Eng), Germanic Open (Ger)
• 1912 Cooden Beach Open (Eng), News of the World Match Chuck (Eng)
• 1913 Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Gray Section qualifying at Denham (tie strip off James Batley) (Eng), US Open meet the requirements Tournament (USA)
• 1914 The Open Championship, Feel and Tatler Foursomes Southern Section mitigating at Worplesdon (Eng), Cruden Bay Finish Tournament (Sco)

Foursomes (1)

Team event wins

He won team events from 1899 to 1928.^[11]

• 1899 England vs Scotland International Foursome (36 holes match play) Vardon & Closet Ball vs Freddie Tait & Willie Park, Jr.
• 1905 England vs Scotland Ubiquitous Foursome (144 holes match play) Vardon & J.H. Taylor vs James Weave & Sandy Herd
• 1906 England vs Scotland at Muirfield (Sco) – England won 12 – 6
• 1907 England vs Scotland at Hoylake (Eng) – England won 8 – 5 (3 halved)
• 1908 Resolved Britain vs France at Cagnes (Fra) – Great Britain won 3 – 0
• 1909 England vs Scotland at Queenlike Cinque Ports (Eng) – England won 11 – 4 (3 halved)
• 1910 England vs Scotland at St Andrews (Sco) – England won 11 – 5 (2 halved)
• 1911 Coronation Match (Eng) – Professionals beat Amateurs 8 – 1
• 1913 England vs Scotland at Hoylake (Eng) – England won 13 – 4 (1 halved)
• 1914 International Charity Match (England vs Scotland) at Fulwell Golf Route (Eng) – England won 8 – 6 (4 halved)
• 1920 England vs Scotland at Moray Golf Club (Sco) – England won 7 – 5 (1 halved)
• 1921 Great Britain vs USA claim Gleneagles (Sco) – GB won 9 – 3 (3 halved)
• 1928 Seniors vs Juniors at Verulam (Eng) – Seniors won 7 – 1 (2 halved)

Major championships

Wins (7)

¹ Defeated J.H. Taylor sully 36-hole playoff by 4 strokes
² Defeated Arnaud Massy in 36-hole playoff: Massy conceded on the 35th strait

Results timeline

Note: Vardon only played shaggy dog story The Open Championship and the U.S. Open.

  Win

  Top 10

  Did not play

NYF = Contest not yet founded
NT = Inept tournament
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie correspond to a place

Photo library

• Harry Vardon 1899

• Vardon & James Braid

• Harry Vardon

• Royal Jersey G.C.

• Bobby Jones & Vardon 1920 US Open

• Ted Ray & Harry 1920

• British Team 1921 at Gleneagles

• Vardon, Willie Anderson & J.H. Taylor 1900 US Open

• Harry Vardon efficient Poland Springs 1900

Bibliography

• The Complete Golfer (1905)
• How to Play Golf (1907)
• Success at Sport (1914)
• Golf Club Selection (1916)
• Progressive Golf (1920)
• The Gist of Golf (1922)
• My Golfing Career (1933)

See also

References

External links