Midland Open

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Midland Open
Tournament information
LocationEnglish Midlands
Established1923
FormatStroke-play
Current champion
Matthew Cort

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.

History

[edit | edit source]

The Midland Professional Golf Club held its first meeting in December 1897. The club held its first championship on 12 May 1898. However the week before, on 3 May, a match was organised at the Coventry club at Whitley Common, between the club and a team of amateurs.[1] The match was played at the Coventry club until 1902, after which it was played at a number of courses.[2] The amateurs won in 1904 at Sandwell Park, but otherwise the professionals were successful, usually by a large margin.[3]

In 1923, the Midland Counties Golf Association agreed to the creation of a new event, involving both amateur and professionals playing individually on level terms.[4][5] The competition was played the day after the annual amateurs v. professionals match, at the same course, Little Aston.[6] The competitors were the first 25 professionals from the Midland Professional Championship and the leading 15 from the Midland Amateur Championship. Both of these were 36-hole stroke-play events played in a single day, and the new tournament took the same form. Prizes amounting to nearly £100 were given by the Birmingham Gazette. The leading three amateurs received gold medals while there were cash prizes for the leading eight professionals.[7][8]

Dick Wheildon won the first event in 1923 with Carl Bretherton the leading amateur, tied for 10th place.[9] Michael Bingham won 1924 with Bretherton again the leading amateur, tied for 7th place.[10] There was amateur winner in 1925, Robert Humphries winning by four strokes from George Buckle who took the first prize as the leading professional.[11] Tom Williamson won in 1926 with Bretherton again the leading amateur.[12] In 1927 the field was expanded with the leading 30 professionals and 20 amateurs qualifying. With a number of qualifying amateurs was later increased to 25. The 1930 event was won by an amateur, William Tweddell who had won the Amateur Championship earlier in the year. Tom Williamson was the leading professional.[13] Jim Morris won in 1928 with Stanley Lunt the leading amateur.[14]

In 1929 the order of the Midland Professional Championship and the Midland Challenge Cup was changed, with the championship played earlier in the year and the challenge cup moving to September and becoming the qualifying event for the professionals. Tom Barber won by four strokes, having won the Midland Challenge Cup earlier in the month.[15] In 1930 Michael Bingham became the first player to win the event twice, finishing three strokes ahead of the amateur Eric Fiddian.[16] There was tie in 1931 between Tom Barber and Tom Williamson. There was no playoff and the title was shared.[17] Bert Gadd was another multiple winner, winning in 1934 and 1935.[18] He was followed by the amateur Charlie Stowe who won in 1936 and 1937.[19] Max Faulkner won in 1938 during his break spell as the professional at Leamington Spa.[20] The qualifying events for the 1939 tournament had been held but the Midland Open planned for September was cancelled because of the start of World War II.

The event was revived in 1947 with a new trophy and prize money provided by the Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd. The format remained the same as in the pre-war period, the professionals qualifying through the Midland section of the News of the World Match Play in September.[21] Walter Lees won the event, a stroke ahead of Jack Hargreaves.[22] Bert Williamson won in 1948 with a record low score of 136.[23] 1949 saw the start of a new event, the Midland Amateur-Professional Foursomes, a three-day match-play tournament, also sponsored by the Birmingham Post & Mail. The Midland Open was moved from its late-season date to July with the new foursomes event played immediately after, at the same course. Qualification for the professionals was based on the Midland Professional Championship, held in May. Charlie Ward won the Midland Open by six strokes with a new record of 135, his first win in the event.[24]

There was an amateur success in 1950, with John Llewellyn Morgan winning the event.[25] Charlie Ward, the 1949 winner, won again in 1951, 1952 and 1954, with Frank Miller winning in 1953.[26][27] There was a three-way tie in 1955 between Frank Jowle, Peter Butler and Jack Hargreaves. There was a 36-hole playoff the following Monday after the foursomes event. Jowle won with a score of 141, with Hargreaves scoring 142 and Butler 144.[28] Butler won in 1956, 1958 and 1960, with Ward having his fifth win 1957 and David Snell in 1959.[29][30][31] In 1959 the Midland Challenge Cup was used as the qualifying event for the professionals but the championship was again used from 1960. Snell had a final round of 63 in 1959 to set a new record total of 134.[30]

From 1961 to 1963 the Midland open was played after the Midland Amateur-Professional Foursomes. In 1964 the foursomes became a 54-hole stroke-play event and was again played after the open. From 1968 to 1971 the Midland open was a 54-hole event with the foursomes being reduced to 36-holes. With only a single round played on the first day, followed by a cut, qualification through the professional championship was no longer needed. The Midland Amateur-Professional Foursomes was last held in 1971. In 1961 Ralph Moffitt had a first round of 61 and went on to win the tournament with a record total of 130, 11 strokes ahead of anyone else.[32] Moffitt won again in 1964 and 1970.[33] Peter Butler had his fourth and fifth wins in 1965 and 1969, while David Snell won for the second time in 1966.[34][35][36] In 1967 56-year-old Tom Collinge won on his home course at Olton.[37]

From 1972 to 1974 the Midland open was again played as a one-day 36-hole event with qualification for professionals through the Midland Professional Championship. However from 1975 it was held over two days, allowing a much larger field. Brian Waites, the 1971 winner, won again in 1976 and 1981.[38] There was an amateur winner in 1973, Keith Hodgkinson, the first since 1950, and he was soon followed by Sandy Lyle who won in 1975 after an 18-hole playoff against Brian Waites.[39][40] The Welsh professional Andy Griffiths won twice, in 1978 and 1980.[41] In 1982 the championship was turned into a 72-hole event called the Midland All Stars Championship, but struggled for sponsorship and was dropped after the 1983 season.[42][43]

Winners

[edit | edit source]
Year Winner Score Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up Venue Ref
Midland Amateur and Professional Tournament
1923 England Dick Wheildon 148 3 strokes England Len Holland Little Aston [9][8]
1924 Republic of Ireland Michael Bingham 144 1 stroke Scotland Ted Douglas Moseley [10]
1925 England Robert Humphries (a) 141 4 strokes England George Buckle Copt Heath [11]
1926 England Tom Williamson 142 2 strokes England Tom Barber Handsworth [12]
1927 England William Tweddell (a) 146 3 strokes England Tom Williamson Blackwell [13]
1928 England Jim Morris 146 1 stroke England Jack Bloxham Sandwell Park [14]
1929 England Tom Barber 144 4 strokes England John Beddard (a)
Republic of Ireland Michael Bingham		 Finham Park [15]
1930 Republic of Ireland Michael Bingham 139 3 strokes England Eric Fiddian (a) Stourbridge [16]
1931 England Tom Barber
England Tom Williamson		 141 Tied Olton [17]
1932 England Frank Weston 140 5 strokes England Charlie Ward Sutton Coldfield [44]
1933 England George Buckle 142 2 strokes England William Button Harborne [45]
1934 England Bert Gadd 145 1 stroke England Tom Richards
England Charlie Ward
England Tom Williamson		 Castle Bromwich [46]
1935 England Bert Gadd 137 6 strokes England Bill Martin Little Aston [18]
1936 England Charlie Stowe (a) 137 3 strokes England Bill Branch
England Arthur Lees		 South Staffordshire [47]
1937 England Charlie Stowe (a) 137 1 stroke England Bill Martin Sandwell Park [19]
1938 England Max Faulkner 143 1 stroke England George Johnson
England Bob Pemberton		 Moseley [20]
1939–1946: No tournament
Midland Open Championship
1947 England Walter Lees 141 1 stroke England Jack Hargreaves Sutton Coldfield [22]
1948 England Bert Williamson 136 2 strokes England George Johnson
England Charlie Ward
England George White		 Blackwell [23]
1949 England Charlie Ward 135 6 strokes England George Johnson
England Norman Roffe		 Sutton Coldfield [24]
1950 Wales John Llewellyn Morgan (a) 143 1 stroke England George Johnson Little Aston [25]
1951 England Charlie Ward 136 3 strokes Scotland Jack McMillan Sandwell Park [48]
1952 England Charlie Ward 139 3 strokes England Bernard Hunt Moor Hall [49]
1953 England Frank Miller 140 3 strokes England Bill Firkins Blackwell [26]
1954 England Charlie Ward 140 1 stroke England Jack Cawsey Sutton Coldfield [27]
1955 England Frank Jowle 137 Playoff[a] England Peter Butler
England Jack Hargreaves		 Moseley [28][50]
1956 England Peter Butler 139 3 strokes England Frank Jowle
England Frank Miller
England Charlie Ward		 Sandwell Park [51]
1957 England Charlie Ward 141 2 strokes England Bob Hastelow Little Aston [29]
1958 England Peter Butler 140 1 stroke England Jack Hargreaves Olton [52]
1959 England David Snell 134 2 strokes England Jack Hargreaves Moor Hall [30]
1960 England Peter Butler 139 1 stroke England Ron Moses Sutton Coldfield [31]
1961 England Ralph Moffitt 130 11 strokes England Tom Collinge
England John Goodwin
England Frank Miller		 Blackwell [32]
1962 England George Maisey Jr. 141 Playoff[b] England Harley Roberts (a) Handsworth [53][54]
1963 England Tony Rees 142 1 stroke England Charlie Ward Copt Heath [55]
1964 England Ralph Moffitt 142 Playoff[c] England Peter Butler Little Aston [56][57]
1965 England Peter Butler 144 2 strokes England Richard Livingston
England John Miller		 Sandwell Park [34]
1966 England David Snell 139 3 strokes England David Astill Blackwell [35]
1967 England Tom Collinge 137 2 strokes England Geoff Marks (a) Olton [37]
1968 Northern Ireland Les Thompson 217 1 stroke England Alan Smith (a)
England Charlie Ward		 Little Aston [58]
1969 England Peter Butler 210 2 strokes England Maurice Bembridge
England Bill Firkins Jr
England Frank Miller		 Blackwell [36]
1970 England Ralph Moffitt 210 Playoff[d] England Nick Underwood Olton [33][59]
1971 England Brian Waites 205 3 strokes England Paul Herbert Blackwell [60]
1972 England Richard Livingston 141 1 stroke England Brian Waites Little Aston [61]
1973 England Keith Hodgkinson (a) 142 1 stroke Republic of Ireland Eamonn Darcy
England Nick Underwood
England Charlie Ward		 Olton [39]
1974 England Jim Rhodes 146 1 stroke England Nick Underwood Sandwell Park [62]
1975 England Sandy Lyle (a) 137 Playoff[e] England Brian Waites Walsall [40][63]
1976 England Brian Waites 136 9 strokes England Paul Herbert
Wales David Llewellyn		 Hill Valley [64]
1977 England John Anderson 144 Playoff[f] England Andy Bownes
Republic of Ireland Hugh Boyle		 Hill Valley [65]
1978 Wales Andy Griffiths 136 7 strokes England Brian Waites Hill Valley [66]
1979 England David Ridley 144 Playoff[g] England Phil Weaver Redditch [67]
1980 Wales Andy Griffiths 146 Playoff[h] England Pete Cowen Forest of Arden [41]
1981 England Brian Waites 136 4 strokes England Pete Cowen Forest of Arden [38]
Midland All Stars Championship
1982 England Tony Minshall 288 1 stroke England Alan Roach (a) Forest of Arden [68]
1983 England David J. Russell 286 2 strokes England David Thorp Purley Chase [43]
1984–1991: Not held
Midland Open
1992 Scotland Gary Collinson 287 1 stroke England Simon Wood The Vale [69]
1993 England Gary Emerson 281 1 stroke England Chris Hall The Vale [70]
1994 England Steve Webster (a) 205 1 stroke England Stephen Bennett Kilworth Springs [71]
1995 England Steve Russell 201 3 strokes England James Cook
England Joe Higgins		 Welcombe [72]
1996 England Matt Stanford 270 1 stroke England Stewart Cronin Staberton Park [73]
1997–2002: Not held
  1. ^ Jowle won a 36-hole playoff, played six days later. He scored 141, Hargreaves 142 and Butler 144.
  2. ^ Maisey won a 36-hole playoff, played ten days later, 145 to 148.
  3. ^ Moffitt won an 18-hole playoff, played three months later, 66 to 68.
  4. ^ Moffitt won an 18-hole playoff, played two months later, 67 to 77.
  5. ^ Lyle won an 18-hole playoff, played six weeks later, 73 to 76.
  6. ^ Anderson won with a birdie at the first extra hole.
  7. ^ Ridley won with a par at the first extra hole.
  8. ^ Griffiths won with a birdie at the third extra hole.

Additional source:[74]

References

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