1919 News of the World Match Play

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.

1919 News of the World Match Play
Tournament information
Dates29 September – 2 October 1919
LocationWalton-on-the-Hill, Surrey, England
Course(s)Walton Heath Golf Club
Organised byThe PGA
FormatMatch play – 18 holes
(Final 36 holes)
Statistics
Field64 players
Prize fund£590
Winner's share£100
Champion
Abe Mitchell
def. George Duncan 1 up
Walton Heath Golf Club
Location in England

The event coincided with a rail strike which started on 27 September. The P.G.A. initially decided to postpone the event but, with most of the competitors having already arrived in the area, later decided to carry on with the original arrangements.[1] In the end, 6 of the 64 qualifiers did not compete.

Qualification

Qualification was by a series of 36-hole stroke-play competitions; one for each of the eight PGA sections. The Southern section had 26 qualifiers, the Northern section 12, the Midland section 10, the Scottish section 5, the Welsh and West of England sections 4, the Eastern section 2 and the Irish section 1. The Southern section was played over two days. In the event of a tie for places there was a playoff.

Qualifying events:

  • 2 July West of England section at Weston-super-Mare: Ernest Whitcombe won by 1 stroke on 148. When the event was held only two places were allocated but this was later increased to four.
  • 20 August Irish section at Bangor: Pat O'Hara won by 4 strokes on 142.
  • 3 September Midland section at Sandwell Park: Len Holland and Bert Weastell tied on 149. The event was also the 1919 Midland Professional Championship. Weastell beat Holland in a playoff to win the Championship.[2]
  • 3 September Northern section at Stockport: Arthur Day and Andrew Kay tied on 148.[2]
  • 17 and 18 September Southern section at Sonning-on-Thames: Sandy Herd, Abe Mitchell, Ted Ray tied on 146. Four players tied on 155 for the final two places and played an 18-hole playoff the following day. Eric Bannister and Bert Seymour qualified with scores of 77.[3][4]
  • 23 September Scottish section at Bruntsfield Links: Tom Fernie won by a stroke on 141. Arthur Butchart and Alex Marling tied for fifth place on 149. Butchart won the 9-hole playoff 37 to 40.[5]
  • 24 September Eastern section at Brancaster: Arthur Havers won by 3 strokes on 154. Clifford Holland and Ernest Riseborough tied for second place on 157 but Riseborough won the playoff.[6]
  • 24 September Welsh section at Radyr: Cyril Hughes won by 1 stroke on 152. There was a four-way playoff for the fourth place. This was won by Tom Grant.[6]

The qualifiers were:

None of the Great Triumvirate qualified.

Format

It was decided in July that the number of qualifiers would be increased from 32 to 64 and the "News of the World" agreed to increase the prize money.[7] Matches 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 event was extended from three to four days with one round played on the first day, two rounds on the second and third days and the final on the fourth day.

Results

Source:[8][9][10][11][12]

First round
29 September

Second round
30 September 		Third round
30 September 		Fourth round
1 October 		Semi-finals
1 October 		Final
2 October
Alf Baker
George Gadd 19h George Gadd
Harry Fernie Hugh Roberts 19h
Hugh Roberts 6&5 Hugh Roberts
Jack Gaudin 3&1 Peter Rainford 19h
William Horne Jack Gaudin
Arthur Mitchell Peter Rainford 3&2
Peter Rainford 3&2 Peter Rainford
Ralph Smith George Duncan 5&4
George Duncan 6&5 George Duncan 19h
Laurie Ayton, Snr 4&3 Laurie Ayton, Snr
Bert Weastell George Duncan 19h
Sam Whiting 3&1 Sam Whiting
James Adwick Sam Whiting 6&5
Dick May 3&2 Dick May
Harry Ball George Duncan
Ernest Riseborough 4&2 Abe Mitchell 1up
Reg Wilson Ernest Riseborough
Tom Williamson 2up Tom Williamson 5&3
Charles Mayo Tom Williamson
Josh Taylor 2&1 Fred Robson 3&2
Tom Grant Josh Taylor
Fred Robson 3&2 Fred Robson 6&5
Fred Leach Fred Robson
Eric Bannister Abe Mitchell 6&4
Syd Wingate 1up Syd Wingate
Arthur Havers Rowland Jones 4&3
Rowland Jones 2up Rowland Jones
Abe Mitchell 1up Abe Mitchell 20h
Bert Seymour Abe Mitchell 2&1
Charles Johns 5&4 Charles Johns
James Scarth

Prize money

The winner received £100 and a gold medal, the runner-up received £40 and a silver medal, losing semi-finalists £20 and a bronze medal, losing quarter-finalists £12 10s, third round losers £10, second round losers £7 10s and first round losers £5.

References
  1. "The £590 tournament". The Times. 29 September 1919. p. 3.
  2. "P.G.A. tournament". The Times. 4 September 1919. p. 5.
  3. "The £590 tournament – "The Triumvirate" fail to qualify". The Times. 19 September 1919. p. 5.
  4. "The £590 tournament". The Times. 20 September 1919. p. 4.
  5. "The £590 tournament – Scottish section's qualifying competition". The Times. 24 September 1919. p. 5.
  6. "The £590 tournament". The Times. 25 September 1919. p. 5.
  7. "The P.G.A.". The Times. 14 July 1919. p. 4.
  8. "£590 tournament". The Times. 26 September 1919. p. 4.
  9. "Golf – The £590 tournament – Herd, Ray and Batley beaten". The Glasgow Herald. 30 September 1919. p. 3.
  10. "Golf – The £590 tournament – Narrow wins by Duncan and Mitchell". The Glasgow Herald. October 1919. p. 3.
  11. "Golf – The £590 tournament – Duncan and Mitchell the finalists". The Glasgow Herald. 2 October 1919. p. 5.
  12. "Golf – The £590 tournament – Victory of Abe Mitchell". The Glasgow Herald. 3 October 1919. p. 13.

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