Leeds Cup

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]

Leeds Cup
Tournament information
Established1902
Course(s)Leeds Golf Club (2020)
Current champion
Haydn McCullen (2020)

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
YearWinnerCountryVenueScoreMargin
of victory		Runner(s)-upWinner's
share (£)		Ref
1902Harry Vardon JerseyLeeds Golf Club1494 strokes Sandy Herd
J.H. Taylor		[8]
1903Ted Ray JerseyCleveland Golf Club1471 stroke Harry Vardon[9]
1904Sandy Herd ScotlandManchester Golf Club1461 stroke Fred Collins
Phil Gaudin		[10]
1905Sandy Herd ScotlandBradford Golf Club1455 strokes Fred Leach
Bertie Snowball		[11]
1906George Duncan ScotlandWallasey Golf Club1545 strokes Wilfrid Reid[12]
1907Ted Ray JerseyIlkley Golf Club1441 stroke Walter Toogood[13]
1908Tom Ball EnglandHesketh Golf Club1482 strokes Bill Leaver
Tom Watt		[14]
1909James Kay EnglandHarrogate Golf Club1511 stroke Ted Ray[15]
1910Ted Ray JerseyChorlton Golf Club1434 strokes George Cawkwell
Herbert Riseborough		[16]
1911Ted Ray JerseyRoundhay Golf Club1471 stroke Thomas Renouf[17]
1912Peter McEwan Jr. ScotlandSouthport and Ainsdale Golf Club154Playoff
(18 holes)		 George Pulford[18][19]
1913Walter Hambleton EnglandBradford Golf Club155Playoff
(9 holes)		 Tom Beck[20]
1914Thomas Renouf JerseyNorthumberland Golf Club1532 strokes Harry Crapper
Charles Roberts
Wilfred Thomson		[21]
1915–18: No tournament
1919Ted Ray JerseyAlwoodley Golf Club158Playoff
(9 holes)		 Sam Whiting[22]
1920Cyril Hughes EnglandWest Lancashire Golf Club1522 strokes Syd Wingate[23]
1921Arthur Day EnglandGanton Golf Club1474 strokes Walter Bourne
Jimmy Johnstone		10[24][25]
1922Jack Gaudin JerseyManchester Golf Club1471 stroke Jerry Bond
John Jarman
Tom Walton		[26]
1923Jack Gaudin JerseyHallamshire Golf Club1412 strokes Archie Compston
Albert Hallam		[27]
1924Willie Robertson EnglandWest Lancashire Golf Club1501 stroke Jack Gaudin
Cedric Sayner		[28]
1925Archie Compston EnglandKeighley Golf Club14011 strokes Thomas Renouf[29]
1926Archie Compston EnglandHarrogate Golf Club143Playoff
(18 holes)		 Cyril Fryer10[30]
1927R Leather EnglandManchester Golf Club1504 strokes Cedric Sayner[31]
1928D. C. Jones WalesOakdale Golf Club (Harrogate)1462 strokes Bill Davies
1929Abe Mitchell EnglandNorth Shore Golf Club1421 stroke Henry Cotton[32]
1930D. C. Jones WalesLytham & St Annes Golf Club1481 stroke Jerry Bond
Bob Kenyon
Bob Porter		[33]
1931Bill Davies EnglandHarrogate Golf Club1376 strokes Allan Dailey
Willie McMinn		[34]
1932Bob Kenyon EnglandNorth Manchester Golf Club149Playoff
(18 holes)		 Fred Taggart[35][36]
1933Ted Jarman EnglandPannal Golf Club144Playoff
(18 holes)		 Jock Ballantine[37]
1934Jack Busson EnglandLancaster Golf Club1401 stroke Dick Burton[38]
1935Frank Jowle EnglandMoor Allerton Golf Club147Playoff
(18 holes)		 John Fallon[39][40]
1936Ted Jarman EnglandMorecambe Golf Club1423 strokes Harry Busson
Norman Sutton		[41]
1937John Fallon ScotlandMere Golf and Country Club1421 stroke Harry Busson
Bert Gadd		[42]
1938Jack Busson EnglandTemple Newsam Golf Club1401 stroke A E Bignell
Harry Busson		[43][44]
1939Bill Davies EnglandOrmskirk Golf Club1391 stroke Syd Scott[45][46]
1940–45: No tournament
1946Norman Sutton EnglandSand Moor Golf Club1405 strokes Jack Busson[47]
1947Eric Green England
1948Bill Shankland AustraliaHeysham Golf Club1401 stroke Alf Perry
1949John Fallon ScotlandReddish Vale Golf Club1372 strokes Bob Kenyon
1950Syd Scott EnglandCarlisle City Golf Club148Playoff
(18 holes)		 Bob Kenyon
  • 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

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 1950 Scott beat Kenyon 72 to 76 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 and 1947 the cup was awarded to the winner of the northern section qualifying competition for the News of the World Matchplay.

References
  1. "Another PGA medal haul for Rory". PGA. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  2. "History of Leeds Golf Club". Leeds Golf Club Limited. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  3. "Moortown to host Leeds Cup". PGA. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  4. "Golf". The Times. 10 January 1902. p. 9.
  5. "Golf". The Times. 25 March 1902. p. 10.
  6. "Golf – Professional competition at Leeds". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 7 May 1902. Retrieved 15 June 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "The London professional association tournament". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 24 April 1902. Retrieved 15 June 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Northern professional tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 7 May 1902. p. 8.
  9. "Professional challenge cup competition". The Times. 16 July 1903. p. 12.
  10. "The professional association". The Glasgow Herald. 14 July 1904. p. 10.
  11. "Professional golfers' association". The Glasgow Herald. 27 July 1905. p. 11.
  12. "Professional tournament at Wallasey". The Glasgow Herald. 11 July 1906. p. 11.
  13. "Leeds challenge cup". The Times. 15 May 1907. p. 11.
  14. "The professional competitions – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 14 May 1908. p. 13.
  15. "Professional competition at Harrogate". The Glasgow Herald. 15 May 1909. p. 13.
  16. "Northern professional competition – Victory of E Ray". The Glasgow Herald. 12 May 1910. p. 12.
  17. "Northern competition – Victory of E Ray". The Glasgow Herald. 4 May 1911. p. 12.
  18. "£350 tournament – Qualifying competitions – At Southport". The Glasgow Herald. 25 April 1912. p. 15.
  19. ""Leeds" challenge cup". The Glasgow Herald. 26 April 1912. p. 16.
  20. "Professional golfers' association – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 1 May 1913. p. 14.
  21. "Sphere and Tatler competition – Five qualifying competitions – Northern section". The Times. 30 April 1914. p. 15.
  22. "Golf – Professional competition at Leeds". The Glasgow Herald. 1 May 1919. p. 3.
  23. "The £520 tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 22 April 1920. p. 3.
  24. "Golf – The £600 tournament – Northern section". The Times. 21 April 1921. p. 6.
  25. "Golf – The £600 tournament – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 21 April 1921. p. 3.
  26. "Golf – The £1000 tournament – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 13 April 1922. p. 12.
  27. "The £1000 tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 12 April 1923. p. 15.
  28. "£1000 tournament – Trio of holes in one". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1924. p. 3.
  29. "The £1200 tournament – Record play at Keithley". The Glasgow Herald. 2 May 1925. p. 13.
  30. "The £1200 tournament – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 22 April 1926. p. 3.
  31. "Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 28 April 1927. p. 4.
  32. "Mitchell wins Leeds cup". The Glasgow Herald. 6 July 1929. p. 3.
  33. "£1040 tournament – Sectional qualifying rounds – Northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 4 September 1930. p. 3.
  34. "Golf – Davies and McMinn in form – Lead qualifiers in £1040 tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 13 August 1931. p. 3.
  35. "Northern qualifiers for £1040 tourney". The Glasgow Herald. 18 August 1932. p. 10.
  36. "Kenyon wins Leeds cup". The Glasgow Herald. 19 August 1932. p. 10.
  37. "Golf – The "News of the World" tournament". The Times. 31 August 1933. p. 4.
  38. "Keen scoring for Leeds challenge cup". The Glasgow Herald. 2 August 1934. p. 16.
  39. "Northern professionals' competition". The Times. 18 July 1935. p. 7.
  40. "Leeds Cup replay". The Times. 19 July 1935. p. 5.
  41. "£1250 professional tournament – Qualifying surprises in northern section". The Glasgow Herald. 8 September 1936. p. 17.
  42. "Scot wins Leeds Cup – Alliss's task in £1250 tourney". The Glasgow Herald. 19 August 1937. p. 3.
  43. "£1,250 tournament – Alliss and Adams fail to qualify". The Times. 26 August 1938. p. 6.
  44. "Qualifying play surprises – Alliss and Adams fail in £1250 tourney". The Glasgow Herald. 26 August 1938. p. 20.
  45. "£1,250 tournament – W H Davies retains his form". The Times. 25 August 1939. p. 4.
  46. "Open golf champion fails to qualify – Adams and Fallon on same mark". The Glasgow Herald. 25 August 1939. p. 20.
  47. "N Sutton leads golf qualifiers". The Glasgow Herald. 1 August 1946. p. 20.
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