Willie Turnesa

William P. Turnesa (January 20, 1914 – June 16, 2001) was an American amateur golfer, best known for winning two U.S. Amateur titles and the British Amateur. He was one of seven famous golfing brothers; Phil (1896-1987), Frank (1898-1949), Joe (1901-1991), Mike (1907-2000), Doug (1909-1972), Jim (1912-1971), and Willie (1914-2001). Willie was the only brother not to turn professional.[1]

Willie Turnesa
Personal information
Full name	William P. Turnesa
Born	(1914-01-20)January 20, 1914 Elmsford, New York
Died	June 16, 2001(2001-06-16) (aged 87) Sleepy Hollow, New York
Nationality	United States
Career
College	College of the Holy Cross
Status	Amateur
Professional wins	1
Best results in major championships (wins: 3)
Masters Tournament	T26: 1939
PGA Championship	DNP
U.S. Open	T40: 1941
The Open Championship	DNP
U.S. Amateur	Won: 1938, 1948
British Amateur	Won: 1947

Turnesa was born in Elmsford, New York and lived most of his life there. His older brothers forbade him to turn pro and pooled their money to send him to college.[2] He graduated from Holy Cross in 1938 and won his first U.S. Amateur later that year at Oakmont Country Club.[2]

Turnesa won the British Amateur in 1947 at Carnoustie Golf Links, beating fellow American Dick Chapman 3&2. He won his second U.S. Amateur in 1948 and was runner-up in the 1949 British Amateur, losing to Irishman Max McCready. He won numerous other amateur events, mostly in the New York area.

Turnesa played on three straight winning Walker Cup teams, 1947, 1949, and 1951. He was playing captain on the last team.[3]

Turnesa served as president of both the Metropolitan Golf Association and New York State Golf Association.[3] He co-founded the Westchester Caddie Scholarship Fund in 1956.[3][4]

Turnesa died in Sleepy Hollow, New York.[2]

Tournament wins

this list is incomplete

• 1933 Westchester Amateur
• 1936 Westchester Amateur
• 1937 Metropolitan Amateur, Westchester Amateur
• 1938 U.S. Amateur, Westchester Amateur, New York State Amateur
• 1943 Florida Open
• 1947 British Amateur
• 1948 U.S. Amateur

Major championships

Amateur wins (3)

Year	Championship	Winning Score	Runner-up
1938	U.S. Amateur	8 & 7	Pat Abbott
1947	British Amateur	3 & 2	Dick Chapman
1948	U.S. Amateur	2 & 1	Ray Billows

Results timeline

Tournament	1933	1934	1935	1936	1937	1938	1939
Masters Tournament	NYF	45	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	T26
U.S. Open	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	T47
U.S. Amateur	R16	QF	R16	R64	DNP	1	R32
British Amateur	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP

Tournament	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949
Masters Tournament	T47	DNP	DNP	NT	NT	NT	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
U.S. Open	DNP	T40	NT	NT	NT	NT	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
U.S. Amateur	R16	DNP	NT	NT	NT	NT	R64	DNP	1	SF
British Amateur	NT	NT	NT	NT	NT	NT	DNP	1	SF	2

Tournament	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957
Masters Tournament	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
U.S. Open	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
U.S. Amateur	R32	R128	DNP	DNP	R128	R32	R64	R32
British Amateur	R64	R64	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP

Note: Turnesa never played in the British Open or PGA Championship.
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10

Source for The Masters: www.masters.com

Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database

Source for 1948 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 29, 1948, pg. 3.

Source for 1950 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 25, 1950, pg. 9.

Source for 1951 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 24, 1951, pg. 7.

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

• Walker Cup: 1947 (winners), 1949 (winners), 1951 (winners, playing captain)

References

1. 7 Famous Brothers And What They Did
2. New York Times obituary
3. The Turnesa Story
4. WGA Caddie Scholarship Fund

External links

• New York Times obituary
• The Turnesa Story