Tooting Bec Cup

The Tooting Bec Cup is a trophy currently awarded by the Professional Golfers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland to the association member born in, or with a parent or parents born in, the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland who returns the lowest single-round score in The Open Championship.[1][2][3]

Inaugurated in 1901 the Tooting Bec Challenge Cup was originally a separate competition. From 1910 it was awarded to the winner of a southern section qualifying competition for a major tournament and then since 1924 it has been awarded to the best round in The Open Championship by a British or Irish member of the PGA. It is the PGA's oldest trophy, predating the northern section's Leeds Cup which was first contested in 1902.[4]

History

The Tooting Bec Challenge Cup was originally a 36-hole stroke play tournament organised by the London and Counties Professional Golfers' Association, the forerunner of the Professional Golfers' Association. The tournament was held on 15 October 1901 at the Tooting Bec Golf Club, Furzedown and the cup was donated by the Tooting Bec club. Of the 50 members who entered 46 played. J.H. Taylor won the event and was presented with the cup by the club captain, Norman Bailey.[5] With the formation of the PGA in late 1901, the cup became an event organised by the southern section of the PGA.

Since 1924, it has not been a standalone tournament, and the trophy has been awarded to the PGA member from the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland who records the lowest single-round score in the Open. The precise qualification rule has varied. Henry Cotton did not receive it in 1934, despite his rounds of 65 and 67, because at the time the award went "to the member of P.G.A. living in Great Britain who accomplishes the best single round during the championship" and Cotton was then living in Belgium.[6]

Winners
YearPlayer(s)Score
2017Branden Grace62
2016Rory McIlroy67
2015Pádraig Harrington65
2014Rory McIlroy66
2013Ian Poulter67
2012Paul Lawrie65
2011Darren Clarke68
Graeme McDowell
2010Andrew Coltart66
2009Luke Donald67
2008David Howell67
2007Pádraig Harrington67
Paul McGinley
2006Greg Owen67
2005Colin Montgomerie66
2004Lee Westwood67
2003Nick Faldo67
2002Colin Montgomerie64
2001Colin Montgomerie65
Des Smyth
2000Darren Clarke68
Pádraig Harrington
Dean Robertson
1999Paul Lawrie67
1998Andrew Coltart68
Philip Walton
1997Stephen Ames66
Darren Clarke
David Tapping
1996Paul Broadhurst65
Paul McGinley
1995Nick Faldo67
1994Nick Faldo64
1993Nick Faldo63
1992Nick Faldo64
1991Roger Chapman66
Eamonn Darcy
1990Paul Broadhurst63
1989Wayne Stephens66
1988Sandy Lyle67
1987Ross Drummond66
1986Gordon J. Brand68
1985Christy O'Connor Jnr64
1984Sam Torrance66
1983Denis Durnian66
1982Sandy Lyle66
1981Gordon J. Brand65
1980Ken Brown68
Eamonn Darcy
Bill McColl
1979Bill Longmuir65
1978Gary Cullen67
1977Tommy Horton65
1976Mark James66
1975Maurice Bembridge67
Neil Coles
Bernard Gallacher
David Huish
1974John Garner69
John Morgan
Peter Townsend
1973Neil Coles66
1972Harry Bannerman67
Guy Hunt
Tony Jacklin
1971Peter Oosterhuis66
1970Neil Coles65
1969Christy O'Connor Snr65
1968Brian Barnes70
Gordon Cunningham
1967Hugh Boyle68
Lionel Platts
1966Peter Butler65
1965Brian Huggett68
1964Malcolm Gregson67
Bernard Hunt
1963Tom Haliburton68
Christy O'Connor Snr
1962Syd Scott68
1961Christy O'Connor Snr67
1960Bernard Hunt66
1959Peter Alliss67
1958Eric Brown65
1957Laurie Ayton, Jnr67
Eric Brown
John Fallon
1956Dennis Smalldon68
1955John Fallon67
1954Jack Hargreaves67
Syd Scott
1953Dai Rees70
Eric Lester
1952Fred Daly67
1951Jimmy Adams68
Charlie Ward
1950Fred Daly66
1949Jimmy Adams67
Ken Bousfield
1948Henry Cotton66
1947Laurie Ayton, Jnr69
Henry Cotton
1939Dick Burton70
Jack Busson
Max Faulkner
1938Dick Burton69
Jack Busson
1937Reg Whitcombe70
1936Bill Branch68
1935Alf Perry67
1934Bill Davies68
1933Abe Mitchell68
1932Arthur Havers68
1931Held in abeyance
1930Archie Compston68
1929Percy Alliss69
1928Held in abeyance
1927Fred Robson69
1926Held in abeyance
1925Ted Ray73
1924Ernest Whitcombe70

Tournament winners

This table gives details of the tournament winners from 1901 to 1923. From 1910 the cup was awarded to the winner of a qualifying competition for a major tournament.

YearWinnerCountryVenueScoreMargin
of victory		Runner(s)-upWinner's
share (£)		Ref
1901J.H. Taylor EnglandTooting Bec Golf Club1493 strokes James Hepburn
Rowland Jones		[5]
1902James Braid ScotlandRomford Golf Club1486 strokes Ralph Smith[7]
1903James Braid ScotlandHanger Hill Golf Club1483 strokes Harry Vardon
Jack White		[8]
1904James Braid ScotlandWest Middlesex Golf Club147Playoff
(18 holes)		 John McLaren[9]
1905Alfred Toogood EnglandNorthwood Golf Club1501 stroke J.H. Taylor[10]
1906William Lonie ScotlandAshford Manor Golf Club1524 strokes Wilfrid Reid[11]
1907James Braid ScotlandSouth Herts Golf Club1513 strokes J.H. Taylor[12]
1908Rowland Jones EnglandNeasden Golf Club153Playoff
(18 holes)		 Ernest Gray[13]
1909James Sherlock EnglandMaidenhead Golf Club1494 strokes James Braid[14]
1910James Sherlock EnglandStoke Poges Golf Club1484 strokes Tom Ball
Ernest Gaudin
Charles Mayo
Tom Vardon		[15]
1911Harry Vardon JerseyBanstead Downs Golf Club154Playoff
(18 holes)		 Wilfrid Reid[16][17]
1912Phil Gaudin JerseyRoyal Mid-Surrey Golf Club147Playoff
(18 holes)		 James Braid[18][19]
1913Ted Ray JerseyOld Fold Manor Golf Club145Playoff
(18 holes)		 James Batley[20][21][22]
1914–19: No tournament
1920Ted Ray JerseyWorplesdon Golf Club1491 stroke Abe Mitchell10[23]
1921Arnaud Massy FranceCooden Beach Golf Club1471 stroke Fred Robson
Ted Ray		25[24]
1922: No tournament
1923George Duncan ScotlandPurley Downs Golf Club1422 strokes Ted Ray[25]

In 1904 the PGA experimented with handicaps and John McLaren, a new professional, was one of six professionals to receive strokes. Vardon won the playoff, played the same evening, scoring 76 to McLaren's 81−3=78.[26] The 1908 playoff was also played in the evening after the tournament.

The 1910 event was planned for 11 May at Banstead Downs but was cancelled because of the death of Edward VII. The cup was awarded to the winner of the southern section qualifying competition for the News of the World Match Play.

In 1911 it was to be awarded to the winner of the southern section qualifying competition for the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament. Vardon and Reid tied in the qualifying event and had a playoff two days later to determine the winner of the cup. Vardon won with a score of 76 to Reid's 78.

Because of congestion during the 1911 qualifying, the 1912 southern section qualifying competition for the Sphere and Tatler tournament was played on two courses. Half played at West Herts Golf Club and half at Purley Downs Golf Club. Phil Gaudin and James Braid led their respective events, both scoring 147, and a playoff between them would determine the winner of the cup. The playoff did not take place for nearly a year, being played on 31 March 1913 at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club. Gaudin scored 76 to Braid's 81.

The same system was used in 1913. Half played at Fulwell Golf Club and half at Denham Golf Club. At Fulwell, Rowland Jones and Ted Ray tied on 145 while at Denham, James Batley and Harry Vardon led on 152. A playoff between the four players would determine the winner of the cup. As in 1912, the playoff did not take place for nearly a year, being played on 14 April 1914 at Thorpe Hall Golf Club. 18 holes were played and resulted in another tie. Batley and Ray scoring 74, with Jones on 77 and Vardon on 78. There was then a further playoff on 20 April 1914 at Old Fold Manor Golf Club. Again 18 holes were played, Ray winning with a score of 74 to Batley's 76.

In 1920, 1921 and 1923 the trophy was awarded to the winner of the southern section qualifying competition for the Daily Mail Tournament.

References
  1. "Tooting Bec Cup". PGA. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  2. "Tooting Bec Cup". PGA European Tour. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  3. "The Open's prized silverware". PGA. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  4. "Another PGA medal haul for Rory". PGA. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  5. "London and Counties Professional Golfers' Association". The Times. 16 October 1901. p. 9.
  6. "Awards for Cotton and Davies". The Times. 2 August 1934. p. 4.
  7. "Professional competition at Romford". The Times. 18 September 1902. p. 10.
  8. "Professional Golfers' Association". The Times. 13 May 1903. p. 9.
  9. "Professional Golfers' Association". The Times. 5 May 1904. p. 12.
  10. "Professional Golfers' Association's tournament". The Times. 4 May 1905. p. 12.
  11. "Professional Golfers' Association". The Times. 26 April 1906. p. 11.
  12. "Professional Golfers' Association". The Times. 16 May 1907. p. 12.
  13. "Professional Golfers' Association". The Times. 14 May 1908. p. 19.
  14. "Tooting Bec Cup competition". The Times. 13 May 1909. p. 18.
  15. "The £240 competition – Southern section". The Times. 21 July 1910. p. 18.
  16. "Southern professional tournament". The Times. 4 May 1911. p. 15.
  17. "The Tooting Bec cup". The Times. 6 May 1911. p. 15.
  18. "Professional foursomes tournament – Qualifying competitions". The Times. 25 April 1912. p. 13.
  19. "The Tooting Bec cup". The Times. 1 April 1913. p. 16.
  20. "Professional golfers association – Southern qualifying competition". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1913. p. 14.
  21. "Professionals at Thorpe Hall". The Glasgow Herald. 15 April 1914. p. 15.
  22. "Ray wins the "Tooting Bec" cup". The Glasgow Herald. 21 April 1914. p. 14.
  23. "Worplesdon tournament – Ray's great round". The Glasgow Herald. 16 April 1920. p. 13.
  24. "The £600 tournament – Southern section qualifying play". The Glasgow Herald. 22 April 1921. p. 4.
  25. "Great round by Duncan". The Times. 20 April 1923. p. 6.
  26. "Club Makers, Professionals and Course Designers: Alexander and John McLaren". North Berwick. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
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