On this date in 1975, Shelley Hamlin won the LPGA of Japan Golf Classic in Tokyo by one stroke over Hollis Stacy. Hamlin had three LPGA Tour victories in all and passed away at age 69 in October 2018.
The improbable 2004 Open Championship winner Todd Hamilton was born on this date in 1965. My claim to fame with him is that I covered him in high school golf for the Pantagraph in Bloomington, Illinois, when Hamilton played for Biggsville Union High School.
Willie Park Sr. won the first Open Championship on this date in 1860. He had a score of 164 to win at Prestwick Club, Scotland. There were just eight players. In second by two strokes was Tom Morris Sr., who would become known as Old Tom in the history books.
The 1983 Ryder Cup, the 25th playing, ended on this date at PGA National with the U.S. winning, 14½-13½. Bernard Gallacher's missed short putt on 17 to lose to Tom Watson 2 & 1 ended up being the U.S.’s winning point, but also key was Lanny Wadkins’ par-5 18th hole wedge shot that gave him a win on the hole and a halve of his match with Jose Maria Canizares.
On this date in 1961, the LPGA Championship, at Stardust CC, was won by Mickey Wright in dominant fashion, by nine strokes over Louise Suggs.
The 1881 Open Championship, the 21st, was won by Bob Ferguson on this date when he shot a 170 at Prestwick Golf Club.
The 1963 Ryder Cup ended on this date at East Lake Golf Club with the U.S. beating Great Britain, 23-9. There was a format change with the addition of 4-ball (better ball) matches on a third day of action.
LPGA great Amy Alcott won the 1980 Inamori Golf Classic on this date at Almaden Country Club in San Jose, California. She shot 12 under par and won by four over Patty Hayes and Beth Daniel.
The 1902 and eighth U.S. Open ended on this date. Laurie Auchterlonie shot 307 at Garden City Golf Club in New York to win by six shots.
Australian golfer Bruce Devlin was born on this date in 1937. He won eight times on the PGA Tour and was famous for making a double eagle on the eighth hole at the Masters in 1967.
The 1965 Ryder Cup ended on this date at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. The U.S. team, captained by Byron Nelson, beat Great Britain, 19½-12½; GB was captained by Harry Weetman. On the final day of singles, Arnold Palmer, Tony Lema, Julius Boros and Dave Marr each won two matches for the U.S. and Peter Alliss won two for GB.
On this date in 1888, the 28th Open Championship was played, at St. Andrews, with Jack Burns winning with a 171 total, to finish one shot ahead of two others.
The 31st Open Championship, held in 1891, ended on this date with Hugh Kirkaldy totaling 166 at St. Andrews to win.
The 1928 PGA Championship ended on this date. It was the 11th playing. Leo Diegel defeated Al Espinosa, 6 and 5, at the Five Farms Course of the Baltimore Country Club in Lutherville, Maryland. It was the first of two consecutive PGA titles for Diegel.
The 12th Ryder Cup Match ended on this date in 1957 at Lindrick Golf Club in England. The Great Britain team, led by captain Dai Rees, defeated the American squad, 7½ to 4½, winning for the first time since 1933.
A couple of Open Championships finished on this date. In 1873 on the Old Course, St. Andrews, Scotsman Tom Kidd defeated fellow Scot Jamie Anderson by one stroke. In 1878 at Prestwick, Anderson won his second of three straight by beating Bob Kirk by two strokes.
The 1884 and 1885 Open Championships ended on this date. In 1884, at Prestwick GC, Jack Simpson won in windy conditions by four strokes from fellow Scots Douglas Rolland and Willie Fernie. In 1885, Bob Martin won by one shot over Archie Simpson at the Old Course.
The 1876 Open Golf Championship, held at St Andrews, was played on this date, with Bob Martin ruled the champion golfer when fellow Scotsman Davie Strath refused to take part in a playoff after the two of them finished with a 176 total. The entire affair is worth reading in more detail from a golf history book.
The 1950 U.S. Women’s Open concluded on September 30 at Rolling Hills C.C., in Wichita, Kansas, so I’m taking the liberty of using it on October 1 to mention it. The USGA didn’t start conducting the Women’s Open until 1953, so the 1950 edition was run by the LPGA. Babe Zaharias tied the tournament scoring record, 291, to beat amateur Betsy Rawls by 9 shots.
The 1882 Open Championship, the 22nd Open, was held on this date at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. Bob Ferguson won for the third straight time, with a 171 total, by three strokes over Willie Fernie, who would win in 1883.