Wikipedia

Midland Challenge Cup

The Midland Challenge Cup was an annual professional golf tournament played in the English Midlands. The event was organised by the Midlands Region of the Professional Golfers' Association and ran from 1903 to 1961. For most of its existence it acted as the Midland section qualifying event for the News of the World Match Play. Sectional qualification was discontinued after 1961 and the event was not held again.

Midland Challenge Cup
Tournament information
LocationEnglish Midlands
Established1903
FormatStroke-play
Final year1961

History edit

The Midland Professional Golf Club held its first meeting in late 1897.[1] Initially four tournaments were held each year, one being a championship. The first championship was held in May 1898.[2] However, in 1900 the schedule was reduced to two, a championship meeting in April and an open meeting in October, open to professionals from outside the Midland region. the first open event, at Sandwell Park, was won by Robert Munro.[3] There was another open meeting at Olton in 1901, won by James Sherlock.[4] In 1902 the Midland Professional Golf Club amalgamated with the Professional Golfers' Association, which had been formed in 1901, becoming the Midland section of the PGA.[5] The 1902 open tournament saw Harry Vardon, JH Taylor, and James Braid competing and was won by JH Taylor.[6]

In 1902 the Midland Counties Competition, an organisation that ran some important amateur competitions in the Midlands and a predecessor of the current Midland Golf Union, passed a resolution recommending that clubs in the region subscribe a maximum of two guineas towards prize money in the two Midland professional tournaments.[7] Some of the money raised was used to purchase a new trophy, the "Midland Challenge Cup", which was first awarded at the 1903 open meeting at Hollinwell.[8] The first News of the World Match Play tournament was also held in 1903. Each section was allocated a number of places in the final stage, the Midland section having 5 of the 32 places. The open event acted as the qualifying event, the leading five midland players progressing to the final stage.[9] The tournament was a 36-hole stroke-play event, contested in a single day. Tom Williamson won, four strokes ahead of James Sherlock.[9]

The same system was used for a number of years. The Midland Professional Championship was held in April with the open event played in September, at which the Midland Challenge Cup was awarded and places for the midland golfers in the final stage of the News of the World Match Play. Sandy Herd won the Midland Challenge Cup in 1904, six strokes ahead of George Cawsey, the leading midland player.[10] Tom Williamson won for the second time in 1905 with George Cawsey winning in 1906.[11][12] Philip Wynne won in 1907 with George Coburn the leading midland golfer. In 1907 the number of News of the World qualifiers was reduced to four.[13] Coburn won in 1908.[14] 1909 produced the first tie in the event, between Charles Mayo and Wilfrid Reid. The pair played another nine holes in the evening, Mayo winning by two strokes. Frank Coltart tied for third place and was the leading midland player.[15] 1910 produced another tie, between two midland players George Tuck and William Jeffries. As in 1909 a 9-hole playoff was arranged, Tuck winning by several strokes.[16]

1911 saw the introduction of a second event for which was sectional qualification was required. the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament. Qualification was based on individual stroke-play, qualifiers being drawn randomly into pairs for the finals stage. The Midland section was allocated 9 of the 64 places. The Midland section took the opportunity to switch the events; the Midland Challenge Cup being played as an open event in April, serving as the qualifying for the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes in May, while the championship was held in the autumn and acted as qualification for the News of the World Match Play, for which five places were now available.[17][18] The reversal of the events caused some confusion in the press. Wilfrid Reid won the event three years in a row from 1911 to 1913. In 1911 he finished two strokes ahead of Jack Oke while in 1912 he was a stroke ahead of Tom Williamson.[19][20] In 1913 he was tied with Laurie Ayton Snr but won the 18-hole playoff the following day by five strokes.[21] Tom Williamson won in 1914. He was tied with Jack B. Ross but won the playoff the next day by six strokes,[22]

In May 1919 the Midland section held a "Victory Tournament". Tom Williamson tied with Archie Compston after the 36 holes and they were still tied after a further nine holes. Williamson won after a further nine holes were player.[23]

Although the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes was not revived after the war, another event, the 72-hole Daily Mail Tournament, replaced it in the calendar and also involved sectional qualifying. The Midland Challenge Cup continued to be played in April acting as the qualification event for the Daily Mail tournament. At Hollinwell in 1920 the cup was won by Hugh Roberts, a stroke ahead of Tom Williamson.[24] Len Holland won in 1921, beating Arthur Ham and Alfred Matthews in an 18-hole playoff.[25] From 1922 to 1924 there were big wins, James Adwick winnin9g by five strokes in 1922, Michael Bingham by four in 1923 and Holland by five in 1924.[26][27][28] Williamson won three times in a row from 1925 to 1927, each time by one stroke.[29][30][31]

The Daily Mail Tournament was not played from 1928 to 1935 and the opportunity was taken to separate the News of the World Match Play qualifying from the championship. The Midland Challenge Cup was awarded to the winner of the News of the World qualifying event, as was the case before 1911. The number of qualification places for the News of the World event varied from year to year but in this period was either 9 or 10. In 1928 this was held in June with the championship in September but from 1929 the order was reversed, with the championship played in the early part of the year and the News of the World qualifying in September. Tom Barber won the cup in 1928, after a playoff against Charles Pixton, and retained it the following year.[32][33] There were two multiple winners in the 1930, Bill Martin winning in 1934 and 1935, while Jack McMillan won in 1936 and 1939.[34][35][36][37]

In early 1940 the cup was awarded to the leading qualifier in the Midland section of the Daily Mail Tournament, and was won by Tom Haliburton.[38] For a number of year the winner of the cup was not widely reported but it seems that was also given to leading Midland qualifier in the Daily Mail event in 1949 and 1950, the last two year of that tournament. From 1951 it was awarded again awarded to the winner of the News of the World Match Play qualification event. From 1956 the Midland Professional Championship and the Midland Challenge Cup were played on successive days at the same venue. Ralph Moffitt won the Midland Challenge Cup three times, in 1954, 1956 and 1960.[39] In 1956 the winner of the event was Alex Tibbles, then working in Peru. He was not eligible to win the Midland Challenge Cup, which was won by Moffitt, the runner-up in the event.[40] Frank Jowle was another multiple winner, winning in 1955 and 1959.[41][42] George Maisey was final winner of the event, winning in 1961.[43] From 1962 sectional qualification for the News of the World championship was replaced by local qualifying on the two days prior to the knock-out stage.

In 1980 the cup was reused as the trophy for the Midland Matchplay Championship which had started in 1972 and ran until 1999.[44]

Winners edit

Year Winner Score Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up Venue Ref
Midland Challenge Cup
1903   Tom Williamson 151 4 strokes   James Sherlock Hollinwell [9]
1904   Sandy Herd 146 6 strokes   George Cawsey Sandwell Park [10]
1905   Tom Williamson 145 1 stroke   John Hutchings Kings Norton [11]
1906   George Cawsey 152 1 stroke   Harry Cawsey
  Jack Oke		 Handsworth [12]
1907   Philip Wynne 146 3 strokes   George Coburn Olton [13]
1908   George Coburn 148 1 stroke   George Cawkwell Streetly [14]
1909   Charles Mayo 149 Playoff[a]   Wilfrid Reid Kings Norton [15]
1910   George Tuck 146 Playoff[b]   William Jeffries Castle Bromwich [16]
1911   Wilfrid Reid 153 2 strokes   Jack Oke Harborne [19]
1912   Wilfrid Reid 148 1 stroke   Tom Williamson Hallowes [20]
1913   Wilfrid Reid 150 Playoff[c]   Laurie Ayton Snr Walmley [45][21]
1914   Tom Williamson 148 Playoff[d]   Jack B. Ross Northampton County [46][22]
1915–1918: No tournament
PGA Midland Section Victory Tournament
1919   Tom Williamson 152 Playoff[e]   Archie Compston Castle Bromwich [23]
Midland Challenge Cup
1920   Hugh Roberts 156 1 stroke   Tom Williamson Hollinwell [24]
1921   Len Holland 150 Playoff[f]   Arthur Ham
  Alfred Matthews		 North Shore [47][25]
1922   James Adwick 149 5 strokes W,J. King Burton-on-Trent [26]
1923   Michael Bingham 144 4 strokes   Ted Douglas
  Willie Robertson
  Frank Weston		 Coventry [27]
1924   Len Holland 146 5 strokes   Cecil Hobley Sherwood Forest [28]
1925   Tom Williamson 149 1 stroke   James Adwick
  Ted Douglas		 Leek [29]
1926   Tom Williamson 144 1 stroke   Harry Walker Sandwell Park [30]
1927   Tom Williamson 156 1 stroke   Tom Barber
  George Buckle
  Ken Hooker
  Jim Morris		 Hollinwell [31]
1928   Tom Barber 150 Playoff[g]   Charles Pixton Little Aston [32][48]
1929   Tom Barber 145 1 stroke   Freddie Beck Sherwood Forest [33]
1930   Frank Weston 145 Playoff[h]   Jack Seager Birstall [49][50]
1931   Bill Firkins 140 Playoff[i]   Alfred Matthews Walmley [51][52]
1932   George Buckle 145 1 stroke   Tom Green Harborne [53]
1933   Tom Green 143 1 stroke   Ernest Cawsey Burnham Beeches [54]
1934   Bill Martin 134 10 strokes   George Buckle Hollinwell [34]
1935   Bill Martin 140 1 stroke   Charlie Ward Copt Heath [35]
1936   Jack McMillan 139 3 strokes   George Buckle Handsworth [36]
1937   Ken Hooker 137 Playoff[j]   George Buckle Copt Heath [55][56]
1938   George Johnson 141 1 stroke   Bill Branch Leicestershire [57]
1939   Jack McMillan 138 2 strokes   Bob Pemberton Moseley [37]
1940–1945: No tournament
1946   Tom Haliburton 152 4 strokes   Herbert Manton
  Charlie Ward		 Little Aston [38]
1947 Not known
1948 Not known
1949   Norman Roffe 140 3 strokes   Freddie Beck
  Charlie Ward
  Bert Williamson		 Cotswold Hills [58]
1950   Jack Seager 146 2 strokes   Jack Hargreaves
  Alex Tibbles
  Bert Williamson		 Woodhall Spa [59]
1951   Bert Williamson 138 2 strokes   Jack Green Abbeydale [60]
1952   Bernard Hunt 142 2 strokes   Henry Coleman South Staffordshire [61]
1953   Jack Hargreaves 140 1 stroke   George Johnson Sherwood Forest [62]
1954   Ralph Moffitt 137 4 strokes   Norman Roffe Finham Park [63]
1955   Frank Jowle 134 5 strokes   Charlie Ward Copt Heath [41]
1956   Alex Tibbles[k] 140 3 strokes   Ralph Moffitt Walsall [40]
1957   David Snell 151 3 strokes   Jack Hargreaves Seacroft [64]
1958   Charlie Ward 136 5 strokes   Peter Butler Hawkstone Park [65]
1959   Frank Jowle 141 2 strokes   Peter Butler Luffenham Heath [42]
1960   Ralph Moffitt 140 2 strokes   Peter Butler
  Ron Moses
  Charlie Ward		 Ladbrook Park [39]
1961   George Maisey 139 1 stroke   Peter Butler Hawkstone Park [43]
  1. ^ Mayo beat Reid 40 to 42 in a 9-hole playoff, played the same evening.
  2. ^ Tuck beat Jeffries in a 9-hole playoff, played the same evening.
  3. ^ Reid beat Ayton 75 to 80 in an 18-hole playoff, played the following day.
  4. ^ Williamson beat Ross 74 to 80 in an 18-hole playoff, played the following day.
  5. ^ Williamson and Compston were tied after a further 9 holes and played another 9, Williamson winning 77 to 79 for the 18-holes, played the same evening.
  6. ^ Holland won an 18-hole playoff, played the following day, scoring 72 to Ham and Matthews 75s.
  7. ^ Barber beat Pixton 76 to 81 in an 18-hole playoff.
  8. ^ Weston beat Seager 71 to 74 in an 18-hole playoff.
  9. ^ Firkins beat Matthews 76 to 79 in an 18-hole playoff.
  10. ^ Hooker beat Buckle 69 to 74 in an 18-hole playoff.
  11. ^ Tibbles won the event but Moffitt won the Midland Challenge Cup since Tibbles was working overseas and hence ineligible.

From 1903 to 1910, from 1928 to 1939 and from 1951 to 1961 it was the Midland section qualifying event for the News of the World Matchplay. From 1911 to 1914 it was the qualifying event for the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament. From 1920 to 1927 and in 1946, 1949 and 1950 it was the qualifying event for the Daily Mail Tournament.

References edit

  1. ^ "The Midland Club of Professional Golfers". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 9 December 1897. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "The Midland Professional Club". Warwickshire Herald. 17 February 1898. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Professional tournament at Sandwell Park". Nottingham Evening Post. 1 October 1900. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Professional tournament at Olton". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 26 September 1901. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "The Midland Professionals". The Times. 26 March 1902. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Professional tournament at King's Norton". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 2 October 1902. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "The Midland competition". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 22 February 1902. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "On the links". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 8 October 1903. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b c "Professional tournament at Nottingham". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 8 October 1903. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b "Professional tournament at Sandwell Park". Birmingham Gazette and Express. 24 September 1904. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b "T. Williamson, Professional champion". Birmingham Gazette and Express. 21 September 1905. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b "Professional tournament at Handsworth". Birmingham Gazette and Express. 20 September 1906. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b "Professional championship won by North Surrey man". Birmingham Gazette and Express. 12 September 1907. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b "G. Coburn breaks record at Streetly". Birmingham Gazette and Express. 17 September 1908. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b "Professional tournament at King's Norton". Birmingham Gazette and Express. 16 September 1909. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b "Professional tournament at Castle Bromwich". Birmingham Gazette and Express. 16 September 1910. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Now beginning with next big competition". Birmingham Daily Mail. 23 May 1911. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Professional golf". Birmingham Gazette and Express. 7 April 1911. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ a b "Midland Professional tournament". Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. 7 April 1911. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ a b "Midland Challenge Cup won by W. E. Reid". Birmingham Gazette and Express. 18 April 1912. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ a b "W. E. Reid wins the Midland Challenge Cup". Birmingham Gazette. 25 April 1913. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ a b "Tom Williamson wins the Challenge Cup". Birmingham Gazette. 1 May 1914. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ a b "Victory golf". Birmingham Gazette. 8 May 1919. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ a b "Hereford professional wins Midland Challenge Cup". Birmingham Gazette. 6 May 1920. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ a b "Len Holland's Cup". Birmingham Gazette. 22 April 1921. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ a b "Olton man wins trophy". Birmingham Gazette. 13 April 1922. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ a b "Challenge cup record". Birmingham Gazette. 19 April 1923. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ a b "Len Holland's great golf". Birmingham Gazette. 17 April 1924. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ a b "Midland golf Challenge Cup". Birmingham Gazette. 9 April 1925. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ a b "Record-breaking golf in a thunderstorm". Birmingham Gazette. 22 April 1926. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ a b "Williamson's "hat" trick". Birmingham Gazette. 7 April 1927. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ a b "Several surprises at Little Aston". Birmingham Gazette. 14 June 1928. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ a b "Midland golf title retained". Birmingham Gazette. 5 September 1929. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ a b "W. J. Martin's brilliant golf". Birmingham Gazette. 6 September 1934. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ a b "Midland qualifiers". The Daily Telegraph. 5 September 1935. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ a b "J. McMillan wins cup". Birmingham Gazette. 3 September 1936. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ a b "Copy Heath pro. wins Midland cup". Birmingham Gazette. 31 August 1939. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ a b "Midland golf test won by airman". Birmingham Gazette. 22 February 1946. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ a b "Third Midland cup for Moffitt". Birmingham Post and Birmingham Gazette. 29 April 1960. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ a b "Midland match-play golf qualifiers". Birmingham Post. 23 August 1956. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ a b "Jowle takes Midland golf trophy". Birmingham Post. 25 August 1955. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  42. ^ a b "Jowle finishes two strokes to the good". Birmingham Post and Birmingham Gazette. 1 May 1959. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ a b Woodbine, Maurice (14 April 1960). "Young Maisey first of the qualifiers". Birmingham Post and Birmingham Gazette. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  44. ^ "Old cup gets a new lease of life". Birmingham Evening Mail. 20 October 1980. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  45. ^ "Midland Challenge Cup". The Guardian. 24 April 1913. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  46. ^ "A tie for the Midland Challenge Cup". Birmingham Gazette. 30 April 1914. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  47. ^ "Triple ties at Skegness". Birmingham Gazette. 21 April 1921. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  48. ^ "Cup for Barber". Birmingham Gazette. 15 June 1928. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  49. ^ "Golf title eludes J. Adwick after a record round". Birmingham Gazette. 4 September 1930. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  50. ^ "Midland golf title". Birmingham Gazette. 5 September 1930. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  51. ^ "Records at Walmley". Birmingham Gazette. 10 September 1931. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  52. ^ "Midland golf cup for W. Firkins". Birmingham Gazette. 11 September 1931. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  53. ^ "G. R. Buckle's golf triumph". Birmingham Gazette. 8 September 1932. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  54. ^ "Tom Green's "grand farewell" to Midlands". Birmingham Gazette. 7 September 1933. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  55. ^ "Golf records at Copt Heath". Birmingham Gazette. 1 September 1937. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  56. ^ "Golf cup for K. Hooker". Birmingham Gazette. 2 September 1937. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  57. ^ "Midland cup won by G. Johnson". Birmingham Gazette. 1 September 1938. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  58. ^ "Coventry golfer's record 66". Birmingham Gazette. 16 April 1949. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  59. ^ Morris, Peter (27 April 1950). "Williamson's fine 66". Birmingham Gazette. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  60. ^ "Williamson heads golf qualifiers". Birmingham Post. 23 August 1951. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  61. ^ "Midland match-play golf qualifiers". Birmingham Post. 21 August 1952. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  62. ^ "Hargreaves plays fine golf at Sherwood". Birmingham Post. 20 August 1953. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  63. ^ "Coventry assistant's splendid golf". Birmingham Post. 26 August 1954. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  64. ^ "Another success for D. Snell". Birmingham Post and Birmingham Gazette. 3 May 1957. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  65. ^ "Ward again shows his prowess". Birmingham Post and Birmingham Gazette. 2 May 1958. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
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