1919 News of the World Match Play

The 1919 News of the World Match Play was the twelfth News of the World Match Play tournament. It was played from Monday 29 September to Thursday 2 October at Walton Heath Golf Club. 64 players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 18 holes, except for the final which was over 36 holes. The winner received £100 out of a total prize fund of £590. Abe Mitchell defeated George Duncan by 1 hole in the final to win the tournament. It was Mitchell's first appearance in the event.

1919 News of the World Match Play
Tournament information
Dates29 September – 2 October 1919
LocationWalton-on-the-Hill, Surrey, England
Course(s)Walton Heath Golf Club
Organised byThe PGA
FormatMatch play – 18 holes
(Final 36 holes)
Statistics
Field64 players
Prize fund£590
Winner's share£100
Champion
England Abe Mitchell
def. George Duncan 1 up
← 1913
1920 →
Walton Heath Golf Club is located in England
Walton Heath Golf Club
Walton Heath Golf Club

The event coincided with a rail strike which started on 27 September. The P.G.A. initially decided to postpone the event but, with most of the competitors having already arrived in the area, later decided to carry on with the original arrangements.[1] In the end, 6 of the 64 qualifiers did not compete.

Qualification

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Qualification was by a series of 36-hole stroke-play competitions; one for each of the eight PGA sections. The Southern section had 26 qualifiers, the Northern section 12, the Midland section 10, the Scottish section 5, the Welsh and West of England sections 4, the Eastern section 2 and the Irish section 1. The Southern section was played over two days. In the event of a tie for places there was a playoff.

Qualifying events:

The qualifiers were:

None of the Great Triumvirate qualified.

Format

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It was decided in July that the number of qualifiers would be increased from 32 to 64 and the "News of the World" agreed to increase the prize money.[7] Matches were over 18 holes except for the final which was over 36 holes. Extra holes were played in the event of a tied match. The event was extended from three to four days with one round played on the first day, two rounds on the second and third days and the final on the fourth day.

Results

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Source:[8][9][10][11][12]

First round
29 September

Second round
30 September
Third round
30 September
Fourth round
1 October
Semi-finals
1 October
Final
2 October
  Alf Baker
  George Gadd 19h   George Gadd
  Harry Fernie   Hugh Roberts 19h
  Hugh Roberts 6&5   Hugh Roberts
  Jack Gaudin 3&1   Peter Rainford 19h
  William Horne   Jack Gaudin
  Arthur Mitchell   Peter Rainford 3&2
  Peter Rainford 3&2   Peter Rainford
  Ralph Smith   George Duncan 5&4
  George Duncan 6&5   George Duncan 19h
  Laurie Ayton, Snr 4&3   Laurie Ayton, Snr
  Bert Weastell   George Duncan 19h
  Sam Whiting 3&1   Sam Whiting
  James Adwick   Sam Whiting 6&5
  Dick May 3&2   Dick May
  Harry Ball   George Duncan
  Ernest Riseborough 4&2   Abe Mitchell 1up
  Reg Wilson   Ernest Riseborough
  Tom Williamson 2up   Tom Williamson 5&3
  Charles Mayo   Tom Williamson
  Josh Taylor 2&1   Fred Robson 3&2
  Tom Grant   Josh Taylor
  Fred Robson 3&2   Fred Robson 6&5
  Fred Leach   Fred Robson
  Eric Bannister   Abe Mitchell 6&4
  Syd Wingate 1up   Syd Wingate
  Arthur Havers   Rowland Jones 4&3
  Rowland Jones 2up   Rowland Jones
  Abe Mitchell 1up   Abe Mitchell 20h
  Bert Seymour   Abe Mitchell 2&1
  Charles Johns 5&4   Charles Johns
  James Scarth

Prize money

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The winner received £100 and a gold medal, the runner-up received £40 and a silver medal, losing semi-finalists £20 and a bronze medal, losing quarter-finalists £12 10s, third round losers £10, second round losers £7 10s and first round losers £5.

References

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  1. ^ "The £590 tournament". The Times. 29 September 1919. p. 3.
  2. ^ a b "P.G.A. tournament". The Times. 4 September 1919. p. 5.
  3. ^ "The £590 tournament – "The Triumvirate" fail to qualify". The Times. 19 September 1919. p. 5.
  4. ^ "The £590 tournament". The Times. 20 September 1919. p. 4.
  5. ^ "The £590 tournament – Scottish section's qualifying competition". The Times. 24 September 1919. p. 5.
  6. ^ a b "The £590 tournament". The Times. 25 September 1919. p. 5.
  7. ^ "The P.G.A.". The Times. 14 July 1919. p. 4.
  8. ^ "£590 tournament". The Times. 26 September 1919. p. 4.
  9. ^ "Golf – The £590 tournament – Herd, Ray and Batley beaten". The Glasgow Herald. 30 September 1919. p. 3.
  10. ^ "Golf – The £590 tournament – Narrow wins by Duncan and Mitchell". The Glasgow Herald. October 1919. p. 3.
  11. ^ "Golf – The £590 tournament – Duncan and Mitchell the finalists". The Glasgow Herald. 2 October 1919. p. 5.
  12. ^ "Golf – The £590 tournament – Victory of Abe Mitchell". The Glasgow Herald. 3 October 1919. p. 13.

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