Dunlop-Southport Tournament

The Southport Tournament was a professional golf tournament played in the Southport area in North West England. It was founded in 1930 when it was sponsored by a Manchester newspaper, the Daily Dispatch. From 1931 it was sponsored by Dunlop and was known as the Dunlop-Southport Tournament, being jointly funded by Southport Corporation. The last event was played in 1948 when Southport Corporation withdrew their funding.[1] It was replaced by the "Dunlop Tournament", played at various location in the United Kingdom. The tournament was played in May and was played over 72 holes of stroke play. Qualifying, over 36 holes, took place at local courses immediately before the tournament.

Southport Tournament
Tournament information
LocationSouthport, England
Established1930
Month playedMay
Final year1948
Final champion
Fred Daly

Henry Cotton dominated the first six events, winning twice and being runner-up in the other four.

The 1939 event was cancelled because of difficulties finding suitable courses for qualifying and the event itself.

Winners edit

Year Winner Venue Score Margin
of victory
Runner(s)-up Winner's
share (£)
Ref
Daily Dispatch Southport Tournament
1930   Archie Compston Royal Birkdale 285 4 strokes   Henry Cotton
  Horton Smith
200 [2][3]
Dunlop-Southport Tournament
1931   Henry Cotton Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club 287 2 strokes   Archie Compston 360 [4]
1932   Henry Cotton Hesketh Golf Club 281 Playoff
(36 holes)
  Bill Twine 360 [5][6]
1933   Bill Davies Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club 293 1 stroke   Henry Cotton
  Willie Nolan
  Ernest Whitcombe
[7]
1934   Alf Padgham Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club 279 2 strokes   Henry Cotton 300 [8]
1935   Charles Whitcombe Royal Birkdale 295 1 stroke   Dick Burton
  Henry Cotton
315 [9]
1936   Alf Padgham Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club 282 2 strokes   Dick Burton 315 [10]
1937   Dick Burton Hesketh Golf Club 280 3 strokes   Charles Whitcombe [11]
1938   Don Curtis Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club 287 2 strokes   Arthur Lees 315 [12]
1939: No tournament
1940–45: No tournament due to World War II
1946   Max Faulkner Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club 296 1 stroke   Norman Von Nida 350 [13]
1947   Norman Von Nida Hesketh Golf Club 285 5 strokes   Charlie Ward 350 [14]
1948   Fred Daly Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club 290 Playoff
(36 holes)
  Ted McNeill 350 [15][16]

References edit

  1. ^ "Golf – New year's professional tournaments". The Times. 18 December 1947. p. 2.
  2. ^ "Great golf at Southport – Compston wins". The Glasgow Herald. 10 May 1930. p. 3.
  3. ^ "Compston wins British golf – Horton Smith deadlocked with Henry Cotton for second money". The Pittsburgh Press. 9 May 1930. p. 58.
  4. ^ "British golf triumph – Cotton wins at Southport". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1931. p. 3.
  5. ^ "A thrilling finish – Twine equals Cotton's wins at Southport". The Glasgow Herald. 14 May 1932. p. 18.
  6. ^ "Cotton's £200 shot – One stroke victory at Southport". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1932. p. 18.
  7. ^ "Davies wins by a stroke – Thrilling finish to Southport tourny". The Glasgow Herald. 13 May 1933. p. 7.
  8. ^ "Padgham wins at Southport – Remarkable scoring". The Times. 5 May 1934. p. 6.
  9. ^ "Southport £1600 tournament – C Whitcombe's putting victory". The Glasgow Herald. 20 May 1935. p. 7.
  10. ^ "Padgham wins again – Prize-money now totals £1015". The Glasgow Herald. 9 May 1936. p. 3.
  11. ^ "Richard Burton wins £1600 golf tournament – Charles Whitcombe in second place: Jack M'Leans good showing". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1937. p. 19.
  12. ^ "Padgham's bid in vain – Don Curtis wins £1600 tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 7 May 1938. p. 3.
  13. ^ "Faulkner wins at Southport – Exciting golf finish". The Glasgow Herald. 11 May 1946. p. 4.
  14. ^ "Another fine win for Von Nida – £850 in three weeks". The Glasgow Herald. 10 May 1947. p. 2.
  15. ^ "Two Irishmen tie for first prize at Southport". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1948. p. 4.
  16. ^ "Daly's sound victory at Southport – Opponents poor finish". The Glasgow Herald. 10 May 1948. p. 4.