Who's who: Ernest Whitcombe

  • Padraig Harrington
  • Laura Davies
  • Annika Sörenstam
  • José María Olazábal
  • Michelle Wie
  • Edoardo Molinari
  • Lee Trevino
  • Natalie Gulbis

Who's who: Ernest Whitcombe

  • Name:

    Ernest Robert Whitcombe
  • Country:

    England
  • Lived:

    [1890-1971]. Born on Oct 17, 1890 in Berrow, nr Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset. Died on July 14, 1971 in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
  • Original/Home Club:

    Came Down GC, Dorset.
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    1910

Roll of Honour

Ryder Cup player (1929, '31, '35). At least 10 wins on the British and Irish professional circuit.

Did you know?

Ernest Whitcombe was the eldest of the three Whitcombe brothers who successfully strode the English professional golfing stage in the 1920s and 1930s. All three played together in the 1935 Ryder Cup. Ernest missed out on the 1924 Open Championship title, finishing one shot behind Walter Hagen.

Top tournaments won by Ernest Whitcombe

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Ernest

Score

292

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Irish Open. Ernest Whitcombe (Eng) beat his younger brother Reg Whitcombe (Eng) in a 36-hole playoff (Ernest 148, Reg 151). [Royal County Down GC, Newcastle, Co. Down, N. Ireland].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Ernest

Score

283

Prize money

£150

Title sponsor

Dunlop

Played as the inaugural Dunlop-Metropolitan £500 Tournament (aka The Champion of Champions). Second-placed Jack Busson (Eng) finished 4 shots behind Whitcombe (Eng). [New course, Walton Heath GC, Walton on the Hill, Surrey].

1931
Europe
39th hole
£200
Yorkshire Eve. News

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Ernest

Score

39th hole

Prize money

£200

Title sponsor

Yorkshire Eve. News

Played as the Yorkshire Evening News 1000 Guineas Tournament (May 21-23). Ernest Whitcombe (Eng) beat Tom Barber (Eng) at the 39th hole in the final. [Sand Moor GC, Leeds, W Yorks, England].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Ernest

Score

282

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Open de France. Second-placed Auguste Boyer (Fra) finished 1 shot behind Whitcombe (Eng). [Golf de Dieppe-Pourville, Dieppe, Normandy].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Ernest

Score

141

Prize money

fl.400

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Dutch Open (Aug 21). Second-placed Charles Whitcombe (Eng) finished 6 shots behind his older brother Ernest Whitcombe (Eng). [Koninklijke (Royal) Haagsche G&CC, Wassenaar, nr The Hague].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Ernest

Score

288

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Irish Open. Second-placed Archie Comptson (Eng) finished 4 shots behind Whitcombe (Eng). [Royal County Down GC, Newcastle, Co. Down, N. Ireland].

1927
Europe
Headingley GC
9 & 8
£200
Yorkshire Eve. News

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Ernest

Venue

Headingley GC

Score

9 & 8

Prize money

£200

Title sponsor

Yorkshire Eve. News

Played as the Yorkshire Evening News 1000 Guineas Tournament (July 28-30). Ernest Whitcombe (Eng) beat Herbert Jolly (Guernsey) 9 and 8 in the 36-hole final. [Headingley GC, Adel, nr Leeds, West Yorkshire].

1924
Europe
3 & 2
£200
News of the World

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Ernest

Score

3 & 2

Prize money

£200

Title sponsor

News of the World

Played as the News of the World Match Play (Oct 7-10). Whitcombe (Eng) beat George Gadd (Eng) 3 and 2 in the 36-hole final. [St George's Hill GC, Weybridge, Surrey].

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Tournaments

Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.

Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.

Recently visited

Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.

The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.

The Dutch GC, The Netherlands

The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.

Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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