Who's who: Flory Van Donck

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Who's who: Flory Van Donck

  • Name:

    Flory van Donck
  • Country:

    Belgium
  • Lived:

    [1912-1992]. Born on June 23, 1912 in Tervuren, Flemish Brabant, Belgium. Died on Jan 14, 1992, aged 79.
  • Original/Home Club:

    Royal GC de Belgique (Ravenstein).
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer.
  • Turned Pro:

    c.1931

Roll of Honour

Total professional wins (50+), including Belgian Opens (5), Dutch Opens (5), Italian Opens (4), French Opens (3), German Opens (2), Swiss Opens (2), Portugal Opens (1), several wins on the British professional circuit and one or two outside Europe. British PGA Order of Merit winner (1953). Twice runner-up in the Open Championship (1956, '59).

Did you know?

Van Donck is widely regarded as the best Belgian professional ever to have played the game. He recorded over 60 wins as a professional, including many prestgious national championships in Europe. As a teaching professional he was originally engaged at Royal Golf Club de Belgique (Ravenstein) and subsequently at Royal Waterloo GC.

Top tournaments won by Flory Van Donck

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

279 (-9)

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Second-placed Sam Snead (USA) finished 2 shots behind Van Donck (Belg), who won the International Trophy for best individual score in the Canada Cup. Team winners of the Cup: Sam Snead & Arnold Palmer (USA). [Portmarnock GC, nr Dublin, Ireland].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

276

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Open de France. Defending champion Van Donck (Belg) beat Harold Henning (S Africa) in a 36-hole playoff (Van Donck 137, Henning 141). This was the last of three French Open wins for Van Donck. [Saint Germain GC, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, nr Paris].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

266

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Open de France. Second-placed Peter Alliss (Eng) and defending champion Ángel Miguel (Esp) finished 8 shots Van Donck (Belg). This was the second of three French Open wins for Van Donck. [Vert course, Saint Cloud GC, Garches, nr Paris].

1957
America
Caracas CC
277 (-7)
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Venue

Caracas CC

Score

277 (-7)

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the inaugural Caracas Open (in Feb 1957; the first of two Caracas Opens that year) (Caribbean tour event). Second-placed Roberto De Vicenzo (Arg) and Joe Conrad (USA) finished 1 shot behind Van Donck (Belg). [Caracas CC, Caracas, Venezuela].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

277

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the German Open. Van Donck (Belg) and Eric Brown (Scot) tied after 72 holes. They then tied at 71 each in an 18-hole playoff. Van Donck prevailed at the fourth sudden-death playoff hole. [Frankfurter GC, Niederrad, Frankfurt am Main].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

269

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Belgian Open (June 8-10). Second-placed Angel Miguel (Esp) finished 8 shots behind Van Donck (Belg), who claimed the last of his five Belgian Open titles. [Royal Latem GC, Sint-Martens-Latem, East Flanders, Belgium].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Venue

Venezia

Score

287

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Italian Open. Henri de Lamaze (Fra) finished in second place behind Van Donck (Belg), who claimed the last of his four Italian Open wins. [Venezia GC, Lido di Venezia, Veneto].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

277

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Swiss Open. Won by Flory Van Donck (Belg). [GC Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans-Montana, Switzerland].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Venue

Estoril

Score

267

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Portuguese Open. Flory Van Donck (Belg) beat defending champion Ángel Miguel (Esp) in a 36-hole playoff (Van Donck 128; Miguel 135). [Estoril GC, Estoril, Portugal].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

275

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Open de France. Second-placed Norman Von Nida (Aus) and Aldo Casera (Italy) finished 1 shot behind Van Donck (Belg). This was the first of three French Open wins for Van Donck. [Vert course, Saint Cloud GC, Garches, nr Paris].

1953
Europe
278
£500
Yorkshire Eve. News

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

278

Prize money

£500

Title sponsor

Yorkshire Eve. News

Played as the Yorkshire Evening News £1550 Tournament (June 17-19). Harry Bradshaw (Ire) finished 1 shot behind Flory Van Donck (Belg), who clinched victory with a final round 66. [Sand Moor GC, Leeds, W Yorks, England].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

267

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Swiss Open. Won by Flory Van Donck (Belg). [GC Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans-Montana, Switzerland].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

286

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Dutch Open. Second-placed Piet Witte (Neth) finished 2 shots behind Van Donck (Belg), who claimed the last of his five Dutch Open titles. [Eindhovensche Golf, Valkenswaard, nr Eindhoven].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

271 (-13)

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the German Open. Won by Van Donck (Belg). [Frankfurter GC, Niederrad, Frankfurt am Main].

1953
Europe
Villa d'Este
267
x

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Venue

Villa d'Este

Score

267

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Italian Open. Second-placed Max Faulkner (Eng) and Dai Rees (Wales) finished 6 shots behind Van Donck (Belg), who claimed the third of his four Italian Open wins. [GC Villa d'Este, Montorfano, nr Como, Lombardy].

1953
Europe
274
£300
Silvertown Co.

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

274

Prize money

£300

Title sponsor

Silvertown Co.

Played as the (last) Silver King Tournament. Second-placed Ken Bousfield (Eng), Bill Branch (Eng) and John Pritchett (Eng) finished 6 shots behind Van Donck (Belg). [High course, Moor Park GC, Rickmansworth, Herts].

1953
Awards
71.06
British PGA

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Venue

Score

71.06

Prize money

Title sponsor

British PGA

Van Donck (Belg) won the Harry Vardon Trophy as the British PGA Tour 1953 Order of Merit winner. Award based on lowest scoring average in the season's top professional events. Van Donck's 71.06 average of was based on 29 rounds played.

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

270

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Belgian Open (Aug 8-10). Second-placed Henri de Lamaze (Fra, amateur) finished 9 shots behind Van Donck (Belg), who claimed the fourth of his five Belgian Open titles. [Royal Waterloo GC, Ferme Blaret, Rhode-Saint-Genese, nr Brussels. This course closed following the Club's move to a new location].

1951
Europe
Oakdale GC, Eng
337
£500
x

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Venue

Oakdale GC, Eng

Score

337

Prize money

£500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the North British-Harrogate 2000 Guineas Tournament (over 90 holes). Second-placed Peter Thomson (Aus) finished 4 shots behind Van Donck (Belg). [Oakdale GC, Harrogate, North Yorkshire].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

281

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Dutch Open. Second-placed Eric Brown (Scot) and Reg Horne (Eng) finished 2 shots behind Van Donck (Belg), who recorded his fourth win in this event. [Kennemer G&CC, Zandvoort, Netherlands].

1951
Europe
285
£300
Silvertown Co.

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

285

Prize money

£300

Title sponsor

Silvertown Co.

Played as the Silver King Tournament. Second-placed Jack Hargreaves (Eng) and Wally Smithers (Eng) finished 2 shots behind Van Donck (Belg). [High course, Moor Park GC, Rickmansworth, Herts].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Venue

Sanremo

Score

263

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Italian Open (for the first time since 1938 due to World War II). Aldo Casera (Italy) finished in second place behind defending champion Van Donck (Belg), who claimed the second of his four Italian Open wins. [GC degli Ulivi Sanremo, Sanremo, Liguria].

1947
Europe
Mere
279
£500
Manchester EC

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Venue

Mere

Score

279

Prize money

£500

Title sponsor

Manchester EC

Played as the inaugural Manchester Evening Chronicle £1,400 Tournament. Second-placed Johnny Bulla (USA) finished 3 shots behind Van Donck (Belg), who recorded his first victory in Britain. [The Mere Resort, Mere, Knutsford, Cheshire].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

285

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Belgian Open. Won by defending champion Van Donck (Belg), who recorded the third of his five Belgian Open titles. [GC des Fagnes, Spa, Ardennes, Belgium].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

289

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Belgian Open. W.S. "Bill" Forrester (Scot) finished second to defending champion Van Donck (Belg). [Royal Waterloo GC, Ferme Blaret, Rhode-Saint-Genese, nr Brussels. This course closed following the Club's move to a new location].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

290

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Dutch Open. Second-placed Joop Ruhl (Neth) finished 8 shots behind by Van Donck (Belg), who won this event for the third time. [Hilversumsche GC, Hilversum, nr Amsterdam].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

291 (+11)

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Belgian Open (25th) (Aug 9-11). Max Faulkner (Eng) finished 1 shot behind home-country winner van Donck (Belg), who shot a level par 70 in the final round. [GC des Fagnes, Spa, Ardennes, Belgium].

1938
Europe
Villa d'Este
276
x

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Venue

Villa d'Este

Score

276

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Italian Open (for the last time until 1947 due to World War II). Pulvio Travaini (Italy) finished in second place behind Van Donck (Belg), who claimed the first of his four Italian Open wins. [GC Villa d'Este, Montorfano, nr Como, Lombardy].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

286

Prize money

fl.500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Dutch Open (July 17/18). Second-placed Auguste Boyer (Fra) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Van Donck (Belg). [Utrechtse GC "De Pan," Bosch en Duin, nr Utrecht].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Van Donck, Flory

Score

285

Prize money

fl.500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Dutch Open (July 4/5). Second-placed Francis "Frank" Francis (Eng, amateur) finished 4 shots behind Van Donck (Belg). [Hilversumsche GC, Hilversum, nr Amsterdam].

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