Who's who: Francis Ouimet

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Francis Ouimet

  • Name:

    Francis DeSales Ouimet
  • Country:

    USA
  • Lived:

    [1893-1967]. Born on May 8, 1893 in Brookline, nr Boston, Mass. Died on Sept 2, 1967 in Newton, nr Brookline, Mass (age 74).
  • Original/Home Club:

    Brookline, Mass.
  • Occupation:

    Amateur golfer, Captain of the R&A Golf Club in St Andrews.
  • Turned Pro:

    n/a
  • Website:

    https://www.ouimet.org

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (1). US Amateur champion (1914, '31). Walker Cup player (1922, '23, '24, '26, '28, '30, '32, '34). Walker Cup captain (1936, '38, '47, '49). Captain R&A Golf Club in St Andrews (1951). World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 1974).

Did you know?

Ouimet is considered America’s first golfing hero and is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. As a relatively unknown 20-year-old amateur and former caddie, he won the 1913 U.S. Open Championship, which was staged at the Country Club, Brookline, just across the road from where he grew up. After 72-holes he was tied with the great Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, and then comfortably won the 18-hole playoff by five shots. Ouimet turned down the offer of an experienced member who wished to caddie for him in the playoff, deciding instead to stay with 10-year old Eddie Lowery. The photograph of Ouimet and Lowery marching side-by-side down the fairway is one of the most famous images in golf.

Ouimet had grown up in a modest home across the street from the 17th hole at The Country Club, and was self-taught, learning to play in his backyard. Prior to his U.S. Open victory, the championship had been largely dominated by British golfers. Ouimet's victory and unlikely background combined to create a transformational moment in American golf. Within ten years the number of American players had tripled, many new courses were built, including public courses, and the game was not considered the exclusive preserve of the wealthy elite.

Ouimet went on to a distinguished amateur golf career. He won the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1914 and 1931, played on the first eight Walker Cup teams and was Captain of the next four. Revered as a goodwill ambassador for the game, he became the first American elected Captain of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in 1951. The U.S. Senior Open Trophy is named after him, as are several others around the country.

Top tournaments won by Francis Ouimet

1931
Amateur
Beverly CC
6 & 5
amateur
USGA

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Ouimet, Francis

Venue

Beverly CC

Score

6 & 5

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Amateur Championship (35th) (Aug 31-Sept 5). Francis Ouimet (USA) beat Jack Westland (USA) 6 and 5 in the 36-hole final. [Beverly CC, Chicago, IL].

1914
Amateur
6 & 5
amateur
USGA

Category

Amateur

Winner (holder)

Ouimet, Francis

Venue

Ekwanok

Score

6 & 5

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Amateur Championship (20th) (Aug 31-Sept 5). Francis Ouimet (USA) beat Jerome Travers (USA) 6 and 5 in the 36-hole final. [Ekwanok CC, Manchester Village, VT].

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Ouimet, Francis

Score

304

Prize money

amateur

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (19th) (Sept 18-20). Ouimet (USA, amateur) beat Harry Vardon (Jersey) and Ted Ray (Jersey) in an 18-hole playoff (Ouimet 72, Vardon 77, Ray 78). [The Country Club, Brookline, Boston, MA].

Find a course

Or

Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

Who's Who

Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.

Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

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

Popular videos

You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.

Hamburger GC - Falkenstein, Germany

WINSTONgolf - Links course

Littlestone Golf Club (Kent, UK)