Who's who: Harry Vardon

  • 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: Harry Vardon

  • Name:

    Henry William "Harry" Vardon
  • Country:

    Jersey
  • Lived:

    [1870-1937]. Born on May 9, 1870 in Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands. Died on March 20, 1937 in Totteridge, Hertfordshire aged 66.
  • Original/Home Club:

    Royal Jersey GC, Grouville, Jersey.
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer, course designer and golf writer.
  • Turned Pro:

    1890

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (7). Multiple professional tournament wins in Britain, Europe and the USA. World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 1974).

Golf course design

Vardon became involved in golf course design as the popularity of golf took-off in the early 1900s. His designs include, but are not limited to: Copt Heath (1907); Ganton (1905, improvements); Kingussie (1908, redesign); Little Aston (1908); Royal County Down (early 1900s, modifications); Sandy Lodge (1910); Woodhall Spa (1903).

Did you know?

Vardon was a record six-time winner of the Open Championship (1896, '98, '99, 1903, '11, '14) and also a U.S. Open winner (1900). He was part of what became known as the "Great Triumverate," along with J.H. Taylor and James Braid. Together, these three legends of the game laid claim to 16 out of the 21 Open Championships played between 1894 and 1914. Vardon didn't start playing golf seriously until he was in his early 20s, but based on a demanding practice regime, he became a golfing sensation within a few years. His celebrity status grew during his 80-match tour of U.S. in 1900, which included winning the U.S. Open. In his last U.S. Open appearance in 1920, aged 50, he finished 1 shot behind winner Ted Ray, in a four-way tie for second place. The most popular method of gripping a golf club is known as the Vardon grip; this method of placing the hands on the club was used by Vardon, but actually invented some years before by Scottish amateur, Johnny Laidlay.

Top tournaments won by Harry Vardon

1914
Majors
306
£50
R&A

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Vardon, Harry

Score

306

Prize money

£50

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (54th) (June 18/19). Second-placed J.H. Taylor (Eng) finished 3 shots behind Vardon (Jersey). This was the last of Vardon's six Open Championship wins. [Prestwick GC, Ayrshire, Scotland].

1912
Europe
1 hole
£100
News of the World

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Vardon, Harry

Score

1 hole

Prize money

£100

Title sponsor

News of the World

Played as the News of the World Match Play (Oct 1-4). Vardon (Jersey) beat Ted Ray (Jersey) by 1 hole in the 36-hole final. [Old course, Sunningdale GC, Sunningdale, Berks].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Vardon, Harry

Score

279

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the inaugural German Open. Europe's fourth oldest National Open Championship, behind The Open Championship (1860), French Open (1906) and Belgian Open (1910). Won by Harry Vardon (Eng). [Baden-Baden GC, nr Karlsruhe, Germany].

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Vardon, Harry

Score

303

Prize money

£50

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (51st) (June 26-29). Vardon (Eng) won a 36-hole stroke play playoff against Arnaud Massy (Fra). Massy, 5 shots behind at the time, conceded at the 35th hole. This was the fifth of Vardon's six Open Championship wins. [Royal St George's GC, Sandwich, Kent].

1903
Majors
300
£30
R&A

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Vardon, Harry

Score

300

Prize money

£30

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (43rd) (June 10/11). Second-placed Tom Vardon (Jersey) finished 6 shots behind his brother Harry Vardon (Jersey). This was the fourth of Vardon's six Open Championship wins. [Prestwick GC, Ayrshire, Scotland].

1900
Majors
313
$200
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Vardon, Harry

Score

313

Prize money

$200

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (6th) (Oct 4/5). Second-placed J.H. Taylor (Eng) finished 2 shots behind Vardon (Jersey). [Chicago GC, Wheaton, nr Chicago, IL].

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Vardon, Harry

Score

310

Prize money

£30

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (39th) (June 7/8). Second-placed Jack White (Scot) finished 5 shots behind defending champion Vardon (Jersey). This was the third of Vardon's six Open Championship wins. [Royal St George's GC, Sandwich, Kent].

1898
Majors
307
£30
R&A

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Vardon, Harry

Score

307

Prize money

£30

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (38th) (June 8/9). Second-placed Willie Park Jr (Scot) finished 1-shot behind Vardon (Jersey). This was the second of Vardon's six Open Championship wins. [Prestwick GC, Ayrshire, Scotland].

1896
Majors
316
£30
R&A

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Vardon, Harry

Score

316

Prize money

£30

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (36th) (June 10/11). Vardon (Jersey) beat J.H. Taylor (Eng) in a 36-hole playoff: Vardon 157, Taylor 161. This was the first of Vardon's six Open Championship wins. [Muirfield - The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, East Lothian].

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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

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