Who's who: Willie Anderson

  • 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: Willie Anderson

  • Name:

    William Law 'Willie" Anderson
  • Country:

    Scotland
  • Lived:

    [1879-1910]. Born on Oct 21, 1879 in North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland. Died on Oct 25, 1910 in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (aged 31).
  • Original/Home Club:

    North Berwick, Scotland
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer; club maker.
  • Turned Pro:

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (4): US Open (1901, '03, '04, '05). Multiple tournament wins in the United States, including four Western Opens (1902, '04, '08, '09). World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 1975).

Did you know?

Aged just 16, Anderson emigrated from North Berwick to the United States with his father and brother in 1896. His mother and three sisters remained in Scotland. Anderson was the first player to win four US Open Championships; three of these victories were back-to-back (1903, '04, '05). He died at the age of 31, officially from epilepsy, although other causes of death have been put forward including a brain tumour, alcoholism and ateriosclerosis.

Top tournaments won by Willie Anderson

1909
America
Skokie CC
288
$200
WGA

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Anderson, Willie

Venue

Skokie CC

Score

288

Prize money

$200

Title sponsor

WGA

Played as the Western Open (Sept 16/17). Second-placed Stewart Gardner finished 9 shots behind defending champion Willie Anderson (Scot). [Skokie CC, Glencoe, nr Chicago, IL].

1908
America
Normandie GC
299
$200
WGA

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Anderson, Willie

Venue

Normandie GC

Score

299

Prize money

$200

Title sponsor

WGA

Played as the Western Open (June 18/19). Second-placed Fred McLeod (Scot/USA) finished 1 shot behind Willie Anderson (Scot). [Normandie GC, St Louis, Missouri].

1905
Majors
314
$200
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Anderson, Willie

Score

314

Prize money

$200

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (11th) (Sept 21/22). Second-placed Alex Smith (Scot) finished 2 shots behind Anderson (Scot), who won this title for the third straight year. This was the last of Anderson's four US Open wins. [Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Mass.].

1904
Majors
Glen View Club
303
$200
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Anderson, Willie

Venue

Glen View Club

Score

303

Prize money

$200

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (10th) (July 8/9). Second-placed Gilbert Nicholls (Eng/USA) finished 5 shots behind defending champion Willie Anderson (Scot). This was the third of Anderson's four US Open wins. [Glen View Club, Golf, nr Chicago, IL].

1904
America
Kent CC
304
$150
WGA

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Anderson, Willie

Venue

Kent CC

Score

304

Prize money

$150

Title sponsor

WGA

Played as the Western Open (June 30/July 1). Second-placed Alex Smith (Scot) finished 4 shots behind Willie Anderson (Scot). [Kent CC, Grand Rapids, Mich].

1903
Majors
307
$200
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Anderson, Willie

Score

307

Prize money

$200

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (9th) (June 26-29). Anderson (Scot) beat David Brown (Scot) in an 18-hole playoff (Anderson 82, Brown 84). This was the second of Anderson's four US Open wins. [Original Old course, Baltusrol GC, Springfield, NJ].

1902
America
Euclid Club
299
$150
WGA

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Anderson, Willie

Venue

Euclid Club

Score

299

Prize money

$150

Title sponsor

WGA

Played as the Western Open (Sept 16/17; first time as a 72-hole event). Second-placed Willie Smith (Scot) and W.H. "Bertie" Way (Scot) finished 5 shots behind Willie Anderson (Scot), who now held both the United States' "major" tournament titles - the US Open and Western Open. [Euclid Club, Cleveland, OH].

1901
Majors
331
$200
USGA

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Anderson, Willie

Score

331

Prize money

$200

Title sponsor

USGA

The US Open (7th) (June 14-17). Anderson (Scot) beat Alex Smith (Scot) in an 18-hole playoff (Anderson 85, Smith 86). This was the first of Anderson's four US Open wins. [Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Mass.].

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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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