Samuel Leonard King (27 March 1911 – 24 February 2003"Lives in Brief - Sam King, golfer" The Times, 18 March 2003; pg. 34; Issue 67713.) was an English professional golfer, best known for playing on three Ryder Cup teams.
Career King was born in Sevenoaks, Kent, England, a short distance from the Knole Golf Club, and lived there most of his life. His father was a charcoal burner at the Knole House Estate. King became a caddy at the club as a boy, and learned to play. By 1929, he was the assistant club professional, and began playing in local and national tournaments. In his career, King had nine top-10 finishes at The Open Championship between 1939 and 1959.
King was a member of Great Britain's 1937, 1947, and 1949 Ryder Cup teams, including scoring his team's only point in 1947. He had qualified for the 1939 team, but the event was cancelled after the outbreak of World War II. During the war, he served in the Home Guard before returning to professional golf in 1946.
King became the head professional at Knole Golf Club in 1955, and later won the PGA Seniors Championship in both 1961 and 1962. He retired in 1976 and moved to Lincolnshire.
King died at age 91 in 2003, after being hospitalized for pneumonia. He is buried at St. Peter and St. Paul's church in Seal, Kent.
Professional wins (22)
British PGA circuit wins (6) 1933 Daily Mirror Assistants' Tournament 1936 Dunlop-Southern Tournament 1937 Daily Mail Tournament, Dunlop-Southern Tournament 1944 Yorkshire Evening News Tournament 1949 Yorkshire Evening News Tournament
Other wins (16) 1932 Kent Professional Championship 1933 Kent Professional Championship 1934 Kent Professional Championship 1935 Kent Professional Championship 1936 Kent Professional Championship 1937 Kent Professional Championship 1946 Kent Professional Championship 1947 Kent Professional Championship 1948 Kent Professional Championship 1949 Kent Professional Championship 1950 Kent Professional Championship 1951 Kent Professional Championship 1955 Kent Professional Championship 1960 Kent Professional Championship 1961 PGA Seniors Championship 1962 PGA Seniors Championship
Results in major championships Tournament19321933193419351936193719381939The Open ChampionshipCUTCUTT23T28T29T23T3 Tournament1940194119421943194419451946194719481949The Open ChampionshipNTNTNTNTNTNTT6T7T4 Tournament1950195119521953195419551956195719581959The Open ChampionshipT9T35T57T8CUTT24T30T5 Tournament196019611962The Open ChampionshipT35CUT Note: King only played in The Open Championship.
NT = No tournament CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" indicates a tie for a place
Team appearances Ryder Cup (representing Great Britain): 1937, 1947, 1949 England–Scotland Professional Match (representing England): 1934 (winners), 1936 (winners), 1937 (winners), 1938 (winners) Llandudno International Golf Trophy (representing England): 1938 (winners)
References