The Tooting Bec Cup is a trophy currently awarded by the Professional Golfers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland to the association member born in, or with a parent or parents born in, the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland who returns the lowest single-round score in The Open Championship.
Inaugurated in 1901 the Tooting Bec Challenge Cup was originally a separate competition. From 1910 it was awarded to the winner of a southern section qualifying competition for a major tournament and then since 1924 it has been awarded to the best round in The Open Championship by a British or Irish member of the PGA. It is the PGA's oldest trophy, predating the northern section's Leeds Cup which was first contested in 1902.
History The Tooting Bec Challenge Cup was originally a 36-hole stroke play tournament organised by the London and Counties Professional Golfers' Association, the forerunner of the Professional Golfers' Association. The tournament was held on 15 October 1901 at the Tooting Bec Golf Club, Furzedown and the cup was donated by the Tooting Bec club. Of the 50 members who entered 46 played. J.H. Taylor won the event and was presented with the cup by the club captain, Norman Bailey. With the formation of the PGA in late 1901, the cup became an event organised by the southern section of the PGA.
Since 1924, it has not been a standalone tournament, and the trophy has been awarded to the PGA member from the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland who records the lowest single-round score in the Open. The precise qualification rule has varied. Henry Cotton did not receive it in 1934, despite his rounds of 65 and 67, because at the time the award went "to the member of P.G.A. living in Great Britain who accomplishes the best single round during the championship" and Cotton was then living in Belgium.
Winners Year Player(s) Score 2024 Shane Lowry 66 2023 Tommy Fleetwood 66 2022 Rory McIlroy 66 Matt Fitzpatrick Tyrrell Hatton Tommy Fleetwood 2021 Shane Lowry 65 2020 Not awarded 2019 Danny Willett 65 2018 2017 Paul Casey 66 Ross Fisher 2016 Rory McIlroy 67 2015 Pádraig Harrington 65 2014 Rory McIlroy 66 2013 Ian Poulter 67 2012 Paul Lawrie 65 2011 Darren Clarke 68 Graeme McDowell 2010 Andrew Coltart 66 2009 Luke Donald 67 2008 David Howell 67 2007 Pádraig Harrington 67 Paul McGinley 2006 Greg Owen 67 2005 Colin Montgomerie 66 2004 Lee Westwood 67 2003 Nick Faldo 67 2002 Colin Montgomerie 64 2001 Colin Montgomerie 65 Des Smyth 2000 Darren Clarke 68 Pádraig Harrington Dean Robertson 1999 Paul Lawrie 67 1998 Andrew Coltart 68 Philip Walton 1997 Stephen Ames 66 Darren Clarke David Tapping 1996 Paul Broadhurst 65 Paul McGinley 1995 Nick Faldo 67 1994 Nick Faldo 64 1993 Nick Faldo 63 1992 Nick Faldo 64 1991 Roger Chapman 66 Eamonn Darcy 1990 Paul Broadhurst 63 1989 Wayne Stephens 66 1988 Sandy Lyle 67 1987 Ross Drummond 66 1986 Gordon J. Brand 68 1985 Christy O'Connor Jnr 64 1984 Sam Torrance 66 1983 Denis Durnian 66 1982 Sandy Lyle 66 1981 Gordon J. Brand 65 1980 Ken Brown 68 Eamonn Darcy Bill McColl 1979 Bill Longmuir 65 1978 Gary Cullen 67 1977 Tommy Horton 65 1976 Mark James 66 1975 Maurice Bembridge 67 Neil Coles Bernard Gallacher David Huish 1974 John Garner 69 John Morgan Peter Townsend 1973 Neil Coles 66 1972 Harry Bannerman 67 Guy Hunt Tony Jacklin 1971 Peter Oosterhuis 66 1970 Neil Coles 65 1969 Christy O'Connor Snr 65 1968 Brian Barnes 70 Gordon Cunningham 1967 Hugh Boyle 68 Lionel Platts 1966 Peter Butler 65 1965 Brian Huggett 68 1964 Malcolm Gregson 67 Bernard Hunt 1963 Tom Haliburton68 Christy O'Connor Snr 1962 Syd Scott 68 1961 Christy O'Connor Snr 67 1960 Bernard Hunt 66 1959 Peter Alliss 67 1958 Eric Brown 65 1957 Laurie Ayton, Jnr67 Eric Brown John Fallon 1956 Dennis Smalldon 68 1955 John Fallon 67 1954 Jack Hargreaves 67 Syd Scott 1953 Dai Rees 70 Eric Lester 1952 Fred Daly 67 1951 Jimmy Adams 68 Charlie Ward 1950 Fred Daly 66 1949 Jimmy Adams 67 Ken Bousfield 1948 Henry Cotton 66 1947 Laurie Ayton, Jnr 69 Henry Cotton 1939 Dick Burton 70 Jack Busson Max Faulkner 1938 Dick Burton 69 Jack Busson 1937 Reg Whitcombe 70 1936 Bill Branch 68 1935 Alf Perry 67 1934 Bill Davies 68 1933 Abe Mitchell 68 1932 Arthur Havers 68 1931 Held in abeyance 1930 Archie Compston 68 1929 Percy Alliss 69 1928 Held in abeyance 1927 Fred Robson 69 1926 Held in abeyance 1925 Ted Ray 73 1924 Ernest Whitcombe 70
Tournament winners This table gives details of the tournament winners from 1901 to 1923. From 1910 the cup was awarded to the winner of a qualifying competition for a major tournament. Year Winner Country Venue Score Marginof victory Runner(s)-up Winner'sshare (£) Ref 1901 J.H. Taylor Tooting Bec Golf Club 149 3 strokes James Hepburn Rowland Jones 1902 James Braid Romford Golf Club 148 6 strokes Ralph Smith 1903 James Braid Hanger Hill Golf Club 148 3 strokes Harry Vardon Jack White 1904 James Braid West Middlesex Golf Club 147 Playoff(18 holes) John McLaren 1905 Alfred Toogood Northwood Golf Club 150 1 stroke J.H. Taylor 1906 William Lonie Ashford Manor Golf Club 152 4 strokes Wilfrid Reid 1907 James Braid South Herts Golf Club 151 3 strokes J.H. Taylor 1908 Rowland Jones Neasden Golf Club 153 Playoff(18 holes) Ernest Gray 1909 James Sherlock Maidenhead Golf Club 149 4 strokes James Braid 1910 James Sherlock Stoke Poges Golf Club 148 4 strokes Tom Ball Ernest Gaudin Charles Mayo Tom Vardon 1911 Harry Vardon Banstead Downs Golf Club 154 Playoff(18 holes) Wilfrid Reid 1912 Phil Gaudin Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club 147 Playoff(18 holes) James Braid 1913 Ted Ray Old Fold Manor Golf Club 145 Playoff(18 holes) James Batley 1914–19: No tournament1920 Ted Ray Worplesdon Golf Club 149 1 stroke Abe Mitchell 10 1921 Arnaud Massy Cooden Beach Golf Club 147 1 stroke Fred Robson Ted Ray 25 1922: No tournament1923 George Duncan Purley Downs Golf Club 142 2 strokes Ted Ray
In 1904 the PGA experimented with handicaps and John McLaren, a new professional, was one of six professionals to receive strokes. Vardon won the playoff, played the same evening, scoring 76 to McLaren's 81−3=78. The 1908 playoff was also played in the evening after the tournament.
The 1910 event was planned for 11 May at Banstead Downs but was cancelled because of the death of Edward VII. The cup was awarded to the winner of the southern section qualifying competition for the News of the World Match Play.
In 1911 it was to be awarded to the winner of the southern section qualifying competition for the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament. Vardon and Reid tied in the qualifying event and had a playoff two days later to determine the winner of the cup. Vardon won with a score of 76 to Reid's 78.
Because of congestion during the 1911 qualifying, the 1912 southern section qualifying competition for the Sphere and Tatler tournament was played on two courses. Half played at West Herts Golf Club and half at Purley Downs Golf Club. Phil Gaudin and James Braid led their respective events, both scoring 147, and a playoff between them would determine the winner of the cup. The playoff did not take place for nearly a year, being played on 31 March 1913 at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club. Gaudin scored 76 to Braid's 81.
The same system was used in 1913. Half played at Fulwell Golf Club and half at Denham Golf Club. At Fulwell, Rowland Jones and Ted Ray tied on 145 while at Denham, James Batley and Harry Vardon led on 152. A playoff between the four players would determine the winner of the cup. As in 1912, the playoff did not take place for nearly a year, being played on 14 April 1914 at Thorpe Hall Golf Club. 18 holes were played and resulted in another tie. Batley and Ray scoring 74, with Jones on 77 and Vardon on 78. There was then a further playoff on 20 April 1914 at Old Fold Manor Golf Club. Again 18 holes were played, Ray winning with a score of 74 to Batley's 76.
In 1920, 1921 and 1923 the trophy was awarded to the winner of the southern section qualifying competition for the Daily Mail Tournament.
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