Robert Abbe Gardner (April 9, 1890 – June 21, 1956) was an American multi-sport athlete best known for winning the U.S. Amateur in golf twice.

Early life and education In 1890, Gardner was born in Hinsdale, Illinois. He spent most of his life in the Chicago area. He attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. He graduated from Yale University in 1912, where he was a member of Skull and Bones.

While a sophomore at Yale, Gardner won the 1909 U.S. Amateur golf tournament over Chandler Egan at the Chicago Golf Club. He was the youngest winner, at 19 years, 5 months, of the U.S. Amateur.1909 U.S. Amateur His record stood for 85 years until Tiger Woods won his first of three amateurs. Gardner also finished runner-up at the 1911 Western Amateur while still in college.

Golf was not the only sport Gardner excelled at. On June 1, 1912, at an intercollegiate track and field competition in Philadelphia, he set the world pole vault record at . This record would be short lived as Marc Wright vaulted one week later at the Olympic trials in Cambridge, Massachusetts.World Record Progression - Men - Pole Vault

Career After college, Gardner would continue to have success at the U.S. Amateur. Gardner won the event in 1915.1915 U.S. Amateur The following year, he also reached the finals but lost.1916 U.S. Amateur

Gardner enlisted in the Army in 1917 and served in France during World War I as a lieutenant in a field artillery unit. After the war he returned to Chicago and joined a stock brokerage firm where he spent the rest of his career. He served as president of the Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) for many years and also served on several United States Golf Association committees.

Gardner continued to have success as an amateur golfer. In 1920 and 1921, respectively, he reached the finals of the British Amateur and U.S. Amateur.1921 U.S. Amateur He won the CDGA Amateur Championship three times: in 1916, 1924, and 1925.CDGA Amateur Championship history

Gardner also was national champion in another sport, racquets. He and Howard Linn won the national doubles racquets championship in 1926 and 1929.

Personal life In the 1910s, Gardner married Katherine; they had one daughter.

In 1956, Gardner died in Lake Forest, Illinois. He was 66 years old.

Amateur wins

1909 U.S. Amateur 1915 U.S. Amateur 1916 Chicago District Amateur 1924 Chicago District Amateur 1925 Chicago District Amateur

Major championships Wins (2) YearChampionshipWinning scoreRunner-up 1909 U.S. Amateur 4 & 3 Chandler Egan 1915 U.S. Amateur 5 & 4 John G. Anderson

Results timeline Tournament19091910191119121913191419151916191719181919U.S. OpenT23NTNTU.S. Amateur1DNQR32R32QF12NTNTR16British AmateurNTNTNTNTNT Tournament1920192119221923192419251926192719281929U.S. OpenU.S. AmateurR162R16SFR32DNQDNQDNQBritish Amateur2R256R256 Tournament19301931193219331934U.S. OpenU.S. AmateurR256British Amateur

LA = Low Amateur NT = No tournament "T" indicates a tie for a place DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play

Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database

Source for 1920 British Amateur: The American Golfer, June 19, 1920, pg. 8.

Source for 1923 British Amateur: The American Golfer, July, 1923, pg. 10.

Source for 1926 British Amateur: The American Golfer, July, 1926, pg. 58.

U.S. national team appearances Amateur Walker Cup: 1922 (winners), 1923 (winners, playing captain), 1924 (winners, playing captain), 1926 (winners, playing captain)

References

External links

Yale University biography New York Times article on his golf and pole vault abilities