The Yorkshire Evening News Tournament was a professional golf tournament that was held in the Leeds area of Yorkshire, England between 1923 and 1963. It was a fixture on the British PGA tournament circuit, which would later become the European Tour. Before World War II, it was a knockout match play tournament preceded by a 36-hole stroke play qualifying round; when it was revived following the war it was a pure stroke play tournament, except for 1949 when it was played as knockout match play.

In the early years, the Yorkshire Evening News Tournament was considered a British major golf tournament. "The first tournament, in 1923, was billed as the unofficial ‘Championship of the World’ between American superstars Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen. Hagen triumphed, but lost in the final by a two-hole margin to Ryder Cup star Herbert Jolly."

Format From its founding in 1923 until 1939, the Yorkshire Evening News Tournament was contested as match play knockout by the leading players after 36 holes of stroke play. When it was revived in 1944, during World War II, it was a 36-hole stroke play tournament. Following the end of the war, in 1946, it was extended to 72 holes. The 72-hole stroke play format was retained except for 1949, when it was played as knockout match play in order to provide British players with practice in advance of the Ryder Cup.

Winners Year Winner Score Marginof victory Runner(s)-up Winner'sshare (£) Venue Ref 1963 Tom Haliburton 280 1 stroke Peter Thomson 1,000 Sand Moor 1962 Peter Butler 273 4 strokes Ken Bousfield 1,000 Moortown 1961 Peter Thomson 282 1 stroke Dai Rees Sand Moor 1960 Peter Thomson 268 5 strokes Bernard Hunt 500 Moortown 1959 Norman Drew 281 4 strokes Peter Alliss Harold Henning Peter Thomson 500 Sand Moor 1958 Eric Brown & Harold Henning 280 Tie Shared title 500 & 250(shared) Moortown 1957 Peter Thomson 264 15 strokes Harry Bradshaw 500 Sand Moor 1956 Ken Bousfield & Dai Rees 281 Tie Shared title 500 & 250(shared) Moortown 1955 Antonio Cerdá 276 3 strokes Harry Weetman 500 Sand Moor 1954 John Panton 284 1 stroke Ken Bousfield Bernard Hunt 500 Moortown 1953 Flory Van Donck 278 1 stroke Harry Bradshaw 500 Sand Moor 1952 Dai Rees 283 1 stroke Henry Cotton Syd Scott Moortown 1951 Dai Rees & Norman Von Nida 281 Tie Shared title 300 & 150(shared) Moortown 1950 Dai Rees 276 8 strokes Arthur Lees Sand Moor 1949 Sam King 6 & 5 Walter Lees Moortown 1948 Charlie Ward 275 3 strokes Norman Von Nida Moortown 1947 Norman Von Nida & Henry Cotton 277 Tie Shared title 200 & 100(shared) Moortown 1946 Bobby Locke 283 7 strokes A G Matthews Dai Rees Moortown 1945 Archie Compston 148 5 strokes Bill Cox Moortown 1944 Sam King 133 6 strokes Bill Shankland Roundhay 1940–43: No tournament due to World War II 1939 Dai Rees 37 holes Jack Hargreaves 150 Temple Newsam 1938 Alf Perry 8 & 6 Vernon Greenhalgh Leeds 1937 Arthur Lacey 2 & 1 John Fallon Moortown 1936 Dick Burton 3 & 2 A G Matthews Temple Newsam 1935 Henry Cotton 3 & 2 Percy Alliss 150 Sand Moor 1934 Alf Padgham 37 holes Sid Brews Moortown 1933 Arthur Lacey 2 & 1 Alf Padgham Temple Newsam 1932 Bert Hodson 39 holes Fred Robson Moortown 1931 Ernest Whitcombe 39 holes Tom Barber Sand Moor 1930 Herbert Jolly 3 & 1 Owen Sanderson 200 Headingley 1929 Joe Turnesa 37 holes Herbert Jolly 200 Moortown 1928 Charles Whitcombe 3 & 2 Herbert Jolly Moortown 1927 Ernest Whitcombe 9 & 8 Herbert Jolly Headingley 1926 Charles Whitcombe 9 & 8 Moses O'Neill Moortown 1925 Len Holland 3 & 2 James Ockenden Moortown 1924 Fred Robson 37 holes Archie Compston Headingley 1923 Herbert Jolly 2 up Walter Hagen 200 Headingley

Records Most wins: 5 – Dai Rees (2 shared) 3 – Peter Thomson

Lowest aggregate score (72-hole stroke play): 264 – Peter Thomson (1957)

Largest margin of victory (72-hole stroke play): 15 strokes – Peter Thomson (1957)

Largest margin of victory (36-hole match play final): 9 and 8 – Charles Whitcombe (1926), Ernest Whitcombe (1927)

Venues Course Times hosted First year Last year Moortown Golf Club 19 1925 1963 Sand Moor Golf Club 9 1931 1962 Headingley Golf Club 4 1923 1930 Temple Newsham Golf Club 3 1933 1939 Leeds Golf Club 1 1938 1938 Roundhay Golf Club 1 1944 1944

References