William John Branch (20 February 1911 – 25 February 1985) was an English professional golfer. He finished 9th in the 1935 Open Championship and won the Belgian Open 10 days later. His last major success was in the 1954 Gleneagles-Saxone Foursomes Tournament.
Golf career Branch's father, Jack was a golf professional. Jack had been at Woolacombe Bay Golf Club in Devon and Stafford Castle but was professional at Alsager Golf Club in 1911 when Branch was born. Jack moved to Henbury Golf Club near Bristol soon after Branch's birth and was professional there for 37 years until his death in 1949 aged 64. After leaving school Branch became an assistant to his father where he stayed until becoming an assistant at Leicestershire Golf Club in 1937. He left the Leicestershire club at the end of 1945 and was unattached for some time until joining Berkhamstead Golf Club in 1949 and then moving to Ganton Golf Club in 1951. He was professional at Scarborough South Cliff Golf Club in the 1960s eventually moving to Fulford Golf Club in 1971.
Branch won the 1954 Gleneagles-Saxone Foursomes Tournament, in partnership with Donald Cameron. He was runner-up in the 1950 Daily Telegraph Foursomes Tournament and joint runner-up in the 1953 Silver King Tournament.
Tournament wins 1930 PGA Assistants' Championship 1932 West of England Professional Championship 1935 Belgian Open 1936 Dunlop-Midland Professional Championship 1954 Gleneagles-Saxone Foursomes Tournament (with Donald Cameron)
Results in major championships Tournament1930193119321933193419351936193719381939The Open ChampionshipT39CUT9T3113CUTCUT Tournament1940194119421943194419451946194719481949The Open ChampionshipNTNTNTNTNTNTCUTT14 Tournament1950195119521953195419551956195719581959The Open ChampionshipT24CUTT35T22CUT Tournament19601961The Open ChampionshipT46 Note: Branch only played in The Open Championship.
NT = No tournament CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" indicates a tie for a place
Team appearances England–Scotland Professional Match (representing England): 1936 (winners) Slazenger Trophy (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1956 (winners)
References