Alexander Herd (24 April 1868 – 18 February 1944) was a Scottish professional golfer from St Andrews. He won The Open Championship in 1902 at Hoylake.
Career Born in St Andrews, Scotland, on 24 April 1868, to a golfing family, Herd had brothers who were also golf professionals. His brother Fred won the 1898 U.S. Open.
Herd was the club professional at Huddersfield Golf Club from 1892 to 1911. He won The Open Championship in 1902 at Hoylake. Herd had a three-shot lead after 54 holes, but nearly let the title slip out of his hands by scoring an 81 in the final round. Harry Vardon and James Braid both had medium length putts at the final hole to force a playoff, but they missed and Herd took the Championship.
Herd was the first Open Champion to use the Haskell rubber-cored ball. In 1920, he became the oldest runner-up in The Open at age 52, which stood for 89 years, until Tom Watson (age 59) in 2009. Herd's appearances in the championship spanned fifty years, the last at age 71 at St Andrews in 1939, but failed to advance from qualifying. He last played in The Open six years earlier in 1933, but twisted an ankle during the first round and had to withdraw; he last made the cut in 1927 and tied for tenth.
Herd also got involved in golf course architect and worked with Alister MacKenzie to create Wakefield Golf Clubs 18-hole course.
Death Following an operation, Herd died of pneumonia at age 75 in London in 1944.
Professional wins Note: This list may be incomplete 1895 Irish Championship Meeting Professional Tournament 1896 Irish Championship Meeting Professional Tournament 1901 Irish Championship Meeting Professional Tournament 1902 The Open Championship 1904 Leeds Cup 1905 Leeds Cup 1906 News of the World Match Play 1911 Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament (with James Bradbeer) 1923 Roehampton Invitation 1925 Hertfordshire Open Championship 1926 News of the World Match Play
Major championships are shown in bold.
Major championships
Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunners-up 1902 The Open Championship 3 shot lead 77-76-73-81=307 1 stroke James Braid, Harry Vardon
Results timeline Tournament18851886188718881889The Open ChampionshipWD8T15 Tournament1890189118921893189418951896189718981899The Open Championship13T238255T17T16 Tournament1900190119021903190419051906190719081909The Open ChampionshipT10514915T19124T8 Tournament1910191119121913191419151916191719181919The Open Championship2T36T11T29NTNTNTNTNT Tournament1920192119221923192419251926192719281929The Open Championship2T6T32T22T13T14T21T10CUTCUT Tournament1930193119321933The Open ChampionshipWD Note: Herd only played in The Open Championship
NT = No tournament CUT = missed the half-way cut WD = withdrew "T" indicates a tie for a place
Team appearances England–Scotland Professional Match (representing Scotland): 1903 (winners), 1904 (tie), 1905 (tie), 1906, 1907, 1909, 1910, 1912 (tie), 1913, 1932 Coronation Match (representing the Professionals): 1911 (winners) Seniors vs Juniors (representing the Seniors): 1928 (winners)
References