Jump to content

Archie Compston

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Archie Compston
Personal information
Full nameArchibald Edward Wones Compston
Born1893
Wolverhampton, England
Died8 August 1962 (age 69)
London, England
Sporting nationality England
Career
StatusProfessional
Professional wins10
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenT7: 1927
The Open ChampionshipT2: 1925

Archibald Edward Wones Compston (1893 – 8 August 1962) was an English professional golfer.[1] Through the 1920s he built a reputation as a formidable match play golfer, in an era when many professionals made more money from "challenge" matches against fellow pros, or wealthy amateurs, than from tournament golf.

Compston was born in Wolverhampton.

Famously, in 1928, Compston - who had won the British PGA Matchplay Championship in 1925 and 1927 - faced Walter Hagen, who had won the American PGA Championship at match play in the previous four years, in a 72-hole challenge match, and defeated the American 18 & 17. However, when the two met again shortly afterward at The Open Championship at Royal St George's, Hagen prevailed, with Compston placing third.

In 1930, Compston nearly derailed Bobby Jones's bid for the Grand Slam at Hoylake - his third round of 68 took the lead from Jones, but inexplicably his form deserted him in the final round, and Compston shot 82 to finish down the field.

Compston played in the Ryder Cup in 1927, 1929 and 1931, defeating Gene Sarazen on one occasion.

Compston also became notable as perhaps Britain's first "celebrity" professional golfer, becoming a coach to the future Edward VIII. He was the professional at the Wentworth Club from 1945 to 1948,[2] and later at the Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda.[1]

Tournament wins (11)

[edit]
This list may be incomplete

Results in major championships

[edit]
Tournament 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
The Open Championship T73 NT NT NT NT NT
U.S. Open NT NT
Tournament 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
The Open Championship T9 35 27 T59 T21 T2 DQ T23 3 12
U.S. Open T7 T22
Tournament 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
The Open Championship T6 T29 T10 T12 T49 T44 CUT
U.S. Open
Tournament 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947
The Open Championship NT NT NT NT NT NT T18 CUT
U.S. Open NT NT NT NT

Note: Compston only played in The Open Championship and the U.S. Open.

  Top 10
  Did not play

NT = No tournament
DQ = disqualified
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Team appearances

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Alliss, Peter (1983). The Who's Who of Golf. Orbis Publishing. pp. 225–226. ISBN 0-85613-520-8.
  2. ^ "Past professionals". Wentworth Club. Archived from the original on 1 December 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  3. ^ "Compston wins by one hole". The Vancouver Sun. 13 April 1929. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Great golf at Southport". The Glasgow Herald. 10 May 1930. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  5. ^ "Compston beats Padgham in final". The Glasgow Herald. 8 April 1935. Retrieved 13 February 2011.