{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox golf tournament | name = Northern Professional Championship | image = | location = Northern England | establishment = 1920 | course = | par = | tour = | format = | month_played = | final_year = | score = <!--only use for match play--> | final_champion = }} The '''Northern Professional Championship''' was a professional golf tournament played in Northern England. The event was generally a regional tournament but between 1923 and 1927 and in 1936 it was an open event with significant prize money.
The event was started in 1920 by the Northern section of the PGA with entry restricted to members of that section. In 1923 the Championship became a national event; the Championship being extended to 72 holes with £350 in prize money under the sponsorship of the Manchester ''Daily Dispatch''.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=27 January 1923 |page=5 |title=The Northern Professional Championship}}</ref> In 1925 the prize money was increased to £1000 with £350 for the winner.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=20 January 1925 |page=5 |title=Golf – Northern Professional Championship}}</ref> In early 1928 the ''Daily Dispatch'' withdrew their support for the championship which had been planned for Birkdale in July.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=10 January 1928 |page=5 |title=Northern Professional Championship}}</ref> The tournament did take place but it reverted to an event for the professionals in the Northern section of the PGA. In 1936 the event again became an open tournament called the '''Morecambe-Penfold Northern Open Championship''' with prize money of £750.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=12 September 1936 |page=5 |title=Professionals at Morecambe – Fine win for Alliss}}</ref> However, this sponsorship only lasted for one event and the championship again became a closed tournament.
==History== The first Championship was held in 1920 at the Manchester Golf Club, Hopwood Park. It was a 36-hole medal event and was won by Thomas Renouf after a playoff.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WsVAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JaYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4320%2C1542000 |title=Northern Professional Championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=5 |date=14 May 1920}}</ref> The winner received the "Manchester Guardian Cup" and the total prize money was £40.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=13 May 1920 |page=6 |title=Northern Professional Championship}}</ref> The second event was held at Alwoodley Golf Club, Leeds and was won by Arthur Havers, again after a playoff.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ppZAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=J6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5017%2C2832426 |title=The Northern Professional Championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=12 |date=27 May 1921}}</ref> In 1922 Havers retained the Championship at Blackpool.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LZlAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2714%2C578740 |title=Havers retains Northern Championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=12 |date=4 May 1922}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.golfinggadds.com/page140.htm|title=Appendix 2: The Records and Highlights of a Remarkable Career}}</ref>
The 1928 Championship was held at Birkdale Golf Club and was won by Bill Large, Sr.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iKdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eaUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5483%2C2760918 |title=The Northern Professional Championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=6 |date=20 July 1928}}</ref> Thomas Renouf, 1920 champion, regained the title in 1929 at Pleasington Golf Club, Blackburn.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GPs9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=L0kMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5577%2C5115127 |title=The Northern Professional title winner |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=19 |date=6 September 1929}}</ref> the 1930 event was held at Brancepeth Castle Golf Club, Durham and was won by local professional Charles Gadd, brother of George, the 1924 and 1926 champion.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=22 August 1930 |page=5 |title=The Northern Professional Tournament}}</ref> The event returned to Lytham in 1931 and was won by Bill Davies, a runner-up in 1926 and 1927.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lvQ9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=_kgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3211%2C1588205 |title=W H Davies wins Northern Championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=19 |date=20 September 1931}}</ref> Philip Rodgers won in 1932 at Furness Golf Club<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tfdYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cqUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2629%2C1436324 |title=Northern Professional Championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=17 |date=10 September 1932}}</ref> while Cyril Fryer won in 1933 at Fleetwood Golf Club.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qKJAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gqUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4081%2C1164703 |title=Northern Professional Championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=20 |date=8 September 1933}}</ref> Dick Burton won in 1934, played again at Fleetwood Golf Club<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=31 August 1934 |page=4 |title=Golf – Northern Professional Championship}}</ref> while Bill Davies, 1931 winner, regained the title in 1935 at Moortown Golf Club.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AVZRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LjQNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2552%2C3437755 |title=W H Davies beats Ryder Cup players |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=18 |date=23 August 1935}}</ref>
In 1936 the Championship was an open event called the Morecambe-Penfold Northern Open Championship. It was played at Heysham Golf Club from 9–11 September with prize money of £750. ''The Times'' reported that "much of the old prestige has returned to the Northern Professional Championship, which has been thrown open, as in the days when famous players were among the winners".<ref name=times10sep1936>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=10 September 1936 |page=5 |title=Northern Professional Championship – T Pierpoint leading}}</ref> There were 18 holes on the first two days after which the leading 60 played 36 holes on the final day. After the first day Tom Pierpoint led after a 68 with Ted Jarman a stroke behind.<ref name=times10sep1936/> After two rounds Jarman led on 139 with four players on 142. Pierpoint faded after a 77. On the final day Jarman scored 74 and 79 to drop well down the leaderboard. Percy Alliss scored 68 and a course record 67 to win by 5 shots from Henry Cotton with Paddy Mahon a further shot behind.<ref name=gh12sep1936>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AJpAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4829%2C1818510 |title=Alliss now Northern Champion – Record final round at Heysham |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=6 |date=12 September 1936}}</ref>
Percy Alliss retained the title in 1937 at Mere Golf and Country Club in Cheshire. The event was held in conjunction with the Leeds Cup, the winner of which was based on the first 36 holes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FUhAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lIUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4945%2C2696928 |title= Northern title retained – Alliss wins professional championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=7 |date=20 August 1937}}</ref> The Championship was not contested in 1938 and 1939 but was contested again in 1946 using the same format as in 1937. Norman Sutton won the championship, having won the Leeds Cup the previous day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.golfinggadds.com/page108.htm|title=Chapter 13. The Fateful Year}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yUxAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6002%2C5477192 |title=N Sutton leads golf qualifiers |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=6 |date=1 August 1946}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ykxAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4875%2C5555203 |title=Sutton wins Northern championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=6 |date=2 August 1946}}</ref> In 1947 the Championship was reduced to 36 holes and was combined with the Leeds Cup.<ref>{{cite news |title=Test for our Ryder Cup nominees |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=27 August 1947 |access-date=28 June 2022 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19470827/065/0003 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Eric Green beat Frank Jowle after a 36-hole playoff.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104575911/the-guardian/ |title=Green and Jowle tie at Morecambe |newspaper=The Guardian |date=29 August 1947 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104575868/the-guardian/ |title=E. Green (Hurst Park) |newspaper=The Guardian |date=30 August 1947 |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1948 the events were again separated with the Leeds Cup being used for the qualifying for the Daily Mail Tournament, the Northern Professional Championship remaining as a 36-hole event for the News of the World Matchplay qualifying. It was held at North Manchester, Alf Perry winning by 8 strokes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104576404/the-guardian/ |title=Perry's success |newspaper=The Guardian |date=27 August 1948 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The same system was used in 1949. Norman Quigley won the event, played at Fulford.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104578809/the-guardian/ |title=Northern titles at Fulford |newspaper=The Guardian |date=12 August 1949 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1950 at Stand, John Fallon won after beating John Burton in a playoff.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104581110/the-guardian/ |title=Fallon beats Burton |newspaper=The Guardian |date=26 August 1950 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Winners== This table only gives details from 1923 to 1927 and in 1936 when the Championship was an open event. {| class="wikitable" !Year !! Winner !! Country !! Venue !! Score !! Margin<br />of victory !! Runner(s)-up !! Winner's<br />share (£) !! Ref |- !colspan=9|Daily Dispatch Northern Professional Championship |- | 1923 || Gene Sarazen || {{USA}} || Lytham & St Annes Golf Club || align=center|290 || 2 strokes || {{flagicon|USA}} Walter Hagen || align=center|100 || <ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c5dAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6600%2C4443961 |title=Northern Championship – An American victory |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=15 |date=2 June 1923}}</ref> |- | 1924 || George Gadd || {{ENG}} || Wilmslow Golf Club || align=center|287 || 3 strokes || {{flagicon|ENG}} Frank Ball<br />{{flagicon|ENG}} Albert Hallam || align=center|100 || <ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7ZZAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6876%2C6712634 |title=Golf – Northern Championship – G Gadd wins championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=5 |date=20 June 1924}}</ref> |- | 1925 || Abe Mitchell || {{ENG}} || Lytham & St Annes Golf Club || align=center|305 || 2 strokes || {{flagicon|ENG}} Tom Walton || align=center|350 || <ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=G59AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1311%2C6596792 |title=Northern Professional Championship – Abe Mitchell's victory |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=15 |date=19 June 1925}}</ref> |- | 1926 || George Gadd || {{ENG}} || Formby Golf Club || align=center|296 || 3 strokes || {{flagicon|ENG}} Bill Davies<br />{{flagicon|USA}} Bill Mehlhorn<br />{{flagicon|ENG}} Ernest Whitcombe || align=center|350 || <ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DZ5AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TqUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5967%2C3485844 |title=Golf – Gadd's fine victory – Championship won under difficult conditions |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=6 |date=11 June 1926}}</ref> |- | 1927 || Charles Whitcombe || {{ENG}} || Blackpool Golf Club || align=center|280 || 6 strokes || {{flagicon|ENG}} Bill Davies || align=center|350 || <ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-KBAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4087%2C6131899 |title=Golf – Whitcombe the wizard – Wins northern title by record score |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=6 |date=13 August 1927}}</ref> |- !colspan=9|Morecambe-Penfold Northern Open Championship |- | 1936 || Percy Alliss || {{ENG}} || Heysham Golf Club || align=center|277 || 5 strokes || {{flagicon|ENG}} Henry Cotton || align=center| || <ref name=gh12sep1936/> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Golf tournaments in England