Janette Wright

{{short description|Scottish amateur golfer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} {{Infobox golfer | name = Janette Wright | image = | imagesize =  | caption = | fullname = Janette Sneddon Wright | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1935|1|7|df=y}} | birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland | death_date =  | death_place = | height =  | weight = | nationality = {{SCO}} | spouse = | children = | college = | status = Amateur | yearpro =  | retired =  | awardssection =  }} '''Janette Sneddon Wright''' ({{nee}} Robertson, born 7 January 1935)<ref name=wgm>{{cite web |url=http://www.womengolfersmuseum.com/Famousgolfers/W.htm |publisher=Women Golfers' Museum |title=Wright, Mrs Janette Sneddon (nee Robertson) |access-date=18 March 2022}}</ref> is a Scottish amateur golfer. She won the Scottish Women's Amateur Championship in 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1973. She was in four Curtis Cup teams, in 1954, 1956, 1958 and 1960.

== Golf career == Wright won the Girls Amateur Championship in 1950 beating Ann Phillips 5&4 in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/135550356 |title=Girl of 15 is golf champion |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |page=9 |date=2 September 1950 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She was a finalist again in 1951, losing to Jane Redgate at the 19th hole.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-post/135550887 |title=Championship for a Nottingham girl |newspaper=The Birmingham Post |page=10 |date=8 September 1951 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She played in the England–Scotland girls match each year from 1950 to 1953.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Z01AAAAAIBAJ&pg=5556%2C4451557 |title=England defeat Scotland |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=30 August 1950 |page=9}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85709718/the-guardian/ |title=British girls' victory |newspaper=The Guardian |page=3 |date=5 September 1951 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dmdAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3084%2C321603 |title=Girls' match won by England |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=3 September 1952 |page=9}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5UpAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6340%2C843677 |title=England beat Scotland in girls' golf |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=9 September 1953 |page=9}}</ref> In 1952 she made her senior debut in the Women's Home Internationals. She won her three matches with Scotland retaining the title.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Bk1AAAAAIBAJ&pg=1921%2C4238043 |title=Fine start to international career |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=9 |date=13 June 1952}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B01AAAAAIBAJ&pg=4590%2C4346089 |title=Scotswomen international champions |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=9 |date=14 June 1952}}</ref> Wright was part of the British juniors team that played in the Commonwealth tournament at Formby in early July 1953. The other teams were Britain, Canada and New Zealand.<ref name=com1953>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=u0dAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3670%2C5481121 |title=Lenzie girl outstanding in women's golf |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=3 July 1953}}</ref>

Wright was one of the last two women selected for the 1954 Curtis Cup team at Merion Golf Club.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gj1AAAAAIBAJ&pg=1604%2C40622 |title=Scot for Curtis Cup |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=1 July 1954}}</ref> The Americans won by 6 matches to 3. Wright lost her foursomes match but beat Joyce Ziske in the singles.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xz9AAAAAIBAJ&pg=2000%2C476275 |title=Curtis Cup regained by United States |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=9 |date= 4 September 1954}}</ref> The team had earlier won a match against a Canadian team, Wright halving her singles match and winning in the foursomes.<ref>{{cite news |date=26 August 1954 |title=British women's team win |page=9 |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sT1AAAAAIBAJ&pg=5795%2C5607861}}</ref> Wright was selected as part of a British women's team that toured Australia and New Zealand in the second half of 1955. Because many of the senior players were unavailable, the team turned into a team of five juniors, aged between 18 and 21.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19550216.2.130 |title=British women's team |newspaper=The Press |volume=XCI |issue=27585 |date=16 February 1955 |access-date=26 September 2021 |page=14 |via=Papers Past}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19550602.2.153 |title=British women juniors |newspaper=The Press |volume=XCI |issue=27674 |date=2 June 1955 |access-date=26 September 2021 |page=14 |via=Papers Past}}</ref> The tour was such a success that the team was awarded the Association of Golf Writers trophy, the first time a team had won the award.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jHtAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4998%2C4373872 |title=Award to junior women's team |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=7 February 1956 |page=9}}</ref> Earlier in 1955 she reached the semi-finals of the British Ladies Amateur, losing narrowly to Barbara Romack.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5Us1AAAAIBAJ&pg=3021%2C2108887 |title=U.S.-Scottish golf final |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=19 May 1955 |page=4}}</ref> At the end of March 1956, Wright was again selected for the Curtis Cup team.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3WlAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6304%2C3524091 |title=Half of British women's team under 22 |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=29 March 1956 |page=9}}</ref> Britain won the match 5–4, their second win in the event, although Wright lost both her foursomes and singles matches.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_ZxAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2215%2C5180493 |title=Britain wins Curtis Cup through singles superiority |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=11 June 1956 |page=4}}</ref>

Playing with Angela Bonallack, Wright was a joint-winner of the 1958 Kayser Bondor Foursomes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MXxAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1879%2C2484258 |title=Tie in Kayser Bondor event |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=21 March 1958 |page=4}}</ref> She also reached the final of the Scottish Women's Amateur Championship for the first time, losing by one hole to Dorothea Sommerville in the 36-hole final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uSs1AAAAIBAJ&pg=3122%2C4500522 |title=One-hole win for Miss Sommerville |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=6 June 1958}}</ref> In May she was one of the first four players selected for the 1958 Curtis Cup team.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pys1AAAAIBAJ&pg=3073%2C1963789 |title=Four chosen for Curtis Cup |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=16 May 1958}}</ref> The match in August was tied, with Britain retaining the cup as the previous holders. Wright won both her matches.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oRY1AAAAIBAJ&pg=4096%2C4335559 |title=Britain wins foursomes |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=7 |date=9 August 1958}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ohY1AAAAIBAJ&pg=1201%2C4496484 |title=Curtis Cup retained by Britain |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=8 |date=11 August 1958}}</ref> In 1959 she won the Scottish Women's Amateur Championship for the first time, beating Belle McCorkindale 6&5 in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=znZAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1519%2C6589360 |title=Scottish title for Miss Robertson |first=Cyril |last=Horne |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=9 |date=19 June 1959}}</ref> Playing with future husband Innes Wright, they won the Worplesdon Mixed Foursomes in October 1959.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nndAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2495%2C6566344 |title=Scottish pair win at first attempt |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=16 October 1959 |page=14}}</ref>

Wright was selected for the 1960 Curtis Cup team, her final appearance in the contest.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7Cs1AAAAIBAJ&pg=4131%2C4861383 |title=Three newcomers in Curtis Cup team |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=5 |date=5 April 1960}}</ref> The United States regained the cup with Wright losing both her matches, although she took Anne Quast to the 36th hole in the singles.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BXhAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1937%2C2938320 |title=Britain lose Curtis Cup foursomes |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=12 |date=21 May 1960}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BnhAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6559%2C3033112 |title=Americans regain Curtis Cup |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=8 |date=23 May 1960}}</ref> Wright retained the Scottish Women's Amateur Championship later in 1960, beating Dorothea Sommerville in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I3hAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5834%2C7711797 |title=Scottish title stays with Miss Robertson |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=25 June 1960}}</ref> In early 1961, playing with Jessie Valentine, she won the Kayser Bondor Foursomes by four strokes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LRU1AAAAIBAJ&pg=5315%2C3566904 |title=Women's foursomes win for Scots |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=24 March 1961 |page=15}}</ref> She also won the Scottish Women's Amateur Championship for the third successive year, on the Old Course at St Andrews.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fhk1AAAAIBAJ&pg=2073%2C3839273 |title=Third successive win for Mrs Wright |first=Cyril |last=Horne |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=6 |date=23 June 1961}}</ref> In 1970 she reached the semi-finals of the British Ladies Amateur for the second time, losing to Dinah Oxley.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YJJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1660%2C4362352 |title=Scotland-England duel in British women's final |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=20 June 1970 |page=4}}</ref> In 1973 she won the Scottish Amateur for the fourth time, again on the Old Course.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LJNAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3652%2C5575573 |title=Fourth title for Mrs Wright |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=5 |date=28 May 1973}}</ref> That win saw her return to the Scottish team in the 1973 European Ladies' Team Championship and in the Women's Home Internationals, for the final time.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QpFAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4403%2C2843107 |title=Scottish women scrape through |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=13 September 1973}}</ref>

==Personal life== In 1960 she married Innes Wright, a Scottish amateur golf international. They had a daughter Pamela, who is a professional golfer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pamela Wright - Bio |publisher=LPGA |url=https://www.lpga.com/players/pamela-wright/82648/bio |access-date=17 March 2022}}</ref>

Innes Wright became a professional in early 1963 when in his late-20s. In his first important professional event, the 1963 News of the World Matchplay at Turnberry, he reached the semi-finals before losing to fellow-Scot John MacDonald.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s2JAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1861%2C1146287 |title=Match-play title for Thomas – Run of near misses ended |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=9 September 1963 |page=9}}</ref> The previous day he had beaten Tony Grubb in the morning and then Brian Huggett in the afternoon, a match that went to nine extra holes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=smJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1823%2C994853 |title=Wright winner at twenty-seventh |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=7 September 1963 |page=8}}</ref> He later became the professional at Aboyne Golf Club.

==Team appearances== *Curtis Cup (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1954, 1956 (winners), 1958 (tied), 1960 *Vagliano Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1957 (winners), 1959 (winners), 1961 (winners), 1963 (winners) *Commonwealth Trophy (representing Great Britain): 1959 (winners) *Commonwealth tournament (representing British juniors): 1953 *European Ladies' Team Championship (representing Scotland): 1965, 1973 *Women's Home Internationals (representing Scotland): 1952 (winners), 1953, 1954, 1955 (winners), 1956 (winners), 1957 (winners), 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961 (winners), 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967 (joint winners), 1973 *England–Scotland girls match (representing Scotland): 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Janette}} Category:Scottish female golfers Category:Amateur golfers Category:1935 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century Scottish sportswomen