Larry Montes

{{short description|Filipino professional golfer (1911–1996)}} {{use mdy|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox golfer | name = Larry Montes | image = Larry Montes 1928 (cropped).jpg | image_size = | caption = Montes in 1928 | full_name = Abundio Montes | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1911|2|28|mf=y}} | birth_place = Santa Maria, Bulacan, Philippine Islands | death_date = 1996 (aged 84 or 85) | death_place = United States | height =  | weight =  | sporting_nationality = {{flag|Philippines|1936}} | residence = | spouse = | partner = | children = | college = | yearpro = 1932 | extour =  | prowins = 15 | japwins =  | asiawins =  | otherwins =  | majorwins =  | masters =  | pga =  | usopen =  | open =  | wghofid =  | wghofyear =  | award1 = PSA Half Century Athlete | year1 = 1951 | award2 = PSA Athlete of the Year | year2 = 1951 | awardssection =  | show-medals =  | medaltemplates =  }} '''Abundio "Larry" Montes'''<ref name=about>{{cite journal |title=Reminiscences About Larry Montes Golf Champion |journal=The American Chamber of Commerce Journal |date=January 1929 |volume=9 |number=4 |page=5 |url=https://repository.mainlib.upd.edu.ph/omekas/files/original/8c75c3a83eebc61e8a9d52bec2b9799256e6a6e6.pdf |access-date=26 February 2025|via=Open Access Repository at the University of the Philippines Diliman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Montes, with 144, Leading |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article250097205 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Tribune |date=9 January 1938}}</ref> (February 28, 1911 – 1996) was a Filipino professional golfer who is the 13-time Philippine Open champion.

==Early life and education== Montes was born on February 28, 1911, in Santa Maria, Bulacan.<ref name=montes-cops1941>{{cite news |last=Benavides |first=Ancleto |title=Montes Cops P. I. Open, Tying McSpaden's 287 |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article250125347 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Tribune |date=11 February 1941 |page=9}}</ref> Montes has at least two younger brothers and two younger sisters.<ref name=about/> His family moved to Manila when he was age two where he later attended school. He studied at the Tondo Primary School and Meisic School with him becoming part of the latter's volleyball team. He finished his secondary studies at the old Manila High School in 1927.<ref name=montes-cops1941/>

==Career== ===Caddie work and debut=== Montes started working caddie at Municipal Links golf course in Intramuros.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Robb |first=James |title=Golf in the Philippines Comes of Age |journal=The American Chamber of Commerce Journal |date=December 1938 |volume=18 |number=12 |pages=9, 28-34 |url=https://repository.mainlib.upd.edu.ph/omekas/files/original/23ea9a53d8ae2790a84151c2568bc99407b6e574.pdf |access-date=26 February 2025 |via=Open Access Repository at the University of the Philippines Diliman}}</ref><ref name="Montesheads">{{cite news |last=Melendres |first=Teddyvic |title=Montes heads honorees |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kmwVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gwsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1707%2C274048 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=Manila Standard |date=19 February 1987 |page=8 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Juico |first=Philip Ella |title=Larry Montes as role model |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2008/12/30/427507/larry-montes-role-model |access-date=26 February 2025 |work=Philstar.com}}</ref> He and his brother Vicente were asked by a police officer to carry bags for American golfers in 1923. Montes observed golfers play and taught himself of the sport.<ref name=montes-cops1941/>

Montes caught the attention of Shanghai-based dentist Norman L. Downs who sponsored his entry fee for the Philippine Open in 1928.<ref name=about/><ref>{{cite journal |last=Alcott |first=Carrol |title=The Month in Sports: The 1928 Open |journal=The American Chamber of Commerce Journal |date=March 1928 |page=12 |url=https://repository.mainlib.upd.edu.ph/omekas/files/original/916f424b51d1dd67c6990bb357d1a178e3bd6670.pdf |access-date=26 February 2025 |via=Open Access Repository at the University of the Philippines Diliman |volume=8 |number=3}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Alcott |first=Carrol |title=The Month in Sports: Soup to Nuts |journal=The American Chamber of Commerce Journal |date=February 1928 |page=13 |url=https://repository.mainlib.upd.edu.ph/omekas/files/original/fb33497d6a546a3008cb75f5db4db3784c9dfbe1.pdf |access-date=26 February 2025 |via=Open Access Repository at the University of the Philippines Diliman|volume=8|number=2}}</ref> He lost his temper, failed to execute an easy putt and was penalized conceding the Open to J.R.H. Mason.<ref name=montes-cops1941/>

===1929 Philippine Open win=== At the 1929 Philippine Open, Montes became first native Filipino to win the annual golf tournament. He was allegedly barred from the Manila Golf Club's clubhouse during the awarding ceremony which led to William James Shaw establishing the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in the following year.<ref name="lkb-2005">{{cite news |last=Mendoza |first=Al S. |title=Larry, Ka Tino & Ben: RP Open legends |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R1Y1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ciUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1308%2C40367417 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=19 May 2005 |page=A24 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref><ref name=returnsww>{{cite news |last=Juico |first=Philip Ella |title=Phl Open returns to old home at WW |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2011/03/30/670918/phl-open-returns-old-home-ww |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Philippine Star |date=30 March 2011}}</ref>

===1929 to 1932=== After the 1929 Open win, Downs funded Montes' trip abroad. He left in March 13, 1931, to go to the United States and Europe.<ref name=montes-cops1941/><ref name="montes-4thjapan">{{cite news |title=Montes Ties For 4th Place |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article249592081 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Tribune |date=3 October 1933}}</ref> Montes took part at the 1931 French Open and finished as runners-up. He qualified for the British Open but missed the 36-hole cut. In the United States, Montes played in the U.S. Open in Toledo as well as other tournaments. He returned to the Philippines by October 1931.<ref name="montes-4thjapan"/>

Montes won the 1931 and 1932 Philippine Opens.<ref name=montes-cops1941/>

===Japan=== In late 1932, Montes received an offer to join the Kasumigaseki Country Club to play professional golf in Japan where he stayed for three years.<ref name="montes-4thjapan"/><ref name=montes-cops1941/> He played at the Japan PGA Championship winning the 1933 and 1934 editions<ref>{{cite news |title=Larry Montes Qualifies In Title Defense |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article249591859 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Tribune |agency=Associated Press |date=3 October 1933 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Montes Keeps Japanese Pro Golf Diadem |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article249595937 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Tribune |agency=Associated Press |date=5 October 1933 |page=1}}</ref> Montes also played at the Japan Open Golf Championship finishing 11th in 1932 and runner-up in 1933.<ref>{{cite news |title=Larry Montes Rates 11th in Japan Open |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article249457037 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Tribune |agency=Associated Press |date=11 October 1932 |page=9 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Montes Finishes 2nd in Japan Open |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article249598205 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Tribune |date=10 October 1933 |page=7 |via=Trove}}</ref> He returned to Manila in late 1935.<ref name=montes-cops1941/>

===Later years=== From 1938 to 1940, Montes lagged behind foreign golfers in the Philippine Open. With Australian golfer Norman Von Nida winning the 1938 and 1939 editions and Jug McSpaden in 1940.<ref>{{cite news |title=Expect Record Entry List for 1941 P. I. Open |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page27726218 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Tribune |date=30 January 1941 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=1941 P.I. Open Gets Under Way Today |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article250120522 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Tribune |date=7 February 1941 |via=Trove}}</ref> Montes went on to win nine more editions of the Philippine Open from 1941 to 1954.<ref name="Montesheads"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Mason, Monies Big Winners |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page27827950 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Tribune |date=6 January 1939 |page=12 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Philippine Open to raise curtain on Asian Tour's 2025 season |url=https://wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com/blog/philippine-open-to-raise-curtain-on-asian-tours-2025-season/ |access-date=26 February 2025 |publisher=Asian Tour |date=17 October 2024}}</ref> He also played in Australia.<ref>{{cite news |title=Larry Montes to Play in Golf Tourney|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article281845687 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=Central Western Daily |date=15 January 1951 |page=17 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Von Nida To Interview Larry Montes |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page27401423 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=25 March 1949 |page=17 |via=Trove}}</ref>

He had won games against top golfers of his time such as Norman Von Nida and Jug McSpaden by the 1940s.<ref name=montes-cops1941/>

Montes also played in the Canada Cup with Celestino Tugot in 1954 and 1955;<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Overflowing Cup |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1954/08/30/overflowing-cup |access-date=26 February 2025 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=August 1954}}</ref><ref name=day0>{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1955/06/09/page/87/article/ike-welcomes-50-golfers-to-international |title=Ike welcomes 50 golfers to international |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=June 9, 1955 |page=F-5 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=December 21, 2016}}</ref> with Vic Allin in 1959;<ref name=gh3>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XOo-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=-EwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6277%2C3054337 |title=Australians easily win team championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=23 November 1959 |page=10 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref> with Ben Arda in 1960.<ref name=gh4>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JHhAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qJsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1961%2C7860668 |title=Canada Cup event ends at Portmarnock |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |first=Cyril |last=Horne |date=27 June 1960 |pages=1, 4 |via=Google News Archive}}</ref>

==Later life and death== Montes emigrated to the United States by the 1980s.<ref name="Montesheads"/> He died in 1996.<ref name="lkb-2005"/>

==Personal life== Montes was married and had five children as of 1949.<ref>{{cite news |last=Morrison |first=Hector |title=Cold Weather Stymies Visiting Filipino Golfers |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page27401381 |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=23 March 1949 |via=Trove}}</ref>

==Honors== Montes was inducted to the Golf Hall of Fame in 1990.<ref>{{cite news |title=Eight outstanding sportsmen inducted to DLSU Hall of Fame |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2003/03/09/198220/eight-outstanding-sportsmen-inducted-dlsu-hall-fame |access-date=26 February 2025 |newspaper=The Philippine Star |date=9 March 2000}}</ref> The Philippine Sportswriters Association named Montes among the Half Century Athletes and one of the Athletes of the Year for 1951.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Baquizal |editor-first=Ceferino |title=Philippine Yearbook |date=1951 |publisher=National Statistics Office (Philippines) |page=76 |url=https://www.google.com.ph/books/edition/Philippine_Yearbook/FBFQAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA76-IA1&printsec=frontcover |chapter=Our Sports}}</ref>

==Tournament wins== *1929 Philippine Open<ref name="past-1941">{{cite news |title=Past Winners Of P.I. Open |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article250120520 |access-date=26 February 2025 |work=The Tribune (Philippines) |date=7 February 1941}}</ref> *1931 Philippine Open<ref name="past-1941"/> *1932 Philippine Open,<ref name="past-1941"/> Japan PGA Championship *1933 Japan PGA Championship *1936 Philippine Open<ref name="past-1941"/> *1937 Philippine Open<ref name="past-1941"/> *1941 Philippine Open<ref name=montes-cops1941/> (February) *1941 Philippine Open<ref name="Montesheads"/> (December) *1943 Philippine Open<ref>{{cite news |title=Larry Mantes Retains P. I. Open Golf Title with 294 |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article249935555 |access-date=26 February 2025 |work=The Tribune (Philippines) |date=25 January 1943 |page=4}}</ref> *1944 Philippine Open<ref>{{cite news |title=Montes Retains Open Golf Title |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article249913714 |access-date=26 February 2025 |work=The Tribune (Philippines) |date=11 January 1944 |page=4}}</ref> *1948 Philippine Open<ref name="Montesheads"/> *1951 Philippine Open<ref name="Montesheads"/> *1953 Philippine Open<ref name="Montesheads"/>  *1954 Philippine Open<ref name="Montesheads"/>

==Team appearances== *Canada Cup (representing the Philippines): 1954, 1955, 1959, 1960

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Montes, Larry}} Category:Filipino male golfers Category:Caddies Category:Golfers from Bulacan Category:Filipino emigrants to the United States Category:1911 births Category:1996 deaths