Harry Bradshaw (golfer) explained

Harry Bradshaw
Fullname:Harry Bradshaw
Birth Date:9 October 1913
Birth Place:Delgany, County Wicklow, Ireland
Death Date:December 1990 (aged 77)
Status:Professional
Prowins:21
Masters:DNP
Usopen:DNP
Open:2nd: 1949
Pga:DNP

Harry Bradshaw (9 October 1913 – 22 December 1990) was a leading Irish professional golfer of the 1940s and 1950s.

Bradshaw was born in Delgany, County Wicklow. He was the son of the Delgany professional golfer Ned Bradshaw and he and his three brothers Jimmy, Eddie and Hughie all became professional golfers. He represented Ireland in the Triangular Professional Tournament in 1937 and Llandudno International Golf Trophy in 1938. He won the Irish PGA Championship 10 times between 1941 and 1957, tied with Christy O'Connor Snr for most wins in that event. He was also the Irish Open champion in 1947 and 1949. He teamed with Christy O'Connor to win the Canada Cup for Ireland in Mexico in 1958, finishing second in the individual section of the event despite suffering nosebleeds due to the altitude. Bradshaw played in the Ryder Cup in 1953, 1955 and 1957. He was twice Dunlop Masters champion, in 1953 and 1955.

Bradshaw lost the 1949 The Open Championship following a playoff against Bobby Locke at Royal St George's, after an extraordinary incident in the second round when his drive at the 5th hole came to rest against broken glass from a beer bottle on the fairway. Rather than taking a drop (to which he would probably have been entitled) Bradshaw elected to play the ball as it lay, but was only able to move it slightly forward, dropping the shot. The setback resulted in his tying with Locke with an aggregate of 283, thereby equaling the championship record. However he lost the playoff to Locke. Arguably the incident with the bottle cost Bradshaw the tournament. He died in December 1990.[1]

Tournament wins (21)

European Circuit wins (5)

DateTournamentVenueWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
10 Jul 1947Irish OpenRoyal Portrush Golf Club73-74-73-70=2902 strokes Flory Van Donck
29 Jul 1949Irish OpenBelvoir Park Golf Club70-71-72-73=2861 stroke Bobby Locke
8 Oct 1953Dunlop MastersSunningdale Golf Club69-68-69-66=2723 strokes Max Faulkner
21 Sep 1955Dunlop MastersLittle Aston Golf Club69-70-71-67=2774 strokes Henry Cotton
11 Apr 1958PGA Close ChampionshipMaesdu Golf Club72-71-73-71=2871 stroke Dai Rees

Other wins (16)

Playoff record

PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

Results in major championships

Note: Bradshaw only played in The Open Championship.
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Team appearances

Notes and References

  1. "Harry Bradshaw" The Times, 24 December 1990; pg. 10; Issue 63897.