| Jess Sweetser | |
| Fullname: | Jesse William Sweetser |
| Birth Date: | 18 April 1902 |
| Birth Place: | St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Spouse: | Agnes Isobel "Nan" Lewis Sweetser; Virginia Lee Sweetser |
| Children: | 3 |
| College: | Yale University |
| Status: | Amateur |
| Majorwins: | 2 |
| Masters: | T29: 1939 |
| Usopen: | T14: 1920 |
| Open: | DNP |
| Pga: | DNP |
| Usamateur: | Won: 1922 |
| Britamateur: | Won: 1926 |
| Award1: | Bob Jones Award |
| Year1: | 1986 |
Jesse William Sweetser (April 18, 1902 – May 27, 1989) was an amateur golfer, best known as the first American-born player to win the British Amateur.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Sweetser later attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Yale University.[1] In 1920, Sweetser won the individual title at the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships. He received golf lessons from noted Siwanoy Country Club professional Tom Kerrigan.[2]
Sweetser won the 1922 U.S. Amateur at the age of 20, defeating Bobby Jones, 8 and 7, in the semi-final and then Chick Evans, 3 and 2, in the final match. The following year, he again made the finals but lost on the second playoff hole to Max Marston.
In 1926, Sweetser won the British Amateur at Muirfield, defeating Fred Simpson, 6 and 5, in the final match. The 1904 winner, Walter Travis, was a naturalized American citizen born in Australia, but Sweetser's victory was the first time an American-born golfer had won the tournament.
Sweetster won the Metropolitan Amateur in 1922 and 1925.
Sweetser was a member of the original Walker Cup team in 1922, and also played in 1923, 1924, 1926, 1928, and 1932. He was also selected for the 1930 team but withdrew for business reasons. Later, he was non-playing captain for the 1967 and 1973 teams. He was also captain for the 1966 U.S. Eisenhower Trophy team.
In his professional life, Sweetser started as a stockbroker in the 1920s, and later went to work for Curtiss-Wright. He retired in 1967 as a vice-president with Martin Marietta.[1]
Sweetser also served as treasurer and on the executive committee of the United States Golf Association.[3] In 1986, he was named the Bob Jones Award winner, given in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.
Sweetser died on May 27, 1989, in Bethesda, Maryland. Sweetser served as treasurer and on the executive committee of the United States Golf Association.[3] In 1986, he was named the Bob Jones Award winner, given in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.
this list may be incomplete
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Runner-up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | 3 & 2 |  Chick Evans | ||
| 1926 | 6 & 5 | Fred Simpson |
| Tournament | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Open | T14 | WD | ||||||||||
| U.S. Amateur | DNQ | R16 | QF | 1 | 2 | DNQ | QF | R16 | QF | |||
| British Amateur | R256 | 1 |
| Tournament | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | 58 | WD | 40 | 33 | T29 | |||
| U.S. Open | ||||||||||||
| U.S. Amateur | SF | DNQ | R64 | R128 | R32 | R16 | ||||||
| British Amateur | NT |
Source for The Masters: www.masters.com
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
Source for 1923 British Amateur: The American Golfer, July, 1923, pg. 10.
Source for 1926 British Amateur: The American Golfer, July, 1926, pg. 9.
Amateur
1922 (winners), 1923 (winners), 1924 (winners), 1926 (winners), 1928 (winners), 1932 (winners), 1967 (winners, non-playing captain), 1973 (winners, non-playing captain)