Victorian Close Championship Explained

Victorian Close Championship
Establishment:1948
Format:Stroke play
Final Year:c. 1978

The Victorian Close Championship was an annual golf tournament held in Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1948. It was superseded by the Victorian Open which was first held in 1957, but was reintroduced the following year and continued until about 1978.

History

A 36-hole close championship was planned for 1939 but was cancelled because of the war.[1] [2] [3] The Victorian Golf Association revived the idea in 1947 as a 36-hole "open scratch event", open to amateurs and professionals resident in Victoria, played on a single day at Victoria Golf Club.[4] Professional George Naismith and amateur Bill Higgins tied with scores of 149.[5]

The first Close Championship was played at Huntingdale in 1948 and was won by Ossie Pickworth who finished 12 strokes ahead of the field. Pickworth won again in 1950, 1954 and 1955, each time by large margins. 19-year-old Peter Thomson won in 1949 and he won again in 1951, each time by 8 strokes. Jack Harris won in 1952 while Tom Crow was the first amateur winner in 1953.

The Victorian Open started in 1957, replacing the Close championship.[6] However the Close Championship was reintroduced in 1958, with the event to be played outside Melbourne.[7] The 1958 event was played over 72 holes but from 1959 it became a 54-hole event. Bruce Devlin, still an amateur, won in 1959. The tournament existed through the 1970s. In 1976, Mike Cahill, who recently turned professional, won the event.[8] The championship was finally dropped in 1978.[9]

Winners

YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory		Runner(s)-upVenueRef.
1948 293 12 strokes Doug Bachli (a) Huntingdale [10]
1949 293 8 strokes Yarra Yarra [11]
1950 Ossie Pickworth (2) 291 6 strokes Laurie Duffy (a) Metropolitan [12]
1951 Peter Thomson (2) 288 8 strokes Commonwealth [13]
1952 294 6 strokes Bert ClayWoodlands [14]
1953 Tom Crow (a) 296 1 strokes Doug Bachli (a)
Bill Higgins (a) 		Kew [15]
1954 Ossie Pickworth (3) 289 14 strokes Jack Harris
Eric Routley (a) 		Huntingdale [16]
1955 Ossie Pickworth (4) 287 14 strokes Denis DeneheyKingswood [17]
1956–1957: No tournament
1958 Bob Brown294 Playoff Barry WestGeelong [18]
1959 Bruce Devlin (a) 213 −3 2 strokes Doug Bachli (a) Geelong [19]
1960 Neil Tetheridge (a) 200 −7 3 strokes Midlands [20]
1961 Jack Harris (2) 199 6 strokes Dick O'Shea (a) Midlands [21]
1962 Jack Harris (3) 212 3 strokes Alan HeilTraralgon [22]
1963 Alan Heil222 1 stroke Bob Brown
Peter Mills
Don Moir (a) 		Shepparton [23]
1964 Brian Simpson217 2 strokes Bryan SmithShepparton [24]
1965 Alan Heil (2) 218 Playoff Bob BrownSale [25]
1966 Peter Mills213 2 strokes John DavisHorsham [26]
This list in incomplete

Notes and References

  1. News: Conners holds title . . 26076 . Victoria, Australia . 14 November 1938 . 5 January 2021 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  2. News: The golfers' note book . . 19224 . Victoria, Australia . 28 December 1938 . 5 January 2021 . 16 . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: 72-hole test urged . . 26359 . Victoria, Australia . 10 October 1939 . 5 January 2021 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: Golfers' note book . . 21756 . Victoria, Australia . 11 February 1947 . 5 January 2021 . 17 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: Higgins – G. Naismith Tie in Open Event . . 28778 . Victoria, Australia . 21 July 1947 . 5 January 2021 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: Jack Harris out of State Open . . 2 October 1957 . 17.
  7. News: Close title at Geelong . The Age . 17 October 1957 . 20 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.
  8. Web site: The Age 22 Nov 1976, page Page 29 . 2023-02-01 . Newspapers.com . en.
  9. News: Golf . The Age . Peter . Stone . 25 April 1978 . 22 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.
  10. News: Pickworth's Brilliance . . 29094 . Victoria, Australia . 26 July 1948 . 5 January 2021 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: Title Winner Has Plans for Oversea Trip . . 29410 . Victoria, Australia . 1 August 1949 . 5 January 2021 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  12. News: Amateurs do well in title golf . . 29787 . Victoria, Australia . 16 October 1950 . 5 January 2021 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
  13. News: Thomson's Record in Close Title . Don . Lawrence . . 30073 . Victoria, Australia . 17 September 1951 . 5 January 2021 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
  14. News: Jack Harris wins title golf . Don . Lawrence . . 30413 . Victoria, Australia . 20 October 1952 . 5 January 2021 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
  15. News: Tom Crow's Big Upset in Golf . Don . Lawrence . . 30621 . Victoria, Australia . 22 June 1953 . 5 January 2021 . 13 . National Library of Australia.
  16. News: Pickworth wins – by 14 strokes . Don . Lawrence . . 30912 . Victoria, Australia . 31 May 1954 . 5 January 2021 . 15 . National Library of Australia.
  17. News: Golfers hit at hat draw . . Victoria, Australia . 15 August 1955 . 5 January 2021 . 15 . National Library of Australia.
  18. News: Brown beats West in Close title playoff . The Age . Don . Lawrence . 6 October 1958 . 17 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.
  19. News: Amateur golfers head field in Close title . The Age . Don . Lawrence . 5 October 1959 . 19 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.
  20. News: Tetheridge surprises stars in big golf . The Age . 28 November 1960 . 22 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.
  21. News: Record 62 for Harris in Close golf victory . The Age . 4 December 1961 . 17 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.
  22. News: Harris takes Close title . The Age . 10 December 1962 . 24 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.
  23. News: Close golf title to Heil . The Age . 9 December 1963 . 19 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.
  24. News: Simpson wins Close title . The Age . 23 November 1964 . 26 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.
  25. News: Alan Heil wins Close golf in play-off . The Age . 22 November 1965 . 22 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.
  26. News: State Close win to Mills . The Age . 21 November 1966 . 20 . 4 January 2021 . Google News Archive.

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