Walter Lees (golfer) explained

Walter Lees
Birth Date:14 December 1916
Birth Place:Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Death Place:Shipley, West Yorkshire, England
Status:Professional
Prowins:1
Masters:DNP
Usopen:DNP
Open:17th: 1949
Pga:DNP

Walter Lees (14 December 1916 – 9 July 2012) was an English professional golfer. He was the younger brother of Arthur and Harold, both professional golfers.[1] [2]

Lees won the 1946 Midland Professional Championship at Sandwell Park Golf Club, 4 strokes ahead of Jack Cawsey and Leslie Cliffe.[3] He was runner-up in the 1949 Yorkshire Evening News Tournament at Moortown Golf Club. The tournament was run as a match-play event that year and Lees won five matches to reach the final, beating Roberto De Vicenzo, Jimmy Adams and Dai Rees. Having beaten Rees in the morning, he met Sam King In the afternoon final. One down after 8 holes he lost the next five to give King a 6&5 victory.[4] The next month he finished 17th in the Open Championship. He had been in 6th place after a good third round 69, just two shots behind the leaders, but a last round 78 dropped his down the field.

Lees was an assistant at Abbeydale Golf Club from 1933 but after the war he was an assistant to his brother Arthur at Dore and Totley. He became the professional at Shipley Golf Club in 1948 and was there until he retired in 1985.[1]

Professional wins

Results in major championships

Note: Lees only played in The Open Championship.
CUT = missed the half-way cut

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mike . Crowther . Funeral of veteran Walter Lees is well attended . Bradford Telegraph and Argus . 12 July 2012 . 18 June 2016.
  2. Web site: Walter Lees . Bradford Telegraph and Argus . 18 June 2016.
  3. News: The Times . 12 September 1946 . 8 . Midland qualifiers.
  4. News: King Wins £1350 Tournament . The Glasgow Herald . 13 June 1949 . 3.