Charlie Ward (golfer)
Encyclopedia
Charles Harold Ward was a prominent English golfer of the 1940s, winner of the British Order of Merit in both 1948 and 1949, and twice finishing third in The Open Championship
, in 1948 and 1951. He would add his name, at some stage, to the roll of honour of almost every leading event in British professional golf, with the exception of the Open.
Ward was born in Birmingham
, England
. Like many players his age, Ward's best years were denied to him by World War II
, so it was fitting that he should win the very first professional event played after VE Day, the Daily Mail Victory Tournament at St Andrews
. After his victory he returned late to his posting at an RAF base and as a punishment, was confined to barracks. Ward would win two events in 1948 (one of them in a tie), and gained more recognition for his 1949 season, his three wins that year including the rich Spalding and North British-Harrogate Tournaments and then the British Masters, also played that year at St Andrews.
Further victories followed in 1950 (the Daily Mail Tournament at Walton Heath, which Ward won in a playoff against Bobby Locke
and Australian Ossie Pickworth
) and 1951 (the Dunlop Tournament and the Lotus Tournament) before Ward's final victory on the British circuit in 1956, the British PGA Championship at Maesdu.
Ward represented Great Britain on three occasions in the Ryder Cup
, in 1947, 1949 and 1951, although he only enjoyed one victory in his six matches, losing twice to Sam Snead
and once to Ben Hogan
.
Ward died after a short illness in August 2001, a month short of his 90th birthday.
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Yellow background for top-10
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
, in 1948 and 1951. He would add his name, at some stage, to the roll of honour of almost every leading event in British professional golf, with the exception of the Open.
Ward was born in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Like many players his age, Ward's best years were denied to him by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, so it was fitting that he should win the very first professional event played after VE Day, the Daily Mail Victory Tournament at St Andrews
St Andrews Links
St Andrews Links in the town of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, is regarded as the "home of golf". It is one of the oldest courses in the world, where the game has been played since the 15th century...
. After his victory he returned late to his posting at an RAF base and as a punishment, was confined to barracks. Ward would win two events in 1948 (one of them in a tie), and gained more recognition for his 1949 season, his three wins that year including the rich Spalding and North British-Harrogate Tournaments and then the British Masters, also played that year at St Andrews.
Further victories followed in 1950 (the Daily Mail Tournament at Walton Heath, which Ward won in a playoff against Bobby Locke
Bobby Locke
Arthur D'Arcy "Bobby" Locke was the first internationally successful South African professional golfer. He won four Open Championships.-Early years:...
and Australian Ossie Pickworth
Ossie Pickworth
Horace Henry Alfred "Ossie" Pickworth was a leading Australian professional golfer of the 1940s and 1950s, winner of three successive Australian Open titles from 1946 to 1948, the first and last of which came in playoffs against Jim Ferrier.Pickworth was born in Sydney.Unlike his contemporary...
) and 1951 (the Dunlop Tournament and the Lotus Tournament) before Ward's final victory on the British circuit in 1956, the British PGA Championship at Maesdu.
Ward represented Great Britain on three occasions in the Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
, in 1947, 1949 and 1951, although he only enjoyed one victory in his six matches, losing twice to Sam Snead
Sam Snead
Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
and once to Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan
William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
.
Ward died after a short illness in August 2001, a month short of his 90th birthday.
Tournament wins
- 1945 Daily Mail Victory Tournament
- 1948 Silver King Tournament (tie with Jimmy AdamsJimmy Adams (golfer)James Adams was a Scottish professional golfer who was chosen for five Ryder Cup sides and achieved high finishes in The Open Championship on several occasions ....
), Yorkshire Evening News Tournament - 1949 Spalding Tournament, North British Tournament, Dunlop Masters
- 1950 Daily Mail Tournament
- 1951 Dunlop Tournament, Lotus Tournament
- 1956 PGA Close Championship
- 1965 PGA Seniors ChampionshipPGA Seniors ChampionshipThe PGA Seniors Championship is a European Seniors Tour golf tournament for men aged fifty and above. It was founded in 1957, and became part of the European Seniors Tour on its founding in 1992. It was played at the Royal Dublin Golf Club in the Republic of Ireland that year, but since 1993 it has...
Results in major championships
- Note: Ward only played in The Open ChampionshipThe Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
.Tournament 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 The Open Championship The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...T17 T28 T13 DNP DNP DNP DNP T30 Tournament 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 The Open Championship The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...NT NT NT NT NT NT T4 T6 T3 T4 Tournament 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 The Open Championship The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...CUT 3 CUT T17 CUT CUT T17 CUT CUT T35 Tournament 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 The Open Championship The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...DNP DNP CUT DNP DNP CUT
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Yellow background for top-10