Miami International Four-Ball
Encyclopedia
The Miami International Four-Ball was a golf
tournament on the PGA Tour
from 1924 to 1954. It was played primarily at what is now the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club in Miami, Florida
. It was also played at the Miami Biltmore Golf Course in Coral Gables, Florida
from 1939 to 1942 and at the Normandy Shore Club in Miami Beach, Florida
from 1952 to 1954.
It was played with eight two-man teams in single elimination match play
initially. It went to 16 teams in 1926 and to 32 teams in 1950. In 1954, 40 teams played in a 72-hole stroke play
format.
Miami International Four-Ball
Miami Biltmore International Four-Ball
Miami International Four-Ball
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
tournament on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
from 1924 to 1954. It was played primarily at what is now the Miami Springs Golf and Country Club in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. It was also played at the Miami Biltmore Golf Course in Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
from 1939 to 1942 and at the Normandy Shore Club in Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
from 1952 to 1954.
It was played with eight two-man teams in single elimination match play
Match play
Match play is a scoring system for golf in which a player, or team, earns a point for each hole in which they have bested their opponents; this is as opposed to stroke play, in which the total number of strokes is counted over one or more rounds of 18 holes...
initially. It went to 16 teams in 1926 and to 32 teams in 1950. In 1954, 40 teams played in a 72-hole stroke play
Stroke play
Stroke play, also known as medal play, is a scoring system in the sport of golf. It involves counting the total number of strokes taken on each hole during a given round, or series of rounds...
format.
Winners
Miami Beach International Four-Ball- 1954 Tommy BoltTommy BoltThomas Henry Bolt was an American professional golfer.Bolt was born in Haworth, Oklahoma. He served in the United States Army during World War II and turned professional in 1946. He worked as a caddie and club professional in Shreveport, Louisiana...
and Dick MayerDick MayerAlvin Richard Mayer was an American professional golfer.Mayer was born in Stamford, Connecticut. He apprenticed with renowned player and teacher Claude Harmon at the Winged Foot Golf Club in suburban New York City.... - 1953 No tournament
- 1952 Ted Kroll and Lew WorshamLew WorshamLewis Elmer Worsham, Jr. was an American professional golfer.Worsham was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. In 1947, he won the U.S. Open by defeating Sam Snead in an 18-hole playoff at the St. Louis Country Club in Clayton, Missouri after the two men had finished tied at 282 in regulation....
- 1951 No tournament
Miami International Four-Ball
- 1950 Pete CooperPete Cooper (golfer)Richard Bernice "Pete" Cooper was an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s and 1950s; he was best known for winning the 1976 PGA Seniors' Championship.Cooper turned professional in 1938...
and Claude HarmonClaude HarmonEugene Claude Harmon, Sr. was an American golfer.Harmon was born in Savannah, Georgia, and spent much of his boyhood in the Orlando area. A youthful prodigy, Harmon qualified for the U.S. Amateur at age 15 in 1931... - 1949 Jim FerrierJim FerrierJames B. Ferrier was an Australian professional golfer from Manly, New South Wales. He became an American citizen in 1944.-Early years:...
and Cary MiddlecoffCary MiddlecoffEmmett Cary Middlecoff was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s.... - 1948 Jim FerrierJim FerrierJames B. Ferrier was an Australian professional golfer from Manly, New South Wales. He became an American citizen in 1944.-Early years:...
and Cary MiddlecoffCary MiddlecoffEmmett Cary Middlecoff was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s.... - 1947 Jimmy DemaretJimmy DemaretJames Newton Demaret was an American professional golfer. He won 31 PGA Tour events in a long career between 1935 and 1957, and was the first three-time winner of the Masters....
and Ben HoganBen HoganWilliam Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... - 1946 Jimmy DemaretJimmy DemaretJames Newton Demaret was an American professional golfer. He won 31 PGA Tour events in a long career between 1935 and 1957, and was the first three-time winner of the Masters....
and Ben HoganBen HoganWilliam Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... - 1945 Harold "Jug" McSpaden and Byron NelsonByron NelsonJohn Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912...
- 1943-44 No tournament due to World War IIWorld War IIWorld 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...
Miami Biltmore International Four-Ball
- 1942 Chandler HarperChandler HarperJohn Chandler Harper was an American professional golfer best known for winning the 1950 PGA Championship. He won seven times on the PGA Tour and played on the 1955 Ryder Cup team....
and Herman KeiserHerman KeiserHerman W. Keiser was an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour, best known for winning the 1946 Masters Tournament.... - 1941 Ben HoganBen HoganWilliam Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
and Gene SarazenGene SarazenGene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S... - 1940 Billy Burke and Craig WoodCraig Wood (golfer)Craig Ralph Wood was an American professional golfer in the 1930s and 1940s, the winner of 21 PGA Tour titles including two major championships and a member of three Ryder Cup teams ....
- 1939 Ralph GuldahlRalph GuldahlRalph J. Guldahl was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the sport for three years in the late 1930s.-Early life until 1939:Guldahl was born in Dallas, Texas...
and Sam SneadSam SneadSamuel 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...
Miami International Four-Ball
- 1938 Ky LaffoonKy LaffoonKy Laffoon was an American golfer. He won 10 times on the PGA Tour, with four of the victories coming in 1934. He played on the 1935 Ryder Cup team. In 1939 his wife Irene Laffoon threatened to leave him if he could not control his temper on golf course...
and Dick MetzDick MetzRichard C. Metz was an American professional golfer.Metz won 10 times on the PGA Tour in the 1930s and 1940s. He had continued success as a senior golfer winning the Senior PGA Championship and World Seniors Championship in 1960.Metz married actress Jean Chatburn on November 2, 1939. He was also a... - 1937 Henry PicardHenry PicardHenry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison...
and Johnny Revolta - 1936 Henry PicardHenry PicardHenry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison...
and Johnny Revolta - 1935 Henry PicardHenry PicardHenry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison...
and Johnny Revolta - 1934 Al Espinosa and Denny ShuteDenny ShuteHerman Densmore "Denny" Shute was an American golfer who won three major championships in the 1930s.Shute was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His father was born in England. He attended Western Reserve University , and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta. He was married on March 20, 1930 to Hettie Marie Potts...
- 1933 Paul RunyanPaul RunyanPaul Scott Runyan was an American professional golfer. He was among the world's best players in the mid-1930s, won two PGA Championships, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan was also a golf instructor....
and Horton SmithHorton SmithHorton Smith was an American professional golfer, who is best known as the first man to win the Masters Tournament.- Tournament career :... - 1932 Tommy ArmourTommy ArmourThomas Dickson Armour was a Scottish-American professional golfer. He was nicknamed The Silver Scot.Armour was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and educated at Fettes College and the University of Edinburgh....
and Ed Dudley - 1931 Wiffy CoxWiffy CoxWilfred Hiram "Wiffy" Cox was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1930s....
and Willie MacfarlaneWillie MacfarlaneWilliam "Willie" Macfarlane was a Scottish professional golfer.... - 1930 Clarence Gamber and Cyril WalkerCyril WalkerCyril Walker was an English golfer born in Manchester who emigrated to the United States in 1914....
- 1929 Leo Diegel and Walter HagenWalter HagenWalter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on...
- 1928 Johnny FarrellJohnny FarrellJohn Joseph Farrell was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1928 U.S. Open.Farrell was born in White Plains, New York. He turned professional in 1922.In 1928, Farrell won the U.S. Open...
and Gene SarazenGene SarazenGene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S... - 1927 Tommy ArmourTommy ArmourThomas Dickson Armour was a Scottish-American professional golfer. He was nicknamed The Silver Scot.Armour was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and educated at Fettes College and the University of Edinburgh....
and Bobby CruickshankBobby CruickshankRobert Allan Cruickshank was a prominent Scottish professional golfer on the PGA of America circuit from the early 1920s to the mid-1930s. He was born in Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland.-Career:... - 1926 Bill MehlhornBill MehlhornWilliam Earl Mehlhorn was an American golfer who played on the PGA Tour in its early days, and was at his best in the 1920s....
and Macdonald SmithMacdonald SmithMacdonald "Mac" Smith was one of the top golfers in the world from about 1910 to the mid 1930s. He was a member of a famous Scottish golfing family.... - 1925 Bobby CruickshankBobby CruickshankRobert Allan Cruickshank was a prominent Scottish professional golfer on the PGA of America circuit from the early 1920s to the mid-1930s. He was born in Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland.-Career:...
and Johnny FarrellJohnny FarrellJohn Joseph Farrell was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1928 U.S. Open.Farrell was born in White Plains, New York. He turned professional in 1922.In 1928, Farrell won the U.S. Open... - 1924 Bill MehlhornBill MehlhornWilliam Earl Mehlhorn was an American golfer who played on the PGA Tour in its early days, and was at his best in the 1920s....
and Macdonald SmithMacdonald SmithMacdonald "Mac" Smith was one of the top golfers in the world from about 1910 to the mid 1930s. He was a member of a famous Scottish golfing family....