Peter McEvoy
Encyclopedia
Peter McEvoy OBE
(born 22 March 1953) was a leading British amateur golf
er for many years, and is now a golf course designer, golf administrator, and golf writer
.
McEvoy was born in London
, but spent much of his childhood living near Turnberry
where his father was a member of the famous links course. Even after moving back to London, he was able to play at the famous course.
in both 1977 and 1978, which kicked off an impressive amateur golf career. He was a member of the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup
team five times between 1977 and 1989. He also played on five Eisenhower Trophy
teams, including 1988 when he won the individual event and GB&I won the team event. He was the low amateur at The Open Championship
in 1978 and 1979, and was the first British amateur golfer to make the cut at the Masters Tournament, which he did in 1978. He also won the Lytham Trophy
in 1979, the Brabazon Trophy
in 1980 (tied with Ronan Rafferty
), and was runner-up at the Amateur Championship in 1987.
Golf Course, which hosted the 2001 Irish Open
and other Irish tournaments.
In 2002, McEvoy was named Chairman of the R&A Selection Committee, which chooses the members for Great Britain & Ireland amateur teams competing in various international events (such as the Walker Cup
).
on the 2003 Queen's New Year's Honours List, for "services to golf."
In February 2008, McEvoy devised and launched PowerPlay Golf
, a shortened version of golf in a bid to create golf's version of Twenty20 cricket
.
McEvoy lives in Tewkesbury
, Gloucestershire
, in England.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 22 March 1953) was a leading British amateur golf
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....
er for many years, and is now a golf course designer, golf administrator, and golf writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
McEvoy was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, but spent much of his childhood living near Turnberry
Turnberry
Turnberry is a golf resort on the coast of the outer Firth of Clyde in southwestern Scotland. Located in South Ayrshire on the rugged coast, it comprises three links golf courses, a golf academy, a five-star hotel, designed by James Miller and completed in 1906, as well as lodge and cottage...
where his father was a member of the famous links course. Even after moving back to London, he was able to play at the famous course.
Playing highlights
McEvoy won The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
in both 1977 and 1978, which kicked off an impressive amateur golf career. He was a member of the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup
Walker Cup
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
team five times between 1977 and 1989. He also played on five Eisenhower Trophy
Eisenhower Trophy
The Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
teams, including 1988 when he won the individual event and GB&I won the team event. He was the low amateur at The Open Championship
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 1978 and 1979, and was the first British amateur golfer to make the cut at the Masters Tournament, which he did in 1978. He also won the Lytham Trophy
Lytham Trophy
The Lytham Trophy is an amateur golf tournament founded in 1965 by the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, where it has always been held. It is a 72-hole scratch stroke play competition, and is classified as a Category A event by the World Amateur Golf Rankings....
in 1979, the Brabazon Trophy
Brabazon Trophy
The English Men's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship for the Brabazon Trophy is the national amateur stroke play golf championship in England . It has been played annually since 1947 and is organized by the English Golf Union.The format is 72 hole stroke play contested over 4 days...
in 1980 (tied with Ronan Rafferty
Ronan Rafferty
Ronan P. Rafferty is an Northern Irish professional golfer, who formerly played on the European Tour.Rafferty was born in Newry, Northern Ireland. He won the Boys Amateur Championship aged fifteen and played in the Walker Cup aged seventeen...
), and was runner-up at the Amateur Championship in 1987.
Captains winning teams
McEvoy was named captain of the Great Britain & Ireland teams for the 1999 and 2001 Walker Cups, which won both times; this was the first time GB&I ever had consecutive wins in the event. McEvoy was also captain of the victorious Great Britain & Ireland team for the 1998 Eisenhower Trophy tournament, making McEvoy the only person to win the individual event, the team event as a player, and the team event as a captain. He captained again in 2000, and GB&I finished in second place. In 2002, when Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales began sending separate teams to the tournament instead of a combined team, McEvoy was the captain of the English team.Golf course design, and administration
McEvoy has been involved with golf course design for over 20 years, with his own company and in collaboration with others. He has worked on numerous courses around the world, including Fota IslandFota Island
Fota Island is a small island in Cork Harbour, Ireland, just north of the larger island of Great Island. The name "Fota" is derived from the Irish "Fód te" meaning warm soil...
Golf Course, which hosted the 2001 Irish Open
Irish Open (golf)
The Irish Open is a professional golf tournament on the European Tour, currently played at the end of July or early August each year. The event has been played in many locations on the island; its current home is the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club in County Kerry in southwestern Ireland...
and other Irish tournaments.
In 2002, McEvoy was named Chairman of the R&A Selection Committee, which chooses the members for Great Britain & Ireland amateur teams competing in various international events (such as the Walker Cup
Walker Cup
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
).
Honours
The Association of Golf Writers named McEvoy the winner of the 1978 Golf Writers' Trophy, after he won his second Amateur Championship and made the cut at the Masters. The trophy is "awarded each year to the individual, born or resident in Europe, or the European team, who have made the most outstanding contribution to golf in the preceding 12 months." He won again in 2001, as the award was given to the victorious 2001 Walker Cup team. The English Golf Union named McEvoy as the winner of the 1999 Gerald Micklem Award, given to those who have "made an outstanding contribution to further the interests of amateur golf in England." McEvoy was named an Officer of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
on the 2003 Queen's New Year's Honours List, for "services to golf."
In February 2008, McEvoy devised and launched PowerPlay Golf
PowerPlay Golf
PowerPlay Golf is a shorter variation of golf, featuring two flags on a green and played over nine holes. It was devised by British amateur golfer Peter McEvoy, a former victorious captain of the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team, and David Piggins, a sports venue owner and operator, assisted...
, a shortened version of golf in a bid to create golf's version of Twenty20 cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
.
McEvoy lives in Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, in England.
Books
Team appearances
this list may be incomplete- Walker CupWalker CupThe Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
(representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1977, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1989 (winners) - Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower TrophyThe Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
(representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1978, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1988 (team winners and individual winner)