John Ball Jr
Name:
John Ball JrCountry:
EnglandLived:
[1861-1940]. Born on Dec 24, 1861 in Hoylake, nr Liverpool. Died on Dec 2, 1940 in Holywell, Wales (just across the River Dee estuary from Hoylake) (age 78).Original/Home Club:
Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake.Occupation:
Amateur golfer and farmer.Turned Pro:
n/aMAJORS (1): The Open (1890). British Amateur champion (1888, '90, '92, '94, '99, 1907, '10, 12). First of only two players (Bobby Jones was the other) to have won the Amateur Championship and Open Championship in the same year (1890). World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 1977).
Ball was without doubt the outstanding amateur golfer of his era. In a 24-year period from 1888 until 1912 he won the Amateur Championship eight times, although never two years in succession. In 1890 at Prestwick, he became the first Englishman (and first amateur) to break the 30-year monopoly of Scottish professionals winning the coveted Open Championship, something they had done since the championship's inception in 1860. Ball's win at Prestwick launched an era in which golfers from 'south of the border' dominated the Open Championship. From 1891, Messrs Hilton, Vardon and Taylor won eight of the next ten Opens.
As a youngster Ball would have seen the establishment in 1869 of the Liverpool Golf Club (known as 'Hoylake'), and the granting of its Royal status in 1871. With his father the prosperous owner of the nearby Royal Hotel, it was here at Hoylake that Ball honed his game as a youth. On many occasions Ball would have played with (and against) a younger club member, Harold Hilton, who became another of the great amateurs of the day. When the Open Championship came to Royal Liverpool in 1897 (only its second journey outside of Scotland), it was 28-year-old Hilton, rather than 35-year-old Ball who scooped the Claret Jug on his home course.
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (28th). Ball (Eng) beat Abe Mitchell (Eng) at the 38th hole in the final. This was the last of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [Royal North Devon GC, Westward Ho!, Bideford, Devon].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (26th). Ball (Eng) beat C.C. Aylmer (Eng) 10 and 9 in the final. This was the seventh of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, Wirral, Merseyside].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (23rd). Ball (Eng) beat C.A. Palmer (Eng) 6 and 4 in the final. This was the sixth of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [The Old Course, St Andrews, Fife].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (15th). Ball (Eng) beat Freddie Tait (Scot) at the 37th hole in the final. This was the fifth of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [Prestwick GC, Ayrshire, Scotland].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (10th). Ball (Eng) beat Samuel Mure Fergusson (Scot) by 1 hole in the final. This was the fourth of Ball's eight wins in the Amateur Championship. [Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, Wirral, Merseyside].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (8th). Ball (Eng) beat Harold Hilton (Eng) 3 and 1 in the final. This was the third of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [Royal St George's GC, Sandwich, Kent].
Majors
R&A
The Open Championship (30th) (Sept 11). Second-placed Willie Fernie (Scot) and Archie Simpson (Scot) finished 3 shots behind John Ball Jr (Eng, amateur). Ball was the first player from outside Scotland to win The Open, and the first amateur winner. [Prestwick GC, Ayrshire, Scotland].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (6th). Ball (Eng) beat Johnny Laidlay (Scot) 4 and 3 in the final. This was the second of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles, coming at his home club, and in the year in which he also won the Open Championship. [Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, Wirral, Merseyside].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (4th). Ball (Eng) beat Johnny Laidlay (Scot) 5 and 4 in the final. This was the first of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [Prestwick GC, Ayrshire, Scotland].
124th US Open: the No.2 Course at Pinehurst once again plays host to this most illustrious championship (June 13-16). Wyndham Clark defends his title, having won at Los Angeles CC in 2023.
79th Women’s US Open: the second women’s major championship of the season gets underway at Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania. It’s the second time the championship has been held here.
(May 30-June 2).
Nelly Korda: won the Mizuho Americas Open (May 16-19) at Liberty National GC, continuing her extraordinary form in LPGA events. This was her sixth win in seven starts in 2024.
Xander Schauffele: recorded his first major championship win, and second record-equalling low score of 62 in a major. Only he, Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry have achieved this feat in a men’s major championship.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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