Chandler Egan
Encyclopedia
Henry Chandler Egan (August 21, 1884 – April 5, 1936) was an American
amateur golf
er and golf course
architect of the early 20th century.
— the first 18-hole golf course in the country, the Chicago Golf Club
, was built there in 1893. Egan played his first game of golf in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
at the age of 12. He was accepted to Harvard University
, where he soon became the captain of the college golf team. The team won three team NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships
from 1902 to 1904, and Egan won the individual title in 1902.
, which was played at the Chicago Golf Club
. Not only was the tournament played in his hometown, but the runner-up was his cousin Walter Egan
. A year later, the Egan cousins switched places with Walter winning and Chandler coming in second, and Chandler Egan would win the tournament again in 1904, 1905 (with Walter again the runner-up), and 1907.
In 1904, Egan achieved the pinnacle of U.S. amateur golf success by winning the U.S. Amateur, played at Baltusrol Golf Club
in New Jersey. He defended his title a year later at his home turf of the Chicago Golf Club.
Egan appeared to be peaking at the right time to also win an individual gold medal
at the 1904 Summer Olympics
, which featured golf for the last time in 1904. While Egan's U.S. team (which also included cousin Walter) won team gold, Egan had to settle for individual silver, as he was defeated by Canadian George Lyon
, who at 46, was more than twice Egan's age. Egan later admitted he had been outclassed by the wily Lyon, whose massive drives forced Egan out of his usual game.
. He reemerged on the competitive golf circuit in 1914, with a runner-up finish in the Pacific Northwest Amateur championship to Jack Neville. A year later, Egan and Neville would meet again, and this time, Egan was the winner. He would win the Pacific Northwest Amateur four more times, in 1920, 1923, 1925, and 1932. Egan traveled south to win the California Amateur in 1926. He played on two U.S. championship Walker Cup
teams in 1930 and 1934.
to renovate Pebble Beach Golf Links
for the 1929 U.S. Amateur, in which Egan played and reached the semifinals. In 1929 Egan also aided MacKenzie and Hunter during the design and construction of The Union League Golf and Country Club
, now known as Green Hills Country Club
in Millbrae, California.
when he came down with pneumonia
and died shortly thereafter. His funeral was held in Seattle and he was buried in Medford.
Egan was named to the Pacific Northwest Golf Association Hall of Fame in 1985, and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
in 1990.
LA = Low Amateur
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
Source for 1934 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 22, 1934, pg. 10.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 and golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
architect of the early 20th century.
Early life and college
Egan was born in Chicago, Illinois, which at the end of the 19th century was the epicenter of golf in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
— the first 18-hole golf course in the country, the Chicago Golf Club
Chicago Golf Club
Chicago Golf Club is a private golf club in Wheaton, Illinois in the United States. It is the oldest 18-hole course in North America and was one of the five clubs which founded the United States Golf Association in 1894. Its founder, Charles B. Macdonald, won the first official U.S...
, was built there in 1893. Egan played his first game of golf in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,148 at the 2000 census. A resort city located on Geneva Lake, it is southwest of Milwaukee and popular with tourists from metropolitan Chicago and Milwaukee.-History:...
at the age of 12. He was accepted to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where he soon became the captain of the college golf team. The team won three team NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships
NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships
The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
from 1902 to 1904, and Egan won the individual title in 1902.
Championships and Olympics
Egan won his first non-collegiate tournament in the 1902 Western AmateurWestern Amateur
The Western Amateur is a leading annual golf tournament in the United States for male amateur golfers. It is organized by the Western Golf Association....
, which was played at the Chicago Golf Club
Chicago Golf Club
Chicago Golf Club is a private golf club in Wheaton, Illinois in the United States. It is the oldest 18-hole course in North America and was one of the five clubs which founded the United States Golf Association in 1894. Its founder, Charles B. Macdonald, won the first official U.S...
. Not only was the tournament played in his hometown, but the runner-up was his cousin Walter Egan
Walter Egan (golfer)
Walter Eugene Egan was an American golfer who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics.In 1904 he was part of the American team which won the gold medal...
. A year later, the Egan cousins switched places with Walter winning and Chandler coming in second, and Chandler Egan would win the tournament again in 1904, 1905 (with Walter again the runner-up), and 1907.
In 1904, Egan achieved the pinnacle of U.S. amateur golf success by winning the U.S. Amateur, played at Baltusrol Golf Club
Baltusrol Golf Club
The Baltusrol Golf Club is a private 36-hole golf club located in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey. Among the many prestigious tournaments it has hosted, Baltusrol was most recently the site of the 2005 PGA Championship. The course architect is A. W...
in New Jersey. He defended his title a year later at his home turf of the Chicago Golf Club.
Egan appeared to be peaking at the right time to also win an individual gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 1904 Summer Olympics
1904 Summer Olympics
The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from 1 July 1904, to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University...
, which featured golf for the last time in 1904. While Egan's U.S. team (which also included cousin Walter) won team gold, Egan had to settle for individual silver, as he was defeated by Canadian George Lyon
George Lyon (golfer)
George Seymour Lyon was a Canadian golfer, an Olympic gold medallist, an eight-time Canadian Amateur Championship winner, and a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame....
, who at 46, was more than twice Egan's age. Egan later admitted he had been outclassed by the wily Lyon, whose massive drives forced Egan out of his usual game.
Move to Oregon
Following his runner-up finish in the 1909 U.S. Amateur, Egan abruptly disappeared from competition. He reappeared in the news in May 1911 with his purchase of 115 acre (0.4653889 km²) of apple and pear orchard in Medford, OregonMedford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
. He reemerged on the competitive golf circuit in 1914, with a runner-up finish in the Pacific Northwest Amateur championship to Jack Neville. A year later, Egan and Neville would meet again, and this time, Egan was the winner. He would win the Pacific Northwest Amateur four more times, in 1920, 1923, 1925, and 1932. Egan traveled south to win the California Amateur in 1926. He played on two U.S. championship 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...
teams in 1930 and 1934.
Golf architecture
In the 1920s, Egan moved into golf course design, designing such notable Oregon courses as the Eugene Country Club, Eastmoreland Golf Course, Oswego Lake Country Club, Riverside Golf & Country Club, and Tualatin Country Club. In 1929, Egan partnered with legendary golf architect Alister MacKenzieAlister MacKenzie
Dr. Alister MacKenzie was an internationally renowned, British golf course architect whose course designs, on three different continents, are consistently ranked among the finest golf courses in the world...
to renovate Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach Golf Links is a golf course located in Pebble Beach, California, on the west coast of the United States.Pebble Beach is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the world. It hugs the rugged coastline and has wide open views of Carmel Bay, opening to the Pacific Ocean,...
for the 1929 U.S. Amateur, in which Egan played and reached the semifinals. In 1929 Egan also aided MacKenzie and Hunter during the design and construction of The Union League Golf and Country Club
The Union League Golf and Country Club
The Union League Golf and Country Club of San Francisco was constructed in 1929 in Millbrae, California, USA. It was one of the most ambitious golf and country club projects of its era in Northern California...
, now known as Green Hills Country Club
Green Hills Country Club
Green Hills Country Club, located in Millbrae, California, is often referred to as the San Francisco Peninsula’s “hidden gem”. Green Hills is a private members-only country club located on the San Francisco peninsula approximately 20 minutes south of the city.Green Hills was originally known...
in Millbrae, California.
Death and legacy
In 1936, Egan had completed plans for West Seattle Golf Course in Seattle, and was working on plans for the Legion Memorial Golf Course in Everett, WashingtonEverett, Washington
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
when he came down with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and died shortly thereafter. His funeral was held in Seattle and he was buried in Medford.
Egan was named to the Pacific Northwest Golf Association Hall of Fame in 1985, and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame honors Oregon athletes, teams, coaches, and others who have made a significant contribution to sports in Oregon. The first class was inducted in 1980, with new inductees added in the fall...
in 1990.
Golf courses designed
Egan designed the following golf courses:- Coos Country Club, Coos Bay, OregonCoos Bay, OregonCoos Bay is a city located in Coos County, Oregon, United States, where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The city borders the city of North Bend, and together they are often referred to as one entity called either Coos Bay-North Bend or the Bay Area...
- Eastmoreland Golf Course, Portland, OregonPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
- Eugene Country Club, Eugene, OregonEugene, OregonEugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
- Hood River Golf & Country Club, Hood River, OregonHood River, OregonThe city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
- Indian Canyon, Spokane, WashingtonSpokane, WashingtonSpokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
- Oswego Lake Country Club, Lake Oswego, OregonLake Oswego, OregonLake Oswego is a city located primarily in Clackamas County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Small portions of the city are also located in neighboring Multnomah and Washington counties. Located south of Portland surrounding the Oswego Lake, the town was founded in 1847 and incorporated as Oswego in...
- Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Course, Pacific Grove, CaliforniaPacific Grove, CaliforniaPacific Grove is a coastal city in Monterey County, California, USA, with a population of 15,041 as of the 2010 census, down from 15,522 as of the 2000 census...
- North Fulton Golf Course, Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
- Reames Golf & Country Club, Klamath Falls, OregonKlamath Falls, OregonKlamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
- Riverside Golf & Country Club, Portland, OregonPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
(front nine) - Seaside Golf Club, Seaside, OregonSeaside, OregonSeaside is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. The name Seaside is derived from Seaside House, a historic summer resort built in the 1870s by railroad magnate Ben Holladay. The city's population was 6,457 at the 2010 census.-History:...
- The Oaks at Rogue Valley Country Club, Medford, OregonMedford, OregonMedford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
- The Rogue at Rogue Valley Country Club, Medford, OregonMedford, OregonMedford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
- Tualatin Country Club, Tualatin, OregonTualatin, OregonTualatin is a city located primarily in Washington County in the U.S. state of Oregon. A small portion of the city is also located in neighboring Clackamas County. It is a southwestern suburb in the Portland Metropolitan Area that is located south of Tigard...
- Walter E. Hall Memorial Golf Course, Everett, WashingtonEverett, WashingtonEverett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
- West Seattle Golf Club, Seattle, Washington
- Egan, aided Dr. Alister MacKenzie and Robert Hunter during the construction of The Union League Golf and Country ClubThe Union League Golf and Country ClubThe Union League Golf and Country Club of San Francisco was constructed in 1929 in Millbrae, California, USA. It was one of the most ambitious golf and country club projects of its era in Northern California...
, which is now Green Hills Country ClubGreen Hills Country ClubGreen Hills Country Club, located in Millbrae, California, is often referred to as the San Francisco Peninsula’s “hidden gem”. Green Hills is a private members-only country club located on the San Francisco peninsula approximately 20 minutes south of the city.Green Hills was originally known...
in Millbrae, California in 1929. - Egan, along with Robert Hunter, was a construction assistant to Alister Mackenzie on Sharp Park Golf Course, Pacifica, California (1932) Sharp Park is one of MacKenzie's few municipal courses, and his only public seaside links.
Tournament wins (18)
- 1902 NCAA Division I Men's Golf ChampionshipsNCAA Division I Men's Golf ChampionshipsThe NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
(individual and team), Western AmateurWestern AmateurThe Western Amateur is a leading annual golf tournament in the United States for male amateur golfers. It is organized by the Western Golf Association.... - 1903 NCAA Division I Men's Golf ChampionshipsNCAA Division I Men's Golf ChampionshipsThe NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
(team) - 1904 NCAA Division I Men's Golf ChampionshipsNCAA Division I Men's Golf ChampionshipsThe NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
(team), Western AmateurWestern AmateurThe Western Amateur is a leading annual golf tournament in the United States for male amateur golfers. It is organized by the Western Golf Association....
, U.S. Amateur - 1905 Western AmateurWestern AmateurThe Western Amateur is a leading annual golf tournament in the United States for male amateur golfers. It is organized by the Western Golf Association....
, U.S. Amateur - 1907 Western AmateurWestern AmateurThe Western Amateur is a leading annual golf tournament in the United States for male amateur golfers. It is organized by the Western Golf Association....
- 1915 Pacific Northwest Men's Amateur
- 1920 Pacific Northwest Men's Amateur
- 1923 Pacific Northwest Men's Amateur
- 1925 Pacific Northwest Men's Amateur
- 1926 California Amateur, Bahamas Amateur
- 1932 Pacific Northwest Men's Amateur
- 1930 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...
(team) - 1934 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...
(team)
Wins (2)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1904 | U.S. Amateur | 8 & 6 |  Fred HerreshoffFred Herreshoff Frederick Herreshoff was an American amateur golfer.-Biography:Herreshoff was born to John B. Herreshoff and Emilie Duvall Lee.Herreshoff finished runner-up in the U.S. Amateur twice. In 1904, he lost to Chandler Egan, 8&6... |
| 1905 | U.S. Amateur | 6 & 5 | Daniel Sawyer Daniel Sawyer Daniel Edward "Ned" Sawyer was an American golfer who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics.In 1904 Sawyer was part of the American team that won the gold medal. He finished second in this competition... |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | T20 LA | DNP | T8 LA | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Amateur | QF | R32 | 1 | 1 | R16 | R32 | DNP | 2 |
| British Amateur | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | T23 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | NT | NT | DNP |
| U.S. Amateur | DNQ | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | NT | NT | DNP |
| British Amateur | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT |
| Tournament | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Amateur | DNP | DNQ | DNP | DNP | R32 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | SF |
| British Amateur | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | DNP | 60 |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Amateur | DNQ | DNP | R32 | R16 | R64 | R64 |
| British Amateur | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | R256 | DNP |
LA = Low Amateur
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
Source for 1934 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 22, 1934, pg. 10.