Horace Rawlins
Encyclopedia
Horace Rawlins was an English professional golf
er who won the first U.S. Open Championship
in 1895, so was the first winner of a "major" outside the UK.
Rawlins was born at Shanklin
on the Isle of Wight
, England
, and was the club professional at the Mid-Herts Golf Club when it opened in 1893. After immigrating to the United States
, Rawlins accepted a position as the assistant pro at the Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island
. When his club hosted the inaugural U.S. Open on 4 October 1895, he was one of 11 players to participate. Playing in just his third tournament, Rawlins shocked the more established Willie Dunn, winning the title by two strokes over 36 holes. The first U.S. Open was a one day event played immediately after the three day U.S. Amateur, which received much more attention at the time. Rawlins won $150 plus a $50 golf medal and the Open Championship Cup, which went to his club. Rawlins finished second at the U.S. Open in 1896.
Rawlins did not win any other major tournaments. He was involved in golf course design.
.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
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 who won the first U.S. Open Championship
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...
in 1895, so was the first winner of a "major" outside the UK.
Rawlins was born at Shanklin
Shanklin
Shanklin is a popular seaside resort and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, England, located on the east coast's Sandown Bay. The sandy beach, its Old Village and a wooded ravine, Shanklin Chine, are its main attractions. The esplanade along the beach is occupied by hotels and restaurants for the...
on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, 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...
, and was the club professional at the Mid-Herts Golf Club when it opened in 1893. After immigrating to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Rawlins accepted a position as the assistant pro at the Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. When his club hosted the inaugural U.S. Open on 4 October 1895, he was one of 11 players to participate. Playing in just his third tournament, Rawlins shocked the more established Willie Dunn, winning the title by two strokes over 36 holes. The first U.S. Open was a one day event played immediately after the three day U.S. Amateur, which received much more attention at the time. Rawlins won $150 plus a $50 golf medal and the Open Championship Cup, which went to his club. Rawlins finished second at the U.S. Open in 1896.
Rawlins did not win any other major tournaments. He was involved in golf course design.
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 18 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1895 | 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... |
2 shot deficit | (91-82=173) | 2 strokes |  Willie Dunn |
Results timeline
Note: Rawlins played in only the U.S. OpenU.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...
.
| Tournament | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899 | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
1 | 2 | T8 | T19 | T13 | T30 | T17 | T16 | 12 | 14 | T37 | DNP | T25 | DNP | 60 | DNP | DNP | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.