Ivo Whitton
Encyclopedia
Ivo Harrington Whitton was an Australia
n amateur golf
er, who is the only Australian to have won the Australian Open
five times (1912, 1913, 1926, 1929 and 1931).
Whitton was born in Moonee Ponds, Victoria
. He took up golfing at the age of 14, joining his father in the Caulfield Golf Club (later the Metropolitan Golf Club) the next year, and winning the club championships three times. In 1911, he began working at a wool
broking firm which allowed him time off to play golf during the off-season. In 1912, he competed at The Amateur Championship
in the United Kingdom
, returning to England during World War I
to serve with the Royal Garrison Artillery
after being rejected by the Australian Imperial Force
.
In 1912, Whitton won his first Australian Open
championship, and went on to win four more in 1913, 1926, 1929 and 1931. He also won the Australian Amateur
twice, the Victorian Amateur five times, the New South Wales Amateur and the Queensland Amateur and Open.
In 1920, Whitton won the Helms Award
as the most outstanding Australasian athlete. He returned to the wool industry as a wool appraiser for the Australian government
, but ended up as a general manager for the Spalding
sporting goods company.
The Victorian Golf Association established the Ivo Whitton Trophy in 1960 for the lowest average stroke score in designated tournaments held each year. Whitton himself presented the award to the inaugrual winner, Kevin Hartley, who went on to win it a further eleven times. In addition, the Royal Melbourne Golf Club
instituted the Ivo Whitton Cup in Whitton's memory. One of the streets in Kambah
, a suburb of Canberra
, is named Ivo Whitton Circuit.
After his death, Whitton was buried in the Cheltenham Memorial Park, Melbourne.
A group of local Melbourne golfers regularly play-off in a 9-hole stroke play event for the Ivo Whitton Perpetual Trophy at Burnley Golf Course to honour his memory.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n 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, who is the only Australian to have won the Australian Open
Australian Open (golf)
The Australian Open is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and also the OneAsia Tour since its formation in 2009. The event was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year...
five times (1912, 1913, 1926, 1929 and 1931).
Whitton was born in Moonee Ponds, Victoria
Moonee Ponds, Victoria
Moonee Ponds is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 7 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moonee Valley.It is home to Queens Park and the Moonee Valley Racecourse...
. He took up golfing at the age of 14, joining his father in the Caulfield Golf Club (later the Metropolitan Golf Club) the next year, and winning the club championships three times. In 1911, he began working at a wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
broking firm which allowed him time off to play golf during the off-season. In 1912, he competed at The Amateur Championship
The 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 the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, returning to England during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
to serve with the Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...
after being rejected by the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
.
In 1912, Whitton won his first Australian Open
Australian Open (golf)
The Australian Open is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and also the OneAsia Tour since its formation in 2009. The event was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year...
championship, and went on to win four more in 1913, 1926, 1929 and 1931. He also won the Australian Amateur
Australian Amateur
The Australian Amateur is the national amateur golf championship of Australia. It has been played annually since 1894 and is organized by Golf Australia....
twice, the Victorian Amateur five times, the New South Wales Amateur and the Queensland Amateur and Open.
In 1920, Whitton won the Helms Award
Helms Award
The Helms Award is an annual sporting award given to the most Outstanding Australasian Athlete.-Past winners:1919 - [Harold Clive Disher] *1920 - Ivo Whitton - golfer*1932 - [Edgar L...
as the most outstanding Australasian athlete. He returned to the wool industry as a wool appraiser for the Australian government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
, but ended up as a general manager for the Spalding
Spalding (sports equipment)
Spalding is a sporting goods company founded by Albert Spalding in Chicago, Illinois, in 1876 and now headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The company specializes in the production of balls for many sports, but is most-known for its basketballs...
sporting goods company.
The Victorian Golf Association established the Ivo Whitton Trophy in 1960 for the lowest average stroke score in designated tournaments held each year. Whitton himself presented the award to the inaugrual winner, Kevin Hartley, who went on to win it a further eleven times. In addition, the Royal Melbourne Golf Club
Royal Melbourne Golf Club
Royal Melbourne Golf Club is a golf club located in Black Rock, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia with two courses. Royal Melbourne has hosted numerous national and international events, including the 1959 Canada Cup , and the 1970 World Cup...
instituted the Ivo Whitton Cup in Whitton's memory. One of the streets in Kambah
Kambah, Australian Capital Territory
Kambah is the northernmost suburb in the district of Tuggeranong, Canberra. It is located just south of the Mount Taylor in the Canberra Nature Park. It is located north of the suburbs of Greenway and Wanniassa...
, a suburb of Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, is named Ivo Whitton Circuit.
After his death, Whitton was buried in the Cheltenham Memorial Park, Melbourne.
A group of local Melbourne golfers regularly play-off in a 9-hole stroke play event for the Ivo Whitton Perpetual Trophy at Burnley Golf Course to honour his memory.
Tournament wins
- 1912 Australian OpenAustralian Open (golf)The Australian Open is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and also the OneAsia Tour since its formation in 2009. The event was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year...
, Riversdale Trophy - 1913 Australian OpenAustralian Open (golf)The Australian Open is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and also the OneAsia Tour since its formation in 2009. The event was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year...
. Riversdale Trophy - 1919 Victorian Amateur
- 1920 Victorian Amateur
- 1922 Australian AmateurAustralian AmateurThe Australian Amateur is the national amateur golf championship of Australia. It has been played annually since 1894 and is organized by Golf Australia....
, Victorian Amateur - 1923 Australian AmateurAustralian AmateurThe Australian Amateur is the national amateur golf championship of Australia. It has been played annually since 1894 and is organized by Golf Australia....
, Victorian Amateur, Queensland Amateur - 1924 Victorian Amateur
- 1925 Riversdale Trophy
- 1926 Australian OpenAustralian Open (golf)The Australian Open is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and also the OneAsia Tour since its formation in 2009. The event was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year...
, Riversdale Trophy - 1928 Queensland Open
- 1929 Australian OpenAustralian Open (golf)The Australian Open is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and also the OneAsia Tour since its formation in 2009. The event was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year...
, New South Wales Amateur - 1931 Australian OpenAustralian Open (golf)The Australian Open is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and also the OneAsia Tour since its formation in 2009. The event was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year...