Willie Smith (golfer)
Encyclopedia
Willie Smith a native of Carnoustie
, was a Scottish
golf
er. His brothers Alex
and Macdonald
were also famous golfers.
While working as a professional at the Midlothian Country Club, near Chicago
he won the fifth staging of the U.S. Open
in 1899, which was played at the Baltimore Country Club
, Roland Park Course. He won by a margin of eleven shots, which wasn't bettered until Tiger Woods
won the 2000 championship by fifteen shots. Smith's prize was $150. He played in nine U.S. Opens in total, and made the top-10 in eight of them, but he did not win again.
In 1899, Smith won the first Western Open
in a playoff against Laurie Auchterlonie
. He also won the 1900 California State Open
.
In 1904, Smith moved to Mexico City
to become the golf pro at the Mexico City Country Club. He was injured during the Mexican Revolution
. He had refused to leave his post at the country club and was found trapped under a fallen beam after Emiliano Zapata
's troops ransacked the club which they saw as a symbol of the corrupt ruling class. He later died of pneumonia
. His body was returned to Scotland
for burial in the family plot.
and The Open Championship
.
DNP = Did not play
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Carnoustie
Carnoustie is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated at the mouth of the Barry Burn on the North Sea coast...
, was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
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. His brothers Alex
Alex Smith (golfer)
Alex Smith was a member of a famous Scottish golfing family. His brother Willie won the U.S. Open in 1899, and Alex won it in both 1906 and 1910. Like many British professionals of his era he spent much of his adult life working as a club professional in the United States.In 1901 Smith lost to...
and Macdonald
Macdonald Smith
Macdonald "Mac" Smith was one of the top golfers in the world from about 1910 to the mid 1930s. He was a member of a famous Scottish golfing family....
were also famous golfers.
While working as a professional at the Midlothian Country Club, near Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
he won the fifth staging of the 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...
in 1899, which was played at the Baltimore Country Club
Baltimore Country Club
The Baltimore Country Club is a private club with two club facilities, one located in the Roland Park, Baltimore neighborhood of Baltimore, the other located in Lutherville, Maryland. The club was founded on January 12, 1898, and hosted the U.S. Open in 1898 and the PGA Championship in 1928. Its...
, Roland Park Course. He won by a margin of eleven shots, which wasn't bettered until Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
won the 2000 championship by fifteen shots. Smith's prize was $150. He played in nine U.S. Opens in total, and made the top-10 in eight of them, but he did not win again.
In 1899, Smith won the first Western Open
Western Open
The Western Open, a professional golf tournament, was first played in 1899. At the time of its 2006 playing, the Western Open was the 3rd oldest active PGA Tour tournament, after the British Open and U.S. Open...
in a playoff against Laurie Auchterlonie
Laurie Auchterlonie
Lawrence "Laurie" Auchterlonie was a Scottish professional golfer. He was a native of St Andrews, the "Home of Golf". In 1902, representing the Chicago Golf Club, he won the eighth U.S...
. He also won the 1900 California State Open
California State Open
The California State Open is the California state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Southern California section of the PGA of America. It was first played in 1900 and has been played at a variety of courses around the state...
.
In 1904, Smith moved to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
to become the golf pro at the Mexico City Country Club. He was injured during the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
. He had refused to leave his post at the country club and was found trapped under a fallen beam after Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata Salazar was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, which broke out in 1910, and which was initially directed against the president Porfirio Díaz. He formed and commanded an important revolutionary force, the Liberation Army of the South, during the Mexican Revolution...
's troops ransacked the club which they saw as a symbol of the corrupt ruling class. He later died of 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...
. His body was returned to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
for burial in the family plot.
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899 | 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... |
4 shot lead | (77-82-79-77=315) | 11 strokes | Val Fitzjohn,  George Low, W.H. Way |
Results timeline
Smith 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...
and 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...
.
| Tournament | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899 | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 | 1910 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | T9 | DNP | T13 | 2 | DNP | 2 | DNP | DNP |
| 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... |
WD | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T5 |
DNP = Did not play
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
External links
- Article on early Scottish golfers in the U.S. (including the Smith brothers)