Wykagyl Country Club
Encyclopedia
Wykagyl Country Club is a golf course
in the Wykagyl
section of New Rochelle
, New York
. The club has often hosted major tournaments as well as meetings of the Professional Golfers Association
(PGA). Wykagyl is considered one of the premier "classic courses" in the country.
The club is private and application for membership is by invitation only.
dubbed the 18th hole, also known as "cardiac hill," as "one of the greatest" he ever played. Over the years Wykagyl has attracted a number of prominent golf pros including George Duncan
, Walter Hagen
, Ben Hogan
, Bobby Jones
, Byron Nelson
, Sam Snead
, and Alex Smith
.
The design of the golf course has evolved over the years, although the greens on the 1st, 7th, 9th, and 16th holes remain essentially unchanged from the original design. In the 1920s, several holes including the 5th and 6th were redesigned by Donald Ross, one of the most noted architects of the period. A. W. Tillinghast
made additional changes in the 1930s, eliminating holes and improving others. In 1994, golf course architect Arthur Hills
did a complete overhaul of the course to keep it in line with championship standards, such as being over 6600 yards (6,035 m) long, with a 72 par
. Most recently, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw
completed structural renovations aimed at preserving the rugged character of the course.
Horace Rawlins
, winner of the first U.S. Open
Championship, held in 1895, later became head professional at Wykagyl. In 1916 the first organizational meeting of the Professional Golfers Association was held at Wykagyl. In 1944 Wykagyl hosted its first notable charity event to benefit the American Red Cross
, the 1944 New York Red Cross PGA Tournament. The tournament ranked as one of the top events of 1944, as no U.S. Opens
were held from 1942 through 1945 and no Metropolitan Open
s from 1941 through 1948. The 1949 Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin
at Wykagyl was the first golf tournament to be broadcast by a television network. In 1977 the club hosted its first professional event, the LPGA
Talk Tournament. Beginning in 1990, the JAL Big Apple Classic became a regular annual event at the club. Although the sponsors and names of the tournament changed over time, the venue remained constant for the next 17 years. In 2007 Wykagyl was the site of the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship
.
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...
in the Wykagyl
Wykagyl, New York
Wykagyl is a suburban community in New Rochelle, New York. The community is conterminous with zip code 10804.Wykagyl consists primarily of sprawling, residential neighborhoods and large "period" homes. Architectural styles include Elizabethan and Cotswold Tudors, Mediterranean-style villas, and...
section of New Rochelle
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The club has often hosted major tournaments as well as meetings of the Professional Golfers Association
Professional Golfers Association
Professional Golfers' Association, , is the usual term for a professional association in men's golf. It is often abbreviated to PGA...
(PGA). Wykagyl is considered one of the premier "classic courses" in the country.
The club is private and application for membership is by invitation only.
History
The course was initially designed by Lawrence Van Etten and was completed in 1905. It quickly became famous for both its beauty and the cruelty of its hilly terrain. English golf pro Harry VardonHarry Vardon
Harry Vardon was a Jersey professional golfer and member of the fabled Great Triumvirate of the sport in his day, along with John Henry Taylor and James Braid. He won The Open Championship a record six times and also won the U.S. Open.-Biography:Vardon was born in Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands...
dubbed the 18th hole, also known as "cardiac hill," as "one of the greatest" he ever played. Over the years Wykagyl has attracted a number of prominent golf pros including George Duncan
George Duncan (golfer)
George Duncan was a Scottish professional golfer.Duncan was born in Methlick, Aberdeenshire. He was first apprenticed as a carpenter and rejected a chance to become a professional footballer at Aberdeen to become a golf professional...
, Walter Hagen
Walter Hagen
Walter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on...
, Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan
William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
, Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones (golfer)
Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
, Byron Nelson
Byron Nelson
John Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912...
, Sam Snead
Sam Snead
Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
, and Alex Smith
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...
.
The design of the golf course has evolved over the years, although the greens on the 1st, 7th, 9th, and 16th holes remain essentially unchanged from the original design. In the 1920s, several holes including the 5th and 6th were redesigned by Donald Ross, one of the most noted architects of the period. A. W. Tillinghast
A. W. Tillinghast
Albert Warren "Tillie" Tillinghast was a noted American golf course architect. Tillinghast was one of the most prolific architects in the history of golf; he worked on no fewer than 265 different courses....
made additional changes in the 1930s, eliminating holes and improving others. In 1994, golf course architect Arthur Hills
Arthur Hills
Arthur Hills is an American golf course designer who achieved a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University. He has designed more than 180 new golf courses, including private, resort, upscale, and public golf courses...
did a complete overhaul of the course to keep it in line with championship standards, such as being over 6600 yards (6,035 m) long, with a 72 par
Par (score)
The word "par" is a term in the game of golf used to denote the pre-determined number of strokes that a scratch golfer should require to complete a hole, a round , or a tournament...
. Most recently, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw
Ben Crenshaw
Ben Daniel Crenshaw is an American professional golfer.Crenshaw was born in Austin, Texas. He attended and played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas, where he won three NCAA Championships from 1971 to 1973...
completed structural renovations aimed at preserving the rugged character of the course.
Horace Rawlins
Horace Rawlins
Horace Rawlins was an English professional golfer who won the first U.S. Open Championship in 1895, so was the first winner of a "major" outside the UK....
, winner of the first 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...
Championship, held in 1895, later became head professional at Wykagyl. In 1916 the first organizational meeting of the Professional Golfers Association was held at Wykagyl. In 1944 Wykagyl hosted its first notable charity event to benefit the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
, the 1944 New York Red Cross PGA Tournament. The tournament ranked as one of the top events of 1944, as no U.S. Opens
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...
were held from 1942 through 1945 and no Metropolitan Open
Metropolitan Open
The Metropolitan Open is golf tournament organized by the Metropolitan Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 and is the third oldest "Open" golf tournament in the United States after the U.S. Open and the Western Open. It is held at member clubs in New York, New Jersey, and...
s from 1941 through 1948. The 1949 Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin
Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin
The Goodall Palm Beach Robin Robin was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1938 to 1957. It was also known as the Goodall Robin Robin and the Palm Beach Robin Robin. The sponsors were the Goodall Company and its subsidiary, the Palm Beach Clothing Co...
at Wykagyl was the first golf tournament to be broadcast by a television network. In 1977 the club hosted its first professional event, the LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
Talk Tournament. Beginning in 1990, the JAL Big Apple Classic became a regular annual event at the club. Although the sponsors and names of the tournament changed over time, the venue remained constant for the next 17 years. In 2007 Wykagyl was the site of the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship
HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship
The HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship was an LPGA Tour golf tournament that was played from 2005 through 2007. It was first played from June 30 to July 3, 2005 at Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, New Jersey...
.
Major tournaments held at Wykagyl
| Year | Tournament | Winner | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | New York Red Cross Tournament | Byron Nelson Byron Nelson John Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912... |
||
| 1948 | Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin The Goodall Palm Beach Robin Robin was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1938 to 1957. It was also known as the Goodall Robin Robin and the Palm Beach Robin Robin. The sponsors were the Goodall Company and its subsidiary, the Palm Beach Clothing Co... |
Herman Barron Herman Barron Herman Barron was an American professional golfer best known for being the first Jewish golfer to win a PGA Tour event.-Biography:... |
+38 | |
| 1949 | Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin | Bobby Locke Bobby Locke Arthur D'Arcy "Bobby" Locke was the first internationally successful South African professional golfer. He won four Open Championships.-Early years:... |
+66 | |
| 1950 | Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin | Lloyd Mangrum Lloyd Mangrum Lloyd Eugene Mangrum was an American professional golfer. He was known for his smooth swing and his relaxed demeanour on the course, which earned him the nickname "Mr. Icicle".Mangrum was born in Trenton, Texas... |
+37 | |
| 1951 | Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin | Roberto de Vicenzo | +40 | |
| 1952 | Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin | Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
+57 | |
| 1956 | Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin | Gene Littler Gene Littler Gene Alec Littler is an American professional golfer. Known for a solid temperament and nicknamed "Gene the Machine" for his smooth rhythmical swing, he once said that, "Golf is not a game of great shots. It's a game of the best misses. The people who win make the smallest mistakes."-Early years... |
+55 | |
| 1957 | Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin | Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
+41 | |
| 1961 | Triangle Round Robin Triangle Round Robin The Triangle Round Robin was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1953 to 1962. It was played at several different courses on the East Coast of the United States.... |
Mary Lena Faulk Mary Lena Faulk Mary Lena Faulk was an American professional golfer.Faulk was born in Chipley, Florida but at the age of 14 moved to Thomasville, Georgia where she won three consecutive Georgia Women's Amateur Matchplay Championships from 1946 to 1948.In 1953, Faulk won the U.S. Women's Amateur. In 1954 she was... |
+35 | |
| 1964 | Goodall Palm Beach Round Robin | Miller Barber Miller Barber Miller Barber is an American professional golfer who enjoyed significant success on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s, and a greater degree of success on the Senior PGA Tour in the 1980s.-Career:... |
||
| 1976 | Girl Talk Classic | Pat Bradley | 217 (+1) | |
| 1977 | Talk Tournament '77 | JoAnne Carner JoAnne Carner JoAnne Gunderson Carner is a former American professional golfer. Her 43 victories on the LPGA Tour led to her induction in the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is the only woman to have won the U.S. Girls' Junior, U.S. Women's Amateur, and U.S. Women's Open titles, and was the first person ever to... |
284 (-4) | |
| 1978 | Golden Lights Championship Golden Lights Championship The Golden Lights Championship was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1975 to 1981. It was played at the All-American Sports City Country club in Pine Plains, New York in 1975, at the Wykagyl Country Club in New Rochelle, New York from 1976 to 1980 and at The Stanwich Club in Greenwich,... |
Nancy Lopez Nancy Lopez Nancy Marie Lopez is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won 48 LPGA Tour events during her LPGA career, including three major championships.-Amateur career:... |
277 (-11) | |
| 1979 | Golden Lights Championship | Nancy Lopez Nancy Lopez Nancy Marie Lopez is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won 48 LPGA Tour events during her LPGA career, including three major championships.-Amateur career:... |
280 (-8) | |
| 1980 | Golden Lights Championship | Beth Daniel Beth Daniel Beth Daniel is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1979 and won 33 LPGA Tour events, including one major championship, during her career. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.... |
287 (-1) | |
| 1982 | Chrysler-Plymouth Charity Classic | Cathy Morse Cathy Morse Catherine C. Morse is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Morse was born in Rochester, New York. She won the 1972 New York State Junior Amateur, and the New York State Women's Amateur in 1974 and 1976. She was runner-up to Nancy Lopez in the 1972 U.S. Girls' Junior.Morse... |
216 (E) | |
| 1984 | MasterCard International Pro-Am MasterCard International Pro-Am The MasterCard International Pro-Am was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1984 to 1987. It was played at several different courses in Westchester County, New York.-Tournament locations:-Winners:*1987 Val Skinner*1986 Cindy Mackey... |
Sally Quinlan Sally Quinlan Sally Quinlan is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Quinlan was runner-up in the 1983 U.S. Women's Amateur.Quinlan won once on the LPGA Tour in 1984.-LPGA Tour wins:-External links:... |
284 (-4) | |
| 1990 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Betsy King Betsy King Betsy King is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1977 and won six major championships and 34 LPGA Tour victories in all.-Career:... |
273 (-15) | |
| 1991 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Betsy King | 279 (-5) | |
| 1992 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Juli Inkster Juli Inkster Juli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings... |
273 (-11) | |
| 1993 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Hiromi Kobayashi Hiromi Kobayashi is a Japanese professional golfer. She has won 15 tournaments internationally, including four on the American LPGA Tour.-Professional career:Kobayashi turned pro in 1985. She won six titles on the LPGA of Japan Tour in 1989. In 1990, she joined the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and was named LPGA Rookie of... |
278 (-6) | |
| 1994 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Beth Daniel Beth Daniel Beth Daniel is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1979 and won 33 LPGA Tour events, including one major championship, during her career. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.... |
276 (-8) | |
| 1995 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Tracy Kerdyk Tracy Kerdyk Tracy L. Kerdyk is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Kerdyk was born in Coral Gables, Florida. She had an impressive amateur career. In 1987, she won the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and was runner-up in the U.S. Women's Amateur. She played college golf at the... |
273 (-11) | |
| 1996 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Caroline Pierce Caroline Pierce (golfer) Caroline Pierce McMillan is an English professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She has played under both her maiden name, Caroline Pierce, and her married name, Caroline McMillan.... |
211 (-2) | |
| 1997 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Michele Redman | 272 (-12) | |
| 1998 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Annika Sörenstam Annika Sörenstam Annika Sörenstam is a Swedish-American professional golfer whose achievements rank her as one of the most successful golfers in history. Before stepping away from competitive golf at the end of the 2008 season, she won 90 international tournaments as a professional, making her the female golfer... |
279 (-9) | |
| 1999 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Sherri Steinhauer Sherri Steinhauer Sherri Steinhauer is an American golfer who currently plays on the LPGA Tour and on the Legends Tour. She was born in Madison, Wisconsin and attended The University of Texas at Austin. Her rookie season on the LPGA Tour was 1986. She has won eight tournaments on the Tour, including two major... |
265 (-19) | |
| 2000 | JAL Big Apple Classic | Annika Sörenstam | 206 (17) | |
| 2001 | Sybase Big Apple Classic | Rosie Jones Rosie Jones Rosie Jones is an American professional golfer, with 13 LPGA Tour career victories and nearly $8.4 million in tournament earnings.-Amateur career:Jones was born in Santa Ana, California... |
272 (-12) | |
| 2002 | Sybase Big Apple Classic | Gloria Park | 270 (-14) | |
| 2003 | Sybase Big Apple Classic | Hee-Won Han Hee-Won Han Hee-Won Han is a South Korean golfer. She attended Ryukoku University and turned professional in 1998. Han currently plays on the United States LPGA Tour. Her caddie is Jeffrey Snow.... |
273 (-11) | |
| 2004 | Sybase Big Apple Classic | Sherri Steinhauer | 272 (-12) | |
| 2005 | Sybase Big Apple Classic | Paula Creamer Paula Creamer Paula Creamer is an American professional golfer on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. As a professional, she has won 11 tournaments, including 9 LPGA Tour events. Creamer has been as high as number 2 in the Women's World Golf Rankings. She was the 2010 U.S... |
278 (-6) | 2nd youngest winner in tour history |
| 2006 | Sybase Big Apple Classic | Lorena Ochoa Lorena Ochoa Lorena Ochoa Reyes is a Mexican professional golfer who played on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour from 2003 to 2010, and was the top-ranked female golfer in the world for over three years, from April 2007 to her retirement in May 2010... |
208 (-5) | |
| 2007 | HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship The HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship was an LPGA Tour golf tournament that was played from 2005 through 2007. It was first played from June 30 to July 3, 2005 at Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, New Jersey... |
Seon Hwa Lee Seon Hwa Lee Seon-Hwa Lee is a South Korean professional golfer now playing on the United States LPGA Tour.Born in Cheonan, South Korea, Lee began playing golf at age 4 and turned professional at age 14, the youngest female to ever turn professional in Korea. She recorded three wins on the LPGA of Korea Tour... |
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