Emil Frederick "Dutch" Loeffler, Jr. (June 5, 1895 – March 19, 1948)[1] was an American professional golfer and golf course designer.[2][3]
| Emil Loeffler | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Emil Frederick Loeffler, Jr. |
| Nickname | Dutch |
| Born | June 5, 1895 Oakmont, Pennsylvania |
| Died | March 19, 1948 (aged 52) Oakmont, Pennsylvania |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Spouse | Hilda Loeffler |
| Children | 3 |
| Career | |
| Status | Professional |
| Professional wins | 4 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | DNP |
| PGA Championship | T5: 1922 |
| U.S. Open | 10th: 1921 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
Early life
editLoeffler was born on June 5, 1895, at Oakmont, Pennsylvania, to Swiss immigrants Emil Loeffler, Sr. and his wife Margaret, both of whom were born in Berne, Switzerland.[1]
Golf career
editLoeffler had two top-10 finishes in major championships and had four wins in other tournaments. He had a long career as both course superintendent and head professional at Oakmont Country Club.
Oakmont Country Club
editLoeffler started working as a caddy at Oakmont when he was 10. He was promoted to caddiemaster in 1912 and took over as the course's superintendent (greenkeeper) in 1916, a position he retained until 1948. Loeffler assisted in modification of the course, including facilitating addition of many hazards that became a hallmark of Oakmont. After the death of head pro Charley Rowe in 1927, Loeffler assumed that role as well. When he relinquished it in 1947, he was reportedly the highest paid pro in America. His replacement, young Lew Worsham, won the U.S. Open a month after he took charge at Oakmont.[4]
U.S. Open
editLoeffler qualified for six U.S. Opens.[4] His best finish was at the 1921 U.S. Open with a 10th place finish.[5]
PGA Championship
editIn 1921, the PGA Championship invited the top 31 professional finishers at the 1921 U.S. Open, along with the defending champion, to the tournament and as such Loeffler was invited. Loeffler finished in a tie for 17th place with his first round loss in match play to Cyril Walker on the 37th hole.[6] Loeffer's best finish at the PGA Championship was a tie for 5th (quarter-final finish) in 1922.[7]
Golf course design
editLoeffler is credited with designing over 20 golf courses,[8][9] including the former Alcoma Golf Club, which was renamed 3 Lakes Golf Course in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania. In 2018, he was elected to the Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame.[10]
Military service
editLoeffler served in the infantry in World War I where he was wounded.[11] He was a corporal in Company E, 327th Infantry, 82nd Division, serving from September 20, 1917, to May 28, 1919.[12]
Death
editLoeffler died on March 19, 1948—at the end of a 65-day stay at Presbyterian Hospital—of respiratory failure due to pneumonia.[1] He was a widower, his wife Hilda having preceded him in death in 1945.[1]
Professional wins (4)
edit- 1920 Pennsylvania Open Championship, Western Pennsylvania Open Championship[13]
- 1922 Pennsylvania Open Championship
- 1933 Tri-State PGA Championship
Results in major championships
edit| Tournament | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Open | T35 | 10 | WD | T49 | T63 | WD | |||||||||
| PGA Championship | R32 | QF |
Note: Loeffler played in only the U.S. Open and PGA Championship.
WD = withdrew
R32, R16, QF, SF = round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Certificate of Death – Emil F. Loeffler (File No. 30342)". Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Bureau of Vital Statistics. March 19, 1948.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ "Highland Country Club". Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ "Emil Loeffler, Noted Golf, Dies". Pittsburgh Press. March 19, 1948. p. 42. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ a b Whitten, Ron (June 10, 2007). "Putting the "Oh!" in Oakmont". ESPN. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ "1921 U.S. Open". About.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ "1921 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ "1922 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ "Emil Loeffler – Courses Built". Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ "Bucknell Golf Club, Lewisburg, PA". finegolfdesign.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
- ^ Dudurich, Mike (May 29, 2018). "Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2018". Western Pennsylvania Golf Association. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ^ "Emil F. Loeffler, Jr" (PDF). March–April 1948. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ "Emil F. Loeffler". Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Military Affairs. April 2, 1952.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ "Open Championship - Past Champions". Western Pennsylvania Golf Association. Archived from the original on November 29, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2012.