The Welsh National PGA Championship is a golf tournament played annually in Wales since 1904. For many years the event was called the Welsh Professional Championship. Currently entry is restricted to professionals employed by a Welsh club and those born in Wales or with a parent or grandparent born in Wales.[1] 2016 was the 100th edition of the event and was won by Lydia Hall after a final round 67.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1904 |
| Course(s) | Pyle & Kenfig (2024) |
| Month played | September |
| Current champion | |
| Zach Galliford (2024) | |
History
editThe first Championship was held at Radyr Golf Club on 15 July 1904. It was a 36-hole stroke-play event played on a single day. There were 19 entries. Tom Brace led after a 79 in the morning but fell away after an afternoon 92. The winner was the Tenby professional, Arthur Day, who had rounds of 81 and 80 for a total of 161. This put him three strokes ahead of the joint runners-up, 20-year-old George Duncan and Bill Leaver, who had finished 8th in the 1903 Open Championship. The winner received 10 guineas and a gold medal.[2]
The 1905 Championship was held at Conwy Golf Club on 23 August 1905. There were 15 entries. The winner also received entry to the final stage of the News of the World Matchplay. The winner was the Llandudno professional Fred Collins on 153. Collins finished two shots ahead of George Duncan. However, Duncan had moved to Timperley and was only trying to qualify for the News of the World Matchplay, not being eligible for the Welsh Championship. Alfred Matthews, the Rhyl professional, was runner-up in the Championship on 160.[3] The News of the World Matchplay had started in 1903 but in the first two years the Welsh professionals had had to play in the Northern or Midland sections qualifying events.
In 1971 the event was held as part of the Welsh Professional Open Championship. Don Gammon won the open event with a score of 278, a stroke ahead of Stuart Brown. Two golfers tied for the closed event, Jimmy Buckley and Kim Dabson both scoring 291. Buckley won a sudden-death playoff at the second extra hole.[4]
Winners
editSource:[5]
| Year | Winner | Country | Venue | Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Zach Galliford |  Wales |
Pyle & Kenfig | 141 | ||||
| 2023 | Toby Hunt (2) | Wales |
Machynys Peninsula | 132 | ||||
| 2022 | Sion Bebb (4) | Wales |
Machynys Peninsula | 137 | ||||
| 2021 | Lee Rooke | Wales |
Aberdovey | 136 | ||||
| 2020 | Tim Dykes | Wales |
Cardiff | 138 | ||||
| 2019 | Mark Pilkington | Wales |
Conwy | 142 | ||||
| 2018 | Toby Hunt | Wales |
Ashburnham | 136 | ||||
| 2017 | Sion Bebb (3) | Wales |
Celtic Manor (Roman) | 131 | ||||
| 2016 | Lydia Hall | Wales |
Tenby | 138 | ||||
| 2015 | Garry Houston | Wales |
Radyr | 137 | ||||
| 2014 | Stephen Dodd (5) | Wales |
Royal St David's | 134 | ||||
| 2013 | Lee Rooke | Wales |
Royal St David's | 135 | ||||
| 2012 | Stuart Manley | Wales |
Cardiff | 135 | ||||
| 2011 | Stephen Dodd (4) | Wales |
Southerndown | 136 +++ | ||||
| 2010 | Simon Edwards (3) | Wales |
Royal St David's | 204 | ||||
| 2009 | Jason Powell | Wales |
Ashburnham | 221 | ||||
| 2008 | Trevor Jones | Wales |
Cardiff | 209 | ||||
| 2007 | Stephen Dodd (3) | Wales |
Cardiff | 200 | ||||
| 2006 | Sion Bebb (2) | Wales |
Tenby | 204 | ||||
| 2005 | Sion Bebb | Wales |
Southerndown | 199 | ||||
| 2004 | Mark Plummer (3) | Wales |
Vale of Llangollen | 203 | ||||
| 2003 | Simon Edwards (2) | Wales |
Porthmadog | 196 | ||||
| 2002 | Simon Edwards | Wales |
Pyle & Kenfig | 210 | ||||
| 2001 | Stephen Dodd (2) | Wales |
Ashburnham | 214 | ||||
| 2000 | Mark Plummer (2) | Wales |
Newport | 136 | ||||
| 1999 | Richard Dinsdale | Wales |
Vale of Glamorgan | 134 | ||||
| 1998 | Liam Bond | Wales |
Vale of Glamorgan | 69 ++ | ||||
| 1997 | Matthew Ellis | Wales |
Vale of Glamorgan | 139 | ||||
| 1996 | Matt Stanford |  England |
Northop Country Park | 137 | ||||
| 1995 | Stephen Dodd | Wales |
Northop Country Park | 139 | ||||
| 1994 | Mark Plummer | Wales |
Northop Country Park | 133 | ||||
| 1993 | Phillip Price | Wales |
Mountain Lakes | 138 | ||||
| 1992 | Chris Evans | Wales |
Ashburnham | 142 | ||||
| 1991 | Paul Mayo (2) | Wales |
Fairwood Park | 138 | ||||
| 1990 | Paul Mayo | Wales |
Fairwood Park | 136 | ||||
| 1989 | Kevin Jones (2) | Wales |
Royal Porthcawl | 140 | ||||
| 1988 | Ian Woosnam | Wales |
Cardiff | 137 | ||||
| 1987 | Andrew Dodman | England |
Cardiff | 132 | ||||
| 1986 | Philip Parkin | Wales |
Whitchurch | 142 | ||||
| 1985 | David Llewellyn | Wales |
Whitchurch | 132 | ||||
| 1984 | Kevin Jones | Wales |
Cardiff | 135 | ||||
| 1983 | Simon Cox (2) | Wales |
Cardiff | 136 | ||||
| 1982 | Craig Defoy (4) | Wales |
Cardiff | 137 | ||||
| 1981 | Craig Defoy (3) | Wales |
Cardiff | 139 | ||||
| 1980 | Andy Griffiths (2) | Wales |
Cardiff | 139 | ||||
| 1979: Event cancelled | ||||||||
| 1978 | Brian Huggett | Wales |
Whitchurch | 145 | ||||
| 1977 | Craig Defoy (2) | Wales |
Glamorganshire | 135 | ||||
| 1976 | Simon Cox | Wales |
Radyr | 284 | ||||
| 1975 | Craig Defoy | Wales |
Whitchurch | 285 | ||||
| 1974 | Mel Hughes | England |
Cardiff | 284 | ||||
| 1973 | Andy Griffiths | Wales |
Newport | 289 | ||||
| 1972 | Jimmy Buckley (2) | Wales |
Royal Porthcawl | 298 | ||||
| 1971 | Jimmy Buckley | Wales |
St Pierre | 291 | ||||
| 1970 | William Evans | Wales |
Tredegar Park | 289 | ||||
| 1969 | Sid Mouland (6) | Wales |
Llandudno | 277 | ||||
| 1968 | Richard Davies | Wales |
Southerndown | 292 | ||||
| 1967 | Sid Mouland (5) | Wales |
Pyle & Kenfig | 219 + | ||||
| 1966 | Sid Mouland (4) | Wales |
Conwy | 281 | ||||
| 1965 | Sid Mouland (3) | Wales |
Penarth | 281 | ||||
| 1964 | B Bielby | Wales |
Tenby | 297 | ||||
| 1963 | Harry Gould (6) | Wales |
Wrexham | 291 | ||||
| 1962 | Sid Mouland (2) | Wales |
Royal Porthcawl | 302 | ||||
| 1961 | Sid Mouland | Wales |
Southerndown | 286 | ||||
| 1960 | Dick Kemp (2) | Wales |
Llandudno | 288 | ||||
| 1959 | Dennis Smalldon (3) | Wales |
Newport | |||||
| 1958 | Dick Kemp | Wales |
Radyr | |||||
| 1957 | Jimmy Black (2) | Wales |
Llandudno | |||||
| 1956 | Dennis Smalldon (2) | Wales |
Royal Porthcawl | |||||
| 1955 | Jimmy Black | Wales |
Penarth | 291 [6] | ||||
| 1954 | Harry Gould (5) | Wales |
Holyhead | 293 [7][8] | ||||
| 1953 | Dennis Smalldon | Wales |
Tenby | 291 [9] | ||||
| 1952 | Sid Collins Jr. (2) | England |
Southerndown | |||||
| 1951 | Harry Gould (4) | Wales |
Llandudno | |||||
| 1950 | Gwyn James | Wales |
Newport | |||||
| 1949 | Harry Gould (3) | Wales |
Radyr | |||||
| 1948 | Harry Gould (2) | Wales |
Aberdovey | |||||
| 1947 | Ken Williams | Wales |
Llandrindod | |||||
| 1946 | Harry Gould | Wales |
Royal Porthcawl | |||||
| 1940–45: No tournament due to World War II | ||||||||
| 1939 | Chris Grabham | Wales |
Harlech | |||||
| 1938 | Sid Collins Jr. | England |
St Mellons | |||||
| 1937 | Frank Hill (2) | Wales |
Clyne | |||||
| 1936 | Fred Lloyd | Wales |
Prestatyn | |||||
| 1935 | Frank Hill | Wales |
Penarth | |||||
| 1934 | Charles Pickett | Wales |
Swansea Bay | |||||
| 1933 | Fred Collins (2) | England |
Rhyl | 305 [10] | ||||
| 1932 | Bill Smalldon | Wales |
Royal Porthcawl | |||||
| 1931 | R Watts | Wales |
Newport | |||||
| 1930 | Harold Palferman | Wales |
Wrexham | |||||
| 1929 | Bert Hodson (2) | Wales |
Royal Porthcawl | |||||
| 1928 | Robert Walker | Wales |
Llandudno | |||||
| 1927 | Bert Hodson | Wales |
Tenby | |||||
| 1926 | Bert Weastell (2) | England |
Llandudno | |||||
| 1925 | James Horn | England |
Pennard | |||||
| 1924 | Bert Weastell | England |
Llandudno | |||||
| 1923 | Jack Milner | England |
Royal Porthcawl | |||||
| 1922 | Gus Faulkner | England |
Rhos on Sea | |||||
| 1921 | Percy Alliss (2) | England |
Southerndown | |||||
| 1920 | Percy Alliss | England |
Aberdovey | |||||
| 1914–19: No tournament due to World War I | ||||||||
| 1913 | George Gadd | England |
Chester | |||||
| 1912 | Cyril Hughes | England |
Royal Porthcawl | |||||
| 1911 | Peter Rainford | England |
Conwy | |||||
| 1910 | Alfred Matthews (2) | England |
Swansea | |||||
| 1909 | Alfred Matthews | England |
Rhyl | |||||
| 1908 | Tom Brace | Wales |
Bridgend | |||||
| 1907 | Sam Whiting | England |
Porthcawl | |||||
| 1906 | Jack Ross |  Scotland |
Radyr | 156 | ||||
| 1905 | Fred Collins | England |
Conwy | 153 | ||||
| 1904 | Arthur Day | England |
Radyr | 161 | ||||
- + reduced to 54 holes.
- ++ reduced to 18 holes.
- +++ reduced to 36 holes.
References
edit- ^ "Conditions of Entry" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "Professional golf - Tenby man wins the Welsh Championship". Evening Express and Evening Mail (Cardiff). National Library of Wales. 16 July 1904. p. 4. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
- ^ "Welsh Championship - Professionals' second annual meeting - success of Fred Collins, of Llandudno". Evening Express and Evening Mail (Cardiff). National Library of Wales. 24 August 1905. p. 4. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
- ^ "First Big Win for Gammon". Glasgow Herald. 28 May 1971. p. 6.
- ^ "Welsh National PGA Championship - Past Champions". pga.info. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ "Golf – J.L. Black (Harlech)". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 9 June 1955. Retrieved 3 July 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Tie for Welsh Title". The Glasgow Herald. 4 June 1954. p. 4.
- ^ "Other golf – Welsh Champion". The Glasgow Herald. 5 June 1954. p. 2.
- ^ "Welsh Championship". The Times. 19 June 1953. p. 12.
- ^ "Welsh Professional Championship". The Times. 30 June 1933. p. 6.