# Willie Turnesa

William P. Turnesa (January 20, 1914 – June 16, 2001) was an American amateur golfer, best known for winning two U.S. Amateur titles and the British Amateur.

## Early life

He was one of seven famous golfing brothers; Phil (1896-1987), Frank (1898-1949), Joe (1901-1991), Mike (1907-2000), Doug (1909-1972), Jim (1912-1971), and Willie (1914-2001). Willie was the only brother not to turn professional. The family was referred to as a "golf dynasty" in a 2000 New York Times article.
Turnesa was born in Elmsford, New York and lived most of his life there. His older brothers forbade him to turn pro and pooled their money to send him to college.

## Golf career

Turnesa graduated from Holy Cross in 1938 and won his first U.S. Amateur later that year at Oakmont Country Club. Turnesa won the British Amateur in 1947 at Carnoustie Golf Links, beating fellow American Dick Chapman 3&2. He won his second U.S. Amateur in 1948 and was runner-up in the 1949 British Amateur, losing to Irishman Max McCready. He won numerous other amateur events, mostly in the New York area.
He played on three straight winning Walker Cup teams, 1947, 1949, and 1951. He was playing captain on the last team.
Turnesa served as president of both the Metropolitan Golf Association and New York State Golf Association. He co-founded the Westchester Caddie Scholarship Fund in 1956.

## Personal life

Turnesa died in Sleepy Hollow, New York.

## Tournament wins

this list is incomplete
* 1933 Westchester Amateur
* 1936 Westchester Amateur
* 1937 Metropolitan Amateur, Westchester Amateur
* 1938 U.S. Amateur, Westchester Amateur, New York State Amateur
* 1943 Florida Open
* 1947 British Amateur
* 1948 U.S. Amateur

## Major championships
### Amateur wins (3)

| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Runner-up |
| 1938 | U.S. Amateur | 8 & 7 | Pat Abbott |
| 1947 | British Amateur | 3 & 2 | Dick Chapman |
| 1948 | U.S. Amateur | 2 & 1 | Ray Billows |

### Results timeline

| Tournament | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1938 | 1939 |
| Masters Tournament | NYF | 45 | | | | T26 |
| U.S. Open | | | | | | T47 |
| U.S. Amateur | R16 | QF | R16 | R64 | 1 | R32 |
| British Amateur | | | | | | |
| Tournament | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
| Masters Tournament | T47 | | | NT | NT | NT | | | | |
| U.S. Open | | T40 | NT | NT | NT | NT | | | | |
| U.S. Amateur | R16 | | NT | NT | NT | NT | R64 | | 1 | SF |
| British Amateur | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT | | 1 | SF | 2 |
| Tournament | 1950 | 1951 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 |
| Masters Tournament | | | | | | |
| U.S. Open | | | | | | |
| U.S. Amateur | R32 | R128 | R128 | R32 | R64 | R32 |
| British Amateur | R64 | R64 | | | | |
Note: Turnesa never played in the British Open or PGA Championship.
NT = No tournament NYF = Not yet founded CUT = missed the half-way cut R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play "T" indicates a tie for a place
Source for The Masters: www.masters.com
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
Source for 1948 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 29, 1948, pg. 3.
Source for 1950 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 25, 1950, pg. 9.
Source for 1951 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 24, 1951, pg. 7.

## U.S. national team appearances

Amateur
* Walker Cup: 1947 (winners), 1949 (winners), 1951 (winners, playing captain)