# Midland Professional Championship

The Midland Professional Championship is an annual golf tournament played in the English Midlands. The event is organised by the Midlands Region of the Professional Golfers' Association. It is the oldest tournament in professional golf having been first contested in 1898.

## History

The event was originally organised by the Midland Professional Golf Club, an early professional golfers' association. The club held its first meeting at Edgbaston golf club on 9 December 1897. A 36-hole stroke-play tournament was held, 25 professionals competing, followed by a business meeting at which officers were elected. Thomas Whare, the North Warwickshire professional, won with a score of 155, two strokes ahead of David Duncan and Frank Wingate. The initial plan was to hold four meetings a year. The second tournament was held at the Sutton Coldfield club in February 1898 and was won by Tom Williamson with a score of 162. At a meeting following the event it was decided to hold a Championship meeting at Harborne on 12 May, to be played over 54 holes.
The first championship meeting, in 1898, took an unusual form. There was a 36-hole tournament, which determined the distribution of the cash prizes. The leading 12 players then competed over a further 18 holes, the leading score over the 54 holes decided the championship with the runner-up also receiving a gold medal. The 36-hole stage was won by Sydney Wingate, with a score of 157, with Thomas Whare two strokes behind. A number of the leading 12 did not complete in the third round of the day. Wingate was paired with David Brown, the 1886 Open Champion, for the final round. Brown scored 35 for the first nine, to Wingate's 41, to lead by a stroke. Both took 41 for the second nine to give Brown a one stroke win over Wingate, with George Cawsey a further shot behind. Two further events were held in 1898, at Bulwell in August and at Olton in November. Harry Vardon was present at Olton and played a 9-hole foursomes after the tournament. Also at Olton, Edward Chance took over as president of the club.
The Midland Professional Golf Club again held four tournaments in 1899, in February at Kings Norton, in May at Sandwell Park, in September at Robin Hood and in November at Handsworth. The championship was contested at Sandwell Park but, unlike 1898, it was played as a 36-hole event like the other tournaments. Alfred Toogood won the championship. by a stroke from James Sherlock. In 1900 the schedule was reduced to two, a championship meeting in April and an open meeting in October, open to professionals from outside the Midland region. Tom Williamson won the championship, two strokes ahead of George Cawsey. The same format was used in 1901 with James Sherlock winning the championship, four strokes ahead of Cawsey.
In early 1902 the Midland Counties Competition, an organisation that ran some important amateur competitions in the Midlands and a predecessor of the current Midland Golf Union, passed a resolution recommending that clubs in the region subscribe a maximum of two guineas towards prize money in the two Midland professional tournaments. A sub-committee with Edward Chance as chairman, was created to organise the distribution of prize money. The initiative proved successful and helped fund the events. Also in 1902 the Midland Professional Golf Club amalgamated with the Professional Golfers' Association, which had been formed in 1901, becoming the Midland section of the PGA. Tom Williamson won the April event for a second time. The open autumn tournament saw Harry Vardon, JH Taylor, and James Braid competing and was won by JH Taylor.
The 1903 championship was won for a second time by James Sherlock, nine strokes ahead of the field. Sherlock was presented with a silver cup donated by Edward Chance. The "Chance Cup" became associated with the championship until the 1920s, although when it was first presented is unclear. 1903 also saw the first News of the World Match Play tournament, the first national event organised by the PGA. Each section was allocated a number of places in the final stage, the Midland section having 5 of the 32 places available. The autumn event acted as the qualifying event. A new trophy, the "Midland Challenge Cup", was purchased for the autumn competition.
Alfred Lewis won in 1904, a stroke ahead of James Sherlock. Tom Williamson and his brother Harry because of the sudden death of their mother. 1905 saw the first tie in the championship, between James Sherlock and Tom Williamson, both on 159. It was decided that the championship would be decided based on their performances at the autumn meeting. Williamson won the autumn tournament, thus winning both the Midland Challenge Cup and the Chance Cup. Sherlock and Williamson were absent from the 1906 championship and the tournament was won by Jack Fulford. Williamson won the championship in 1907 and 1909 and was runner-up to George Cawsey in 1908. Edward Veness won in 1910, ahead of Jack Oke, with Williamson in third place.
1911 saw the introduction of a second event for which sectional qualification was required. the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament. Qualification was based on individual stroke-play, qualifiers being drawn randomly into pairs for the finals stage. The Midland section was allocated 9 of the 64 places. The Midland section took the opportunity to switch the events; the Midland Challenge Cup being played as an open event in April, serving as the qualifying for the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes in May, while the championship and Chance Cup were played as a closed event in the autumn and acted as qualification for the News of the World Match Play. The reversal of the events caused some confusion in the press. Tom Williamson won the championship. The 1912 championship resulted in a tie between George Buckle and Harry Cawsey. They had a playoff the following morning but were still tied after both scored 76. They then played a further 18 holes in the afternoon which Buckle won, scoring 79 and Cawsey's 82. George Tuck won the championship in 1913 while the 1914 tournament was cancelled for the start of World War I.
The championship restarted in 1919, acting again as qualification for the News of the World Match Play. 10 places were available instead of the pre-war 5, the main event have been extended from 32 players to 64. Bert Weastell and Len Holland tied on 149, Weastell winning the 9-hole playoff, played the same evening. Although the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes was not revived after the war, another event, the Daily Mail Tournament, replaced it in the calendar and also involved sectional qualifying. The Midland Challenge Cup continued to be played in April while the championship continued to be played in September. In 1920 there was a three-way tie between Tom Williamson, George Buckle and Dick Wheildon. The following day there was a 36-hole playoff but Williamson and Wheildon were still tied and only after a further 9-hole playoff did Williamson win. In 1921 it was reported that the professionals were keen to separate the championship from the News of the World qualifying, and an extra event was organised in July for the qualifying. However the experiment was not repeated and from 1922 the September event reverted to covering both the championship and the qualifying. There was a surprise winner in 1921 when Willie Robertson won. However Tom Williamson won again in 1922 for what was to be the final time.
George Buckle, the 1912 champion, won in 1923 beating Ernest Hanton in the 18-hole playoff, played the following day. There was a four-way tie in 1924, Jack Bloxham winning the 18-hole playoff by two strokes. Buckle won for the third time in 1925, this time by three strokes. Ted Douglas, who had spent many year in New Zealand, won in 1926. In 1927 Tom Barber and Archie Compston tied on 147. Compston left immediately after the championship to play in the German Open and did not turn up for the playoff on the following day, Barber being awarded the championship by default.
The Daily Mail Tournament was not played from 1928 to 1935 and the opportunity was taken to separate the News of the World Match Play qualifying from the championship. The Midland Challenge Cup was awarded to the winner of the News of the World qualifying event, as was the case before 1911. In 1928 this was held in June with the championship in September but from 1929 the order was reversed, with the championship played in the early part of the year and the News of the World qualifying in September. There was a 5-way tie in the 1928 championship. Frank Weston won the 18-hole playoff the following day by two strokes. There was another playoff in 1929. George Buckle beat Tom Green by two strokes, for his fourth championship win. Green won a stroke in 1930 and retained the title in 1931, winning by four strokes. In 1932 Tom Barber won the title for a second time after a three-way playoff. Charlie Ward won the title in 1933 by two strokes from Barber and Algy Holton.
From 1934 to 1937 Dunlop sponsored a number of regional events. In most cases these were new events but for the Midland region they sponsored the existing Midland Professional Championship. Charlie Ward retained the title in 1934. Bill Firkins won in 1935, while Bill Branch won by seven strokes in 1936 and Freddie Beck won in 1937. Except in 1935, when the event was not held, the winner gained entry to the end-of-season limited-field Dunlop-Metropolitan Tournament. Herbert Manton won the championship by four strokes in 1938. The Daily Mail Tournament had restarted in 1935. Sectional qualifying was initially separate from the championship but in the 1939 the two were combined. The event was over two days and was won by Bill Martin.
The championship restarted in September 1946, also acting as qualifying for the News of the World Match Play. However, from 1947 it returned to an early season event. Walter Lees won in 1946 with his older brother Arthur Lees winning in 1948 and 1949. Charlie Ward, the 1933 and 1934 champion, won three more times in the 1950s, in 1950, 1953 and 1955, and for a sixth time in 1963. Another multiple winner was Jack Hargreaves, who won in 1952 and 1960. Sectional qualifying for the News of the World ended in 1961 and from 1962 was replaced by local qualifying immediately before the event. The 1965 championship was reduced to 27 holes after early morning delays meant that it proved impossible for the entire field to complete 36 holes in a single day. From 1966 the event was played over two days. Stuart Murray was the most successful golfer in the 1960s, winning three times, in 1964, 1967 and 1968.
Brian Waites won four times in the 1970s, in 1972, 1977, 1978 and 1979. He won in 1977 in a sudden-death playoff, the first in the championship's history, and in a second playoff in 1979. Uniroyal sponsored the event from 1970 to 1977.

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | Venue |
| Midland Professional Championship |||||||
| 1898 | David Brown | 238 | 1 stroke | Sydney Wingate | Harborne |
| 1899 | Alfred Toogood | 167 | 1 stroke | James Sherlock | Sandwell Park |
| 1900 | Tom Williamson | 157 | 2 strokes | George Cawsey | Derbyshire |
| 1901 | James Sherlock | 156 | 4 strokes | George Cawsey | Atherstone |
| 1902 | Tom Williamson | 152 | 1 stroke | Alfred Lewis | Bilston |
| 1903 | James Sherlock | 152 | 9 strokes | George Cawsey Laurence Gourlay Willie Lewis | Cleeve Hill |
| 1904 | Alfred Lewis | 153 | 1 stroke | James Sherlock | Sutton Coldfield |
| 1905 | Tom Williamson | 159 | Playoff | James Sherlock | Harborne |
| 1906 | Jack Fulford | 153 | 1 stroke | William Jeffries | Derbyshire |
| 1907 | Tom Williamson | 151 | 1 stroke | George Cawsey George Coburn | Robin Hood |
| 1908 | George Cawsey | 150 | 2 strokes | Tom Williamson | Notts |
| 1909 | Tom Williamson | 145 | 4 strokes | Frank Coltart | Leicestershire |
| 1910 | Edward Veness | 151 | 2 strokes | Jack Oke | Stourbridge |
| 1911 | Tom Williamson | 153 | 1 stroke | Jack Bloxham George Tuck | Ladbrook Park |
| 1912 | George Buckle | 150 | Playoff | Harry Cawsey | Seacroft |
| 1913 | George Tuck | 153 | 1 stroke | George Buckle | Little Aston |
| 1914–1918: No tournament |||||||
| 1919 | Bert Weastell | 149 | Playoff | Len Holland | Sandwell Park |
| 1920 | Tom Williamson | 151 | Playoff | George Buckle Dick Wheildon | Moseley |
| 1921 | Willie Robertson | 144 | 1 stroke | George Buckle | Robin Hood |
| 1922 | Tom Williamson | 144 | 1 stroke | Len Holland | Copt Heath |
| 1923 | George Buckle | 138 | Playoff | Ernest Hanton | Edgbaston |
| 1924 | Jack Bloxham | 146 | Playoff | George Buckle Len Holland George Tuck | Olton |
| 1925 | George Buckle | 144 | 3 strokes | Jim Morris George Tuck Tom Williamson | Walmley |
| 1926 | Ted Douglas | 144 | 1 stroke | Tom Barber | Finham Park |
| 1927 | Tom Barber | 147 | Playoff | Archie Compston | Harborne |
| 1928 | Frank Weston | 149 | Playoff | Moses O'Neill Charles Pixton Tom Richards Dick Wheildon | Handsworth |
| 1929 | George Buckle | 144 | Playoff | Tom Green | North Worcestershire |
| 1930 | Tom Green | 144 | 1 stroke | Michael Bingham Tom Williamson | Copt Heath |
| 1931 | Tom Green | 139 | 4 strokes | Bill Firkins Bob Pemberton | Castle Bromwich |
| 1932 | Tom Barber | 143 | Playoff | James Adwick Bert Gadd | Henbury |
| 1933 | Charlie Ward | 145 | 2 strokes | Tom Barber Algy Holton | Little Aston |
| Dunlop-Midland Professional Championship |||||||
| 1934 | Charlie Ward | 143 | 2 strokes | Bill Martin Tom Richards Willie Robertson | Olton |
| 1935 | Bill Firkins | 150 | 1 stroke | Bill Hancock Norman Roffe | Little Aston |
| 1936 | Bill Branch | 137 | 7 strokes | Freddie Beck | Sandwell Park |
| 1937 | Freddie Beck | 141 | 1 stroke | George Buckle | Harborne |
| Midland Professional Championship |||||||
| 1938 | Herbert Manton | 139 | 4 strokes | Jack Hargreaves Jack Loach | Beau Desert |
| 1939 | Bill Martin | 145 | 5 strokes | Norman Roffe George Johnson | Woodhall Spa |
| 1940–1945: No tournament |||||||
| 1946 | Walter Lees | 140 | 4 strokes | Jack Cawsey Leslie Cliffe | Sandwell Park |
| 1947 | Ken Adwick | 144 | 1 stroke | Bill Branch Charlie Ward | North Shore |
| 1948 | Arthur Lees | 143 | Playoff | Tom Hassall | Trentham |
| 1949 | Arthur Lees | 136 | 1 stroke | Charlie Ward | Blackwell |
| 1950 | Charlie Ward | 138 | Playoff | Jack Hargreaves | Moor Hall |
| 1951 | Ron Moses | 145 | Playoff | Bert Williamson | Sandwell Park |
| 1952 | Jack Hargreaves | 143 | Playoff | Charlie Ward | Copt Heath |
| 1953 | Charlie Ward | 143 | Playoff | Jack Hargreaves Edgar Noke | Harborne |
| 1954 | Alan Cunningham | 142 | 1 stroke | Frank Jowle | Olton |
| 1955 | Charlie Ward | 142 | 3 strokes | Frank Jowle | South Staffordshire |
| 1956 | Bob Hastelow | 137 | Playoff | Charlie Ward | Robin Hood |
| 1957 | David Snell | 145 | 1 stroke | George Maisey Ralph Moffitt | Seacroft |
| 1958 | Jack Cawsey | 141 | 1 stroke | Tony Grubb Frank Jowle Charlie Ward | Hawkstone Park |
| 1959 | George Maisey | 140 | 1 stroke | Ralph Moffitt | Luffenham Heath |
| 1960 | Jack Hargreaves | 137 | 4 strokes | Peter Butler Bryon Hutchinson | Ladbrook Park |
| 1961 | Peter Butler | 142 | Playoff | George Johnson | Hawkstone Park |
| 1962 | Tony Rees | 141 | 1 stroke | Peter Butler Ralph Moffitt | Luffenham Heath |
| 1963 | Charlie Ward | 139 | 2 strokes | Peter Butler | Edgbaston |
| 1964 | Stuart Murray | 139 | 1 stroke | Peter Butler Ralph Moffitt Don Smart David Talbot | Rushcliffe |
| 1965 | Sean Hunt | 102 | 2 strokes | Don Smart John Wiggett | Hawkstone Park |
| 1966 | John Anderson | 143 | 3 strokes | David Lait Ted Large | Coxmoor |
| 1967 | Stuart Murray | 143 | Playoff | John Anderson | Whittington Barracks |
| 1968 | Stuart Murray | 143 | 3 strokes | Maurice Bembridge | Olton |
| 1969 | Terry Squires | 144 | 1 stroke | Peter Butler David Snell Brian Waites | Shifnal |
| Uniroyal Midland PGA Championship |||||||
| 1970 | David Llewellyn | 138 | 2 strokes | Bob Johnson | Moor Hall |
| 1971 | Bob Beattie | 142 | 1 stroke | Maurice Bembridge | South Staffordshire |
| 1972 | Brian Waites | 138 | 3 strokes | Eamonn Darcy | Kedleston Park |
| 1973 | Richard Livingston | 140 | Playoff | David Snell | Handsworth |
| 1974 | Mike Gallagher | 137 | 2 strokes | Ted Large David Llewellyn Brian Waites | Stratford-on-Avon |
| 1975 | Hugh Boyle | 144 | 1 stroke | Terry Squires | Peterborough Milton |
| 1976 | Paul Herbert | 138 | 5 strokes | Paul Bottell Tony Grubb Ian Richardson | Longcliffe |
| 1977 | Brian Waites | 138 | Playoff | Phil Weaver | Coxmoor |
| Midland PGA Championship |||||||
| 1978 | Brian Waites | 135 | 5 strokes | Ian Richardson Phil Weaver | Ladbrook Park |
| 1979 | Brian Waites | 143 | Playoff | David Steele | Lincoln |
| 1980 | David Vaughan | 141 | 2 strokes | Brian Waites | Barnham Broom |
| 1981 | David Stewart | 140 | 2 strokes | Richard Livingston | Burton-on-Trent |
| 1982 | Pip Elson | 136 | 4 strokes | David Dunk | Staverton Park |
| 1983 | Tony Minshall | 144 | 2 strokes | Bob Larratt | Staverton Park |
| 1984 | Mark Mouland | 136 | Playoff | Steve Marr | Staverton Park |
| 1985 | Kevin Hayward | 142 | Playoff | Andy Griffiths | Staverton Park |
| 1986 | Tony Skingle | 70 | Playoff | Philip Hinton Phil Weaver | Sutton Coldfield |
| 1987 | Ross McFarlane | 272 | 4 strokes | Mark Mouland | Staverton |
| 1988 | Graham Farr | 276 | 3 strokes | Jim Rhodes | Kings Norton |
| 1989 | Joe Higgins | 138 | 4 strokes | Graham Farr | Forest of Arden |
| 1990 | Gary Stafford | 275 | 8 strokes | Graham Farr | Forest of Arden |
| 1991 | Kevin Dickens | 283 | 5 strokes | Chris Hall | Forest of Arden |
| 1992 | Joe Higgins | 286 | 2 strokes | Stephen Russell | South Staffordshire |
| 1993 | Peter Baker | 143 | 1 stroke | Jim Payne | The Warwickshire |
| 1994 | Peter Baker | 143 | 2 strokes | David Eddiford John King | The Warwickshire |
| 1995 | Shane Rose | 141 | Playoff | Cameron Clark | The Warwickshire |
| 1996 | David J. Russell | 137 | 1 stroke | Peter Baker Neil Turley | The Warwickshire |
| 1997 | Joe Higgins | 137 | 2 strokes | Peter Baker Paul Wesselingh | The Belfry |
| 1998 | Steve Webster | 137 | 1 stroke | Joe Higgins | The Belfry |
| 1999 | Chris Hall | 136 | 4 strokes | Carl Mason Andy Stokes | The Belfry |
| 2000 | David J. Russell | 134 | 8 strokes | Matt McGuire Darren Prosser | The Belfry |
| 2001 | Tim Rouse | 210 | 1 stroke | Martin Poxon | Belton Woods |
| 2002 | Robert Rock | 213 | 2 strokes | Alasdair Thomas | Belton Woods |
| 2003 | Philip Edwards | 209 | 1 stroke | Brian Rimmer | Belton Woods |
| 2004 | Paul Streeter | 213 | 2 strokes | Brian Rimmer | Belton Woods |
| 2005 | Adrian Carey | 214 | Playoff | Paul Bagshaw | Belton Woods |
| 2006 | Paul Streeter | 211 | Playoff | Daniel Greenwood | Belton Woods |
| 2007 | Ian Lyner | 211 | 2 strokes | Simon Lilly | Belton Woods |
| 2008 | Ian Walley | 201 | Playoff | Simon Lilly | Belton Woods |
| 2009 | Cameron Clark | 211 | 2 strokes | Ian Walley | Belton Woods |
| 2010 | Cameron Clark | 200 | 9 strokes | Paul Streeter | Belton Woods |
| 2011 | Matthew Cort | 196 | 2 strokes | Paul Streeter | Belton Woods |
| 2012 | Jak Hamblett | 136 | 1 stroke | Craig Shave | Belton Woods |
| 2013 | Matthew Cort | 131 | 2 strokes | James Whatley | Cold Ashby |
| 2014 | Paul Broadhurst | 129 | Playoff | Matthew Cort | Shifnal |
| 2015 | Matthew Cort | 128 | 6 strokes | Luke Towler Andrew Willey | Shifnal |
| 2016 | Paul Streeter and Andrew Willey | 131 | Playoff | Tied | Shifnal |
| 2017 | Luke Towler | 136 | Playoff | Christopher Evans James Freeman Andrew Willey | Shifnal |
| 2018 | Andrew Willey | 68 | 1 stroke | Matthew Cort James Whatley | Shifnal |
| 2019 | James Brittain | 134 | 1 stroke | Andrew Willey | Shifnal |
| 2020 | James Brittain | 136 | 3 strokes | Cameron Hoggarth Craig Shave | Moseley |
| 2021 | Adam Keogh | 133 | 1 stroke | Simon Lilly Craig Shave | Moseley |
| 2022 | James Whatley | 127 | 2 strokes | James Freeman Simon Lilly | Sapey |
| 2023 | Daniel Whitby-Smith | 63 | 2 strokes | Jordan Boulton James Whatley Andrew Willey | Harborne |
* ↑ The tie between Williamson and Sherlock was resolved at the autumn meeting at Kings Norton which Williamson won with a score of 145, Sherlock scoring 153.
* ↑ Buckle and Cawsey tied at 76 after an 18-hole playoff the following morning. They played a further 18 holes in the afternoon with Buckle scoring 79 and Cawsey 82.
* ↑ Weastell beat Holland 41 to 43 in a 9-hole playoff, played the same evening.
* ↑ Williamson and Wheildon tied on 148 with Buckle on 153 after a 36-hole playoff, played the following day. Williamson beat Wheildon 39 to 40 after a further 9 holes.
* ↑ Buckle beat Hanton 74 to 75 in an 18-hole playoff, played the following day.
* ↑ Bloxham scored 73 in a playoff, played the following day, Holland and Tuck scored 75 while Buckle scored 76.
* ↑ Compston left immediately after the championship to play in the German Open and did not turn up for the playoff on the following day.
* ↑ Weston won a playoff, played the following day, with 74, ahead of Wheildon with 76, O'Neill 77, Richards 78 and Pixton 79.
* ↑ Buckle beat Green 74 to 76 in the 18-hole playoff, played the same day.
* ↑ In a playoff Barber scored 73, Adwick 78 and Gadd 82.
* ↑ Lees beat Hassall 68 to 75 in a playoff.
* ↑ Ward beat Hargreaves 33 to 38 in a playoff, played the same evening.
* ↑ Moses beat Williamson 70 to 73.
* ↑ Hargreaves beat Ward 70 to 75.
* ↑ Ward scored 71, Noke 72 and Hargreaves 75.
* ↑ Hastelow beat Ward 69 to 73.
* ↑ Butler beat Johnson 67 to 70.
* ↑ The event was reduced to 27 holes.
* ↑ Murray beat Anderson 71 to 78.
* ↑ Livingston beat Snell 72 to 73.
* ↑ Waites won with a par at the second sudden-death hole.
* ↑ Waites won with a par at the first extra hole.
* ↑ Mouland won at the first extra hole.
* ↑ Hayward won at the second extra hole.
* ↑ The event was reduced to 18 holes after the first day was abandoned because of bad weather.
* ↑ Skingle won at the second extra hole, Hinton having dropped out at the first.
* ↑ McFarlane won the event but Mouland became the Midland Professional champion since McFarlane was not a Midland member.
* ↑ Rose won with a birdie at the first extra hole.
* ↑ Carey won with a birdie at the first extra hole.
* ↑ Streeter won with a birdie at the first extra hole.
* ↑ Walley won with an eagle at the fifth extra hole.
* ↑ The sudden-death playoff was stopped after three holes due to darkness.
* ↑ The event was reduced to 18 holes because of strong winds.
* ↑ The event was reduced to 18 holes because of bad weather.
Additional source:
From 1911 to 1927 (except in 1921) and in 1946 the championships were also the Midland section qualifying events for the News of the World Matchplay. The 1939 championship was the Midland section qualifying event for the Daily Mail Tournament. The 1954 championship acted as the qualifying event for the Goodwin (Sheffield) Foursomes Tournament while the 1959 event was the qualifying for the Sherwood Forest Foursomes Tournament.