Established 1897 | ||
Course(s) Shifnal Golf Club (2016) | ||
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 1897. It was originally organised by the Midland Counties Professional Golf Club, a forerunner of the PGA.
For a number of years, until at least 1924, the Championship winner also received the Chance Challenge Cup. In 1911 the Midland Professional Championship and the Chance Challenge Cup were contested separately. The Midland Professional Championship was played on 6 April and served as the Midland section qualifying event for the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament, the winner receiving the Midland Challenge Cup. The Chance Challenge Cup was awarded to the winner of Midland section qualifying event for the News of the World Match Play, played on 13 September. Wilfrid Reid won the Midland Professional Championship (and with it, the Midland Challenge Cup) while Tom Williamson won the Chance Cup.
Winners
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In 1912 Buckle and Cawsey tied at 76 after a playoff the following morning. They played a further 18 holes in the afternoon with Buckle scoring 79 and Cawsey 82. In 1919 Weastell beat Holland 39 to 41 in the playoff, played the same evening. In 1920 Williamson and Wheildon tied on 148 with Buckle on 153 after the 36-hole playoff, played the following day. Williamson beat Wheildon 39 to 40 after a further 9 holes. In 1923 Buckle beat Hanton 74 to 75 in the playoff, played the following day. In 1924 Bloxham scored 73 in the playoff, played the following day, Holland and Tick scored 75 while Buckle scored 76. In 1927 Compston left immediately after the championship to play in the German Open and did not turn up for the playoff on the following day. In 1928 Weston won the playoff, played the following day, with 74, ahead of Wheildon with 76 and O'Neill with 77. In 1929 Buckle beat Green 74 to 76 in the playoff. In the 1932 playoff Barber scored 73, Adwick 78 and Gadd 82. In 1948 Lees beat Hassall 68 to 75. In 1950 Ward beat Hargreaves 33 to 38 in the playoff, played the same evening.
The 1911 championship was the Midland section qualifying event for the Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament. The 1912, 1913, 1919, 1920, 1922 to 1928 and 1946 championships were 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.
From 1934 to 1937 the championship was sponsored by Dunlop and known as the "Dunlop-Midland Professional Championship".
The 2016 Championship resulted in a tie when darkness meant that a sudden-death playoff had to be stopped after three holes.