Ted Ray (golfer)

Ted Ray
— Golfer —
Ray (right) with Harry Vardon (left) and Francis Ouimet
Personal information
Full name	Edward Rivers J. Ray
Nickname	Ted
Born	(1877-04-06)6 April 1877 Jersey
Died	26 August 1943(1943-08-26) (aged 66) Watford, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg; 16 st)
Nationality	Jersey
Career
Turned professional	c. 1895
Retired	1941
Professional wins	13
Best results in major championships (wins: 2)
Masters Tournament	DNP
U.S. Open	Won: 1920
The Open Championship	Won: 1912
PGA Championship	DNP

Edward Rivers J. "Ted" Ray (6 April 1877 – 26 August 1943)^[1] was a British professional golfer. He won two major championships, The Open Championship in 1912 and the U.S. Open in 1920, and contended in many others during the early years of the 20th century. Ray was also a maker of fine golf clubs and was an excellent billiards player.

Early life

Born on the Isle of Jersey in the English Channel, Ray grew up idolising fellow islander Harry Vardon, who was seven years older than Ray. Vardon became the world's top golfer in the early 1890s, while Ray was working as a caddy and developing his own golf skills at the same Jersey course where Vardon learned the game. Ray was a tall, heftily-built man who was known worldwide for his prodigious power off the tee and through the set,^[2] though his shots often landed in awful positions. In addition to his prowess on the golf course, he was also a fine billiards player.^[3]

Golf career

Ray turned professional in his late teens, and took a position as a club professional at Churston Golf Club, Churston, Devon. He gradually developed his skill and reputation by participation in minor tournaments. During his time at Churston, he was encouraged by the club's committee to enter The Open Championships from 1900 to 1902, and was granted a week's leave of absence and five pounds for expenses each year. After leaving Churston, in early 1903, he became the head professional at Ganton Golf Club, replacing the legendary Harry Vardon who had left to join the South Herts Golf Club. Later, he would take up the position of golf professional at Oxhey Golf Club near Watford in Hertfordshire from 1912 to 1941, when he retired due to illness. He was also a fine clubmaker and advertised his business while the professional at Oxhey. He specialized in the production of drivers, mashies, and niblicks.

Playing style

He favoured an attacking style, and had to develop phenomenal recovery skills. Cartoonists usually depicted him with a niblick in hand, festooned with clumps of heather and saplings, with an inseparable pipe clamped between his teeth. Ray was beloved by fans for his daring play, friendly, genial manner and optimistic spirit.

1913 U.S. Open

Ray was best known for participating in a playoff for the U.S. Open in 1913 with Vardon and Francis Ouimet, the winner. Ray's opening round of 79 was not particularly useful but he rebounded by carding a course record 70 in round two which electrified the gallery and got him back into contention.^[2] He narrowly missed a 5-foot putt at the last that would have given him a 69.^[2] His four cards for the tournament were 79-70-76-79=304.^[4]

The 1913 U.S. Open was the subject of a 2005 Disney movie entitled, The Greatest Game Ever Played, based on author Mark Frost's 2002 book of the same name. Ray had joined Vardon on an extensive tour of North America, promoted and financed by English media baron Lord Northcliffe. The two stars travelled the continent for two months, partnering in exhibition matches against the top players in each area they visited. The tour was very successful, attracting large crowds who came out to watch the top British players challenge emerging local golf talent at a time when golf was entering a boom period of popularity, which was further stimulated by the tour. Vardon and Ray ended their tour at the 1913 U.S. Open.^[5]

Major championships

Ray, while often overshadowed by Vardon, John Henry Taylor, and James Braid, the Great Triumvirate who dominated golf for 20 years, did have many professional successes of his own. He won The Open Championship at Muirfield in 1912,^[4]^[6]^[7] and had many more near-misses in that event, with 11 more finishes in the top-10. He won the U.S. Open at Inverness in 1920.^[4]^[7] That victory, at age 43, made Ray the oldest U.S. Open champion for 66 years, until Raymond Floyd, a few months older, won in 1986 (Julius Boros also won at age 43 in 1963; Floyd was passed by Hale Irwin in 1990 at age 45). Ray also finished runner-up three times, in 1903, 1911, and 1912, in the British PGA Matchplay Championship, a significant event.

Ryder Cup

Ray was player/captain for Great Britain during the "unofficial source event" for Ryder Cup competition at the East Course, Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, Great Britain in 1926. He was again player/captain the next year, the first official Ryder Cup. Ray played in The Open Championship as late as age 60 in 1937.

Death and legacy

Ray died on 26 August 1943 in Watford, England.^[8]^[9] He is remembered as one of England's all-time best golfers.^[10]

Media depictions

Portrayed by English actor Stephen Marcus in director Bill Paxton's 2005 film The Greatest Game Ever Played.

Professional wins

A group photo of the 1903 English golf team prior to their international match against Scotland. Ray is seated front row, second from the right. J. H. Taylor and Tom Vardon are in the center of the front row, from left to right, respectively. Albert Tingey, Sr. is seated on the far right, front row. James Sherlock is standing in the back row on the far left.

Note: This list is incomplete

1903 Leeds Cup
1907 Leeds Cup
1910 Leeds Cup, Bramshot Cup
1911 Leeds Cup, Cruden Bay Professional Tournament
1912 The Open Championship
1913 Tooting Bec Cup
1919 Leeds Cup
1920 U.S. Open, Tooting Bec Cup
1923 Daily Mail Tournament
1924 Roehampton Invitation

Major championships

Wins (2)

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1912	The Open Championship	5 shot lead	71-73-76-75=295	4 strokes	Harry Vardon
1920	U.S. Open	2 shot deficit	+7 (74-73-73-75=295)	1 stroke	Jack Burke, Sr., Leo Diegel, Jock Hutchison, Harry Vardon

Results timeline

Ray played in only The Open Championship and the U.S. Open.

Tournament	1899	1900	1901	1902	1903	1904	1905	1906	1907	1908	1909
U.S. Open	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
The Open Championship	T16	13	T12	9	23	T12	T11	T8	T5	3	6

Tournament	1910	1911	1912	1913	1914	1915	1916	1917	1918	1919
U.S. Open	DNP	DNP	DNP	3	DNP	DNP	DNP	NT	NT	DNP
The Open Championship	T5	T5	1	2	T10	NT	NT	NT	NT	NT

Tournament	1920	1921	1922	1923	1924	1925	1926	1927	1928	1929
U.S. Open	1	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	T27	DNP	DNP
The Open Championship	3	T19	T46	T12	T32	T2	T30	T30	T33	T39

Tournament	1930	1931	1932	1933	1934	1935	1936	1937
U.S. Open	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
The Open Championship	T24	CUT	T56	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	CUT

NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10

Gallery

Ted Ray, clubmaker
Ted and his golf partner Harry Vardon in Vaudevillle News, 1920^[11]

References

↑ Extract From The Registry of Births of the Parish of Grouville 1871-1879 page 43 entry number 421
1 2 3 "Ray Two Strokes Away". New York Tribune. 19 September 1913. p. 10. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
↑ "Oxhey Golf Club, Herts". golfsmissinglinks.co.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
1 2 3 Brenner, Morgan G. (2009). The Majors of Golf: Complete Results of the Open, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters, 1860-2008. 1. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3360-5.
↑ Frost, Mark (2002). The Greatest Game Ever Played. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 0-7868-6920-8.
↑ "1912 Ted Ray". The Open. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
1 2 "Great Golf By Foulis". The New York Sun. 18 July 1896. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
↑ "Death of Ted Ray". The Times. 30 August 1943. p. 2.
↑ https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/
↑ "Ted Ray, former British golf star, dies in London at 66". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. 29 August 1943. p. 11-sec 2. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
↑ "Vaudeville News". Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections. Retrieved 9 July 2015.

External links

USOpen.com – 1920

Ted Ray in the Major Championships

U.S. Open champions

1895 Horace Rawlins 1896 James Foulis 1897 Joe Lloyd 1898 Fred Herd 1899 Willie Smith 1900 Harry Vardon 1901 Willie Anderson† 1902 Laurie Auchterlonie 1903 Willie Anderson† 1904 Willie Anderson 1905 Willie Anderson 1906 Alex Smith 1907 Alec Ross 1908 Fred McLeod† 1909 George Sargent 1910 Alex Smith† 1911 John McDermott† 1912 John McDermott 1913 Francis Ouimet#† 1914‡ Walter Hagen 1915 Jerome Travers# 1916 Chick Evans# 1917–18 Cancelled due to World War I 1919 Walter Hagen† 1920 Ted Ray 1921‡ Jim Barnes 1922 Gene Sarazen 1923 Bobby Jones#† 1924 Cyril Walker 1925 Willie Macfarlane† 1926 Bobby Jones# 1927 Tommy Armour† 1928 Johnny Farrell† 1929 Bobby Jones#† 1930 Bobby Jones# 1931 Billy Burke† 1932 Gene Sarazen 1933 Johnny Goodman# 1934 Olin Dutra 1935 Sam Parks, Jr. 1936 Tony Manero 1937 Ralph Guldahl 1938 Ralph Guldahl 1939 Byron Nelson† 1940 Lawson Little† 1941 Craig Wood 1942–45 Cancelled due to World War II 1946 Lloyd Mangrum† 1947 Lew Worsham† 1948 Ben Hogan 1949 Cary Middlecoff 1950 Ben Hogan† 1951 Ben Hogan 1952 Julius Boros 1953‡ Ben Hogan 1954 Ed Furgol 1955 Jack Fleck† 1956 Cary Middlecoff 1957 Dick Mayer† 1958 Tommy Bolt 1959 Billy Casper 1960 Arnold Palmer 1961 Gene Littler 1962 Jack Nicklaus† 1963 Julius Boros† 1964 Ken Venturi 1965 Gary Player† 1966 Billy Casper† 1967 Jack Nicklaus 1968 Lee Trevino 1969 Orville Moody 1970‡ Tony Jacklin 1971 Lee Trevino† 1972 Jack Nicklaus 1973 Johnny Miller 1974 Hale Irwin 1975 Lou Graham† 1976 Jerry Pate 1977 Hubert Green 1978 Andy North 1979 Hale Irwin 1980 Jack Nicklaus 1981 David Graham 1982 Tom Watson 1983 Larry Nelson 1984 Fuzzy Zoeller† 1985 Andy North 1986 Raymond Floyd 1987 Scott Simpson 1988 Curtis Strange† 1989 Curtis Strange 1990 Hale Irwin† 1991 Payne Stewart† 1992 Tom Kite 1993 Lee Janzen 1994 Ernie Els† 1995 Corey Pavin 1996 Steve Jones 1997 Ernie Els 1998 Lee Janzen 1999 Payne Stewart 2000‡ Tiger Woods 2001 Retief Goosen† 2002‡ Tiger Woods 2003 Jim Furyk 2004 Retief Goosen 2005 Michael Campbell 2006 Geoff Ogilvy 2007 Ángel Cabrera 2008 Tiger Woods† 2009 Lucas Glover 2010 Graeme McDowell 2011‡ Rory McIlroy 2012 Webb Simpson 2013 Justin Rose 2014‡ Martin Kaymer 2015 Jordan Spieth 2016 Dustin Johnson

† indicates the event was won in a playoff; ‡ indicates the event was won wire-to-wire; # indicates the event was won by an amateur

The Open Championship champions

1860 Willie Park Sr. 1861 Tom Morris Sr. 1862 Tom Morris Sr. 1863 Willie Park Sr. 1864 Tom Morris Sr. 1865 Andrew Strath 1866 Willie Park Sr. 1867 Tom Morris Sr. 1868 Tom Morris Jr. 1869 Tom Morris Jr. 1870 Tom Morris Jr. 1871 No championship 1872 Tom Morris Jr. 1873 Tom Kidd 1874 Mungo Park 1875 Willie Park Sr. 1876 Bob Martin† 1877 Jamie Anderson 1878 Jamie Anderson 1879 Jamie Anderson 1880 Bob Ferguson 1881 Bob Ferguson 1882 Bob Ferguson 1883 Willie Fernie† 1884 Jack Simpson 1885 Bob Martin 1886 David Brown 1887 Willie Park Jr. 1888 Jack Burns 1889 Willie Park Jr.† 1890 John Ball# 1891 Hugh Kirkaldy 1892 Harold Hilton# 1893 William Auchterlonie 1894 John Henry Taylor 1895 John Henry Taylor 1896 Harry Vardon† 1897 Harold Hilton# 1898 Harry Vardon 1899 Harry Vardon 1900 John Henry Taylor 1901 James Braid 1902 Sandy Herd 1903 Harry Vardon 1904 Jack White 1905 James Braid 1906 James Braid 1907 Arnaud Massy 1908 James Braid 1909 John Henry Taylor 1910 James Braid 1911 Harry Vardon† 1912‡ Edward Ray 1913 John Henry Taylor 1914 Harry Vardon 1915–19 No Championships due to World War I 1920 George Duncan 1921 Jock Hutchison† 1922 Walter Hagen 1923 Arthur Havers 1924 Walter Hagen 1925 Jim Barnes 1926 Bobby Jones# 1927‡ Bobby Jones# 1928 Walter Hagen 1929 Walter Hagen 1930 Bobby Jones# 1931 Tommy Armour 1932‡ Gene Sarazen 1933 Denny Shute† 1934‡ Henry Cotton 1935 Alf Perry 1936 Alf Padgham 1937 Henry Cotton 1938 Reg Whitcombe 1939 Dick Burton 1940–45 No Championships due to World War II 1946 Sam Snead 1947 Fred Daly 1948 Henry Cotton 1949 Bobby Locke† 1950 Bobby Locke 1951 Max Faulkner 1952 Bobby Locke 1953 Ben Hogan 1954 Peter Thomson 1955 Peter Thomson 1956 Peter Thomson 1957 Bobby Locke 1958 Peter Thomson† 1959 Gary Player 1960 Kel Nagle 1961 Arnold Palmer 1962 Arnold Palmer 1963 Bob Charles† 1964 Tony Lema 1965 Peter Thomson 1966 Jack Nicklaus 1967 Roberto De Vicenzo 1968 Gary Player 1969 Tony Jacklin 1970 Jack Nicklaus† 1971 Lee Trevino 1972 Lee Trevino 1973‡ Tom Weiskopf 1974 Gary Player 1975 Tom Watson† 1976 Johnny Miller 1977 Tom Watson 1978 Jack Nicklaus 1979 Seve Ballesteros 1980 Tom Watson 1981 Bill Rogers 1982 Tom Watson 1983 Tom Watson 1984 Seve Ballesteros 1985 Sandy Lyle 1986 Greg Norman 1987 Nick Faldo 1988 Seve Ballesteros 1989 Mark Calcavecchia† 1990 Nick Faldo 1991 Ian Baker-Finch 1992 Nick Faldo 1993 Greg Norman 1994 Nick Price 1995 John Daly† 1996 Tom Lehman 1997 Justin Leonard 1998 Mark O'Meara† 1999 Paul Lawrie† 2000 Tiger Woods 2001 David Duval 2002 Ernie Els† 2003 Ben Curtis 2004 Todd Hamilton† 2005‡ Tiger Woods 2006 Tiger Woods 2007 Pádraig Harrington† 2008 Pádraig Harrington 2009 Stewart Cink† 2010 Louis Oosthuizen 2011 Darren Clarke 2012 Ernie Els 2013 Phil Mickelson 2014‡ Rory McIlroy 2015 Zach Johnson† 2016 Henrik Stenson

† indicates the event was won in a playoff; ‡ indicates the event was won wire-to-wire in 72-holes; # indicates the event was won by an amateur

Ted Ray in the Ryder Cup

European Ryder Cup captains

Great Britain

Great Britain & Ireland

Europe

Great Britain Ryder Cup team – 1927

Aubrey Boomer Archie Compston George Duncan George Gadd Arthur Havers Herbert Jolly Fred Robson Charles Whitcombe Ted Ray (playing captain)

Lost: 2.5 – 9.5

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