Percy Alliss: Biography of and Wins by the British Golfer
Full name: Percy Alliss
Date and place of birth: 1897 in Sheffield, England
Date and place of death: March 31, 1975, in Bournemouth, England
Significant Wins
1926 German Open
1927 German Open
1927 Italian Open
1928 German Open
1929 German Open
1932 Penfold Tournament
1933 German Open
1933 News of the World Match Play
1935 Italian Open
1935 Penfold Tournament
1937 News of the World Match Play
In the Majors
Percy Alliss never won a major, and played only once in a major outside of the British Open — the 1931 U.S. Open, where he finished 46th. He placed inside the Top 10 ten times at the British Open, including four times in the Top 4. His best showing was a tie for third in 1931.
Notable Notes: Percy Alliss is probably best-known today as the father of Peter Alliss. But it's arguable which of the two Allisses was the better golfer — Percy was quite accomplished himself, one of the best English golfers of his time.
Percy was also a trailblazer, moving to Germany to become club pro at Wannsee in 1926. It was rare at the time for British golf pros to move to Continental Europe. They were far more likely to go to America for work.
Based in Germany for half a decade, Alliss won multiple national championships in the German and Italian opens. Perhaps his biggest wins were the News of the World Match Play victories in 1933 and 1937, one of the most prestigious tournaments in Europe at the time. (He nearly won the 1931 Canadian Open in one of his rare ventures overseas, but lost in a playoff to Walter Hagen.)
Percy Alliss was named to the Great Britain Ryder Cup team in 1929, 1931, 1933, 1935 and 1937. He had a 3-2-1 overall record, including 2-1-0 in singles matches. (He wasn't able to play in the 1931 Ryder Cup, however, because he was living in Germany at the time.)
After leaving Germany and returning to England, Alliss was the pro at Temple Newsam and then at Ferndown Club, where he remained until retiring.
