News Chronicle Tournament Winners and History

The News Chronicle Tournament was a men's pro tournament that ran from the mid-1930s into the early 1950s, with a break due to World War II. It was named after its sponsor, the Brighton, England, newspaper.

First played: 1936

Last played: 1951

Dai Rees was the only 2-time winner of the News Chronicle Tournament. But he also tied for second place in the inaugural event in 1936.

Two of the three Whitcombe brothers won it, however, and back-to-back: Ernest Whitcombe in 1937 and Reg Whitcombe in 1938. Reg's winning score was 32 strokes higher than Ernest's the year before, but Reg won playing in winds that often blew the golfers off-balance or nearly knocked them over. He also won after a victory earlier in the year at the 1938 Open Championship. Ernest's win in 1937 was his last in a significant tournament.

The lowest winning score was Dick Burton's 266 in 1949. Burton's score, which he achieved with two 68s, a 66 and a 64, was the lowest 72-hole winning score in a significant tournament to that date on the Britain or European PGA circuits. The largest margin of victory was eight strokes by Rees over Ken Bousfield in 1950. But Bousfield did come back to win what turned out to be the final tournament in 1951.

Winners of the News Chronicle Tournament

1936 — Don Curtis, 283
1937 — Ernest Whitcombe, 268
1938 — Reg Whitcombe, 300
1939 — Alf Padgham, 279
1940-44 — Not played
1945 — Henry Cotton, 301
1946 — Norman Von Nida, 283
1947 — Dai Rees, 275
1948 — (tie, no playoff) Allan Dailey, Reg Horne, 280
1949 — Dick Burton, 266
1950 — Dai Rees, 277
1951 — Ken Bousfield, 279

Golf courses: Two golf courses were used over the tournament's run: East Brighton Golf Club and Hollingbury Park Golf Club, both in the Brighton, England, area. East Brighton was the pre-war location, Hollingbury the post-war golf course.