James Anderson (27 June 1842 – 16 August 1905) was a nineteenth-century professional golfer who won The Open Championship three consecutive times, from 1877 to 1879.[1][2][3]
| Jamie Anderson | |
|---|---|
 Anderson in formal attire, c. 1877 | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | James Anderson |
| Nickname | Jamie |
| Born | 27 June 1842 St. Andrews, Scotland |
| Died | 16 August 1905 (aged 63) Thornton, Fife, Scotland |
| Sporting nationality |  Scotland |
| Spouse | Janet Clements Armit |
| Children | Jane, David, Margaret, Mary, Elizabeth, James, William, David, Janet, Helen, John |
| Career | |
| Status | Professional |
| Best results in major championships (wins: 3) | |
| The Open Championship | Won: 1877, 1878, 1879 |
Early life
editAnderson was born in St Andrews, Scotland, the son of David "Da" Anderson, greenskeeper at the Old Course. Da also sold tea and lemonade on the Old Course from a portable cart.[4] James Anderson began caddying over the Old Course from a young age, while Allan Robertson was still alive, and took up golf around the same time. It took James many years to reach his top championship form (age 35), in contrast to the nine-years-younger Young Tom Morris, who won his first Open at age 17 in 1868.
Golf career
editAnderson's Open Championships victories were at Musselburgh in 1877; Prestwick Golf Club in 1878; and St Andrews in 1879. He is one of only four golfers who have won three consecutive Opens, alongside Young Tom Morris (1868–1870), Bob Ferguson (1880–82) and Peter Thomson (1954–56). Anderson did not compete in 1880 because the date of the tournament was set so late that he missed entry. He was runner-up the next year 1881. His nephew David was runner-up in 1888, and all of his sons were golf professionals.[5]
Death and legacy
editAnderson died in a poorhouse in Thornton, Fife, Scotland. He won the Open Championship three consecutive times: 1877, 1878, and 1879.[2]
Major championships
editWins (3)
edit| Year | Championship | 18/24 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1877 | The Open Championship | 2 shot deficit | 40-42-37-41=160 | 2 strokes | Bob Pringle |
| 1878 | The Open Championship (2) | Tied for lead | 53-53-51=157 | 2 strokes | Bob Kirk |
| 1879 | The Open Championship (3) | 2 shot lead | 84-85=169 | 3 strokes | Jamie Allan, Andrew Kirkaldy |
Results timeline
edit
| Tournament | 1869 | 1870 | 1871 | 1872 | 1873 | 1874 | 1875 | 1876 | 1877 | 1878 | 1879 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | 4 | 7 | NT | 2 | 5 | T12 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tournament | 1880 | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | 2 | T3 | 15 | T28 | T32 |
- Note: Anderson played only in The Open Championship.
NT = No tournament
"T" indicates a tie for a place
References
edit- ^ "1877 Jamie Anderson". The Open. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ a b 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. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3360-5.
- ^ "Death of a Famous Golfer". Bundarra and Tingha Advocate. Vol. 6, no. 285. New South Wales, Australia. 9 June 1906. p. 3. Retrieved 6 December 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Tommy's Honor, by Kevin Cook, 2007, Gotham Books, New York
- ^ Mallon, Bill; Jerris, Randon (2011). Historical Dictionary of Golf. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7197-7.
External links
edit- The Principal's Nose
- Antique Golf Clubs from Scotland: The Anderson Family
