| Brian Bamford | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Brian J. Bamford |
| Born | (1935-12-18)18 December 1935 Surrey, England |
| Died | 25 June 2021(2021-06-25) (aged 85) |
| Sporting nationality |  England |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1953 |
| Professional wins | 1 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | DNP |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
| U.S. Open | DNP |
| The Open Championship | T21: 1965 |
Brian J. Bamford (18 December 1935 – 25 June 2021)[1] was an Englishprofessional golfer. He won theSchweppes PGA Close Championship in 1961.
Bamford began his professional career as an assistant at Burhill Golf Club before moving toWentworth.[1] While an assistant at Wentworth, Bamford won theSchweppes PGA Close Championship in April 1961, by 3 strokes fromPeter Alliss andChristy O'Connor Snr, and took the first prize of £1,000.[2] Because of the possibility of flooding at theRoyal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, a composite course was used for the championship, including seven consecutive holes of the Ladies' course, measuring just 5,755 yards. Each competitor played one of their opening two rounds atRichmond Golf Club.[3] His winning score of 266 remains the lowest in the Championship's history.[1] As a result of his win he was selected for the EnglishCanada Cup team, with Peter Alliss. The Canada Cup was played inPuerto Rico in early June with England finished in 15th place, Bamford scoring 311 for the four rounds.[4] The week after the Canada Cup he was third in theDaks Tournament at Wentworth, two strokes behindBernard Hunt.[5]
After his win in theSchweppes PGA Close Championship, Bamford became the professional at Tavistock Golf Club, and was later professional at a number of other clubs, including West Sussex, Newquay, Isle of Purbeck and Worthing.[1] Bamford played inThe Open Championship each year from 1961 to 1965, making the cut twice, in 1962 and 1965.[6] He was tied for 6th place after the first round of the1965 Open Championship atRoyal Birkdale, and eventually finished tied for 21st place, his best finish in the Open.[7][8] Bamford was joint leader after the first round of the 1967Schweppes PGA Close Championship but was then disqualified, following an inquiry, for taking more than the allowed five minutes to look for his ball in the rough at the 5th hole.[9]
Bamford's daughter Sue is a professional golfer.[1] In 1977 she reached the final of theGirls Amateur Championship, losing toWilma Aitken.[10]
Bamford died on 25 June 2021, at the age of 85.[1]
| Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Apr 1961 | Schweppes PGA Close Championship | 68-66-67-65=266 | 3 strokes | Peter Alliss, Christy O'Connor Snr |
| Tournament | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | CUT | T24 | CUT | CUT | T21 |
Note: Bamford only played in The Open Championship.
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Source:[6]