Billy Bolger
Personal information
Full nameWilliam Joseph Bolger
Born(1910-01-20)20 January 1910
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died27 May 1977(1977-05-27) (aged 67)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sporting nationality Australia
Career
StatusProfessional

William Joseph Bolger (20 January 1910 – 27 May 1977) was an Australian professional golfer. He won the Australian Open in 1934, finishing three strokes ahead of Gene Sarazen. He also won the New South Wales Professional Championship twice, in 1930 and 1939 and represented Australia in the Lakes International Cup in 1934 and 1936.

Early life

Bolger was born in Mortlake, Sydney on 20 January 1910. He was one of a number of golfing brothers. Fred and Ted were professionals while Jim was an amateur.[1] He was originally an assistant to Tom Howard at Concord Golf Club, before becoming the professional at Parramatta Golf Club in 1929 and later at the new course at Oatlands Golf Club in 1931.[2][3][4] In early 1935 he left Oatlands to take up a teaching position at Mick Simmons sports store.[5][6]

Professional career

Bolger at Moore Park in 1939

Bolger first came to wide notice in 1928 when he finished fourth in the Australian Open at Royal Sydney and runner-up to Rufus Stewart in the Victorian Professional Championship at Kingston Heath.[7] Bolger and Stewart were level after three rounds before Stewart won by two strokes in a close finish.[8]

Bolger's first big win was in the 1930 New South Wales Professional Championship at Royal Sydney, where he beat Dan Soutar, 8 and 7, in the 36-hole final.[9] Earlier in 1930 he had reached the final of the New South Wales Dunlop Cup but lost to his ex-boss Tom Howard in the final, by one hole.[10] In 1931 Bolger reached the final of the Australian Professional Championship, losing, 2 and 1, to Don Spence.[11] Bolger came close to winning the New South Wales Professional Championship again in 1933, but lost a close final against Charlie Gray by one hole. They were level playing the final hole, but Bolger missed a short putt to give Gray the title.[12]

In 1934 Bolger had his biggest success, winning the Australian Open at Royal Sydney. The championship saw the first serious American challenger with Gene Sarazen competing. He was on a world tour with Joe Kirkwood Jr. However Bolger won the open with a new record score of 283, with Sarazen second and Kirkwood fourth.[13] The following week, Bolger reached the final of the Australian Professional Championship, losing, 2 and 1, Lou Kelly.[14] He was selected for the Australian team for the inaugural Lakes International Cup at The Lakes Golf Club. The United States won the match 9–0.[15] Earlier in 1934 he had been runner-up to Dan Soutar in the New South Wales Dunlop Cup at The Lakes.[16]

Between 1935 and World War II, Bolger's only significant win was in the 1939 New South Wales Professional Championship at Concord, where he beat Norman Von Nida, 5 and 4, in the final.[17] He best finish in this period in the Australian Open was in the defence of his title in 1935. He had a poor first day and despite having the best score on the final day, only finished tied for third place.[18] He was runner-up in a number of tournaments, in the Lakes Open in 1936 and 1939 and in the New South Wales Dunlop Cup in 1935, 1937, 1939 and 1940. In the 1936 Lakes Open he was the leading professional, behind Jim Ferrier, while in 1939 he lost an 18-hole playoff to Von Nida by one stroke.[19][20][21] By 1940 Bolger had been runner-up six times in the Dunlop Cup without winning.[22] In early 1936 Bolger was one of the six-man Australian team in the second Lakes International Cup at Lakewood Country Club, Long Beach, California. Bolger lost his singles match, 9 and 8, to Horton Smith.[23]

Bolger continued to have some success after World War II. He finally won the New South Wales Dunlop Cup in 1946, by a stroke from Lou Kelly and Ossie Pickworth in the 36-hole event.[24] He was tied for fifth place in the 1949 Australian Open, 14 strokes behind Eric Cremin, and he finished runner-up, a stroke behind Cremin, in the 1950 New South Wales Close Championship.[25][26] As late as 1956 he was runner-up, with Cremin, in the Lakes Open. An amateur, Harry Berwick, won the event so Bolger and Cremin shared the first prize money.[27]

Later life

Bolger died on 27 May 1977 at his home in Concord, Sydney. He had had a heart attack in the late 1950s.[28]

Professional wins

Team appearances

  • Lakes International Cup (representing Australia): 1934, 1936
  • Vicars Shield (representing New South Wales): 1930, 1931, 1933 (winners), 1934 (winners), 1935, 1936 (winners), 1937 (winners), 1939, 1946 (winners), 1947 (winners), 1948 (winners)

References

  1. ↑ "Great golfing family". The Courier-Mail. No. 353. Queensland, Australia. 15 October 1934. p. 10. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ↑ "Bolger brothers to give exhibition". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. No. 20007. New South Wales, Australia. 22 November 1940. p. 20. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ "Golf". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 28521. New South Wales, Australia. 3 June 1929. p. 7. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "Oatlands new "pro"". The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers' Advocate. Vol. VIIIL, no. 3759. New South Wales, Australia. 9 July 1931. p. 12. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ "Open champion Bolger to teach golf at big city store". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Vol. 5, no. 2. New South Wales, Australia. 18 February 1935. p. 3. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "Advertising". The Sun (Sydney). No. 13, 942. New South Wales, Australia. 19 October 1954. p. 53. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ↑ "F. Popplewell". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 28294. New South Wales, Australia. 10 September 1928. p. 9. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ↑ "Thrilling finish". The Age. No. 22967. Victoria, Australia. 15 November 1928. p. 12. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "Golf". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 28958. New South Wales, Australia. 27 October 1930. p. 14. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ↑ "Dunlop Cup final". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 28872. New South Wales, Australia. 18 July 1930. p. 16. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ↑ "Championship Golf". The Age. No. 23838. Victoria, Australia. 4 September 1931. p. 11. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ↑ "Golf". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 29916. New South Wales, Australia. 20 November 1933. p. 14. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ↑ "Bolger wins Open golf title". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 30197. New South Wales, Australia. 15 October 1934. p. 6. Retrieved 17 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ↑ "Championship Golf". The Age. No. 24811. Victoria, Australia. 20 October 1934. p. 17. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ↑ "A Chilling Baptism". The Sun (Sydney). New South Wales, Australia. 11 November 1934. p. 43. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ↑ "The Dunlop Cup". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 30070. New South Wales, Australia. 19 May 1934. p. 19. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ↑ "Lost form". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 31778. New South Wales, Australia. 6 November 1939. p. 13. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ↑ "National golf title to F. McMahon". The Courier-Mail. No. 621. Queensland, Australia. 26 August 1935. p. 8. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ↑ "Ferrier's New Record". The Age. Victoria, Australia. 19 October 1936. p. 17. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ↑ "Lakes Open". Daily News. New South Wales, Australia. 17 July 1939. p. 8. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ↑ "Lakes Open Title To Von Nida". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane. 24 July 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. ↑ "Dunlop golf cup". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 31965. New South Wales, Australia. 11 June 1940. p. 14. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. ↑ Michael Sheret. "Australia's Ryder Cup" (PDF). Through the Green. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  24. ↑ "Cup to Bolger after six seconds". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 33902. New South Wales, Australia. 20 August 1946. p. 7. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. ↑ "Cremin soars high with birdies". Truth (Sydney newspaper). No. 3115. New South Wales, Australia. 2 October 1949. p. 20. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  26. ↑ "Cremin holds Close title by stroke". The Sun (Sydney). New South Wales, Australia. 15 October 1950. p. 31. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  27. ↑ "Amateur wins Open". The Age. 27 August 1956. p. 15.
  28. ↑ "Great golf coach dies". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 May 1977. p. 18. Retrieved 2 March 2021 – via Google News Archive.
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