| Bob Ferguson | |
|---|---|
 Bob Ferguson,
c. 1903 | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Robert Ferguson |
| Born |
c. 1846 Musselburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 19 May 1915 (aged 69) Musselburgh, Scotland |
| Sporting nationality | 
Scotland |
| Career | |
| Status | Professional |
| Best results in major championships (wins: 3) | |
| The Open Championship | Won: 1880, 1881, 1882 |
Robert Ferguson ( c. 1846 – 19 May 1915) was a Scottish professional golfer who was one of the top players from the mid-1860s into the 1880s. He won a hat-trick of consecutive titles at The Open Championship in 1880, 1881 and 1882. [1]
In addition to the three Open Championship wins, he posted top-10 finishes seven times.
Early life
Ferguson was born in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, circa 1846.
Golf career
In addition to his three Open Championship titles, Ferguson was especially noted for his putting, not only on the green but off. He specialized in "run up" shots with his putter—the so-called "Musselburgh iron"—from well off the green. [2] He is one of only four men who have won The Open three years in a row. The prize for his first win was £7.
Ferguson's home town of Musselburgh was one of the three venues in the Open Championship rotation. He started caddying there at the age of eight, and played his first competition at Leith when he was 18. He was a tall man, and was known as a long driver. He sometimes partnered with fellow Musselburgh top player Willie Park Sr., a four-time Open champion, in stakes matches, facing opponents such as the father-and-son team of Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris, of St. Andrews, between the mid-1860s and mid-1870s. Both of the Morrises were four-time Open champions. He also faced Young Tom Morris in singles play during this era. [3] His playing career was cut short by a bout of typhoid, and he became the custodian of the Links at Musselburgh.
Death and legacy
Ferguson died in Musselburgh on 19 May 1915. [4] [5] [6]
Major championships
Wins (3)
| Year | Championship | 18/24 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | The Open Championship | 1 shot lead | 40-41-42-39=162 | 5 strokes |
Peter Paxton
|
| 1881 | The Open Championship (2) | 3 shot lead | 53-60-57=170 | 3 strokes |
Jamie Anderson
|
| 1882 | The Open Championship (3) | 3 shot lead | 83-88=171 | 3 strokes |
Willie Fernie
|
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1868 | 1869 | 1870 | 1871 | 1872 | 1873 | 1874 | 1875 | 1876 | 1877 | 1878 | 1879 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | 5 | NT | T8 | 4 | T3 | 6 |
| Tournament | 1880 | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | T4 | T15 |
- Note: Ferguson played only in The Open Championship.
NT = No tournament
"T" indicates a tie for a place
References
- ^ "Three in a row for the Musselburgh champion". The Open. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- ^ Campbell, Malcolm (November 1999). The Scottish Golf Book. Champaign, Illinois: Sport Publishing L.L.C. p. 40. ISBN 1-58382-053-1.
- ^ Tommy's Honor, by Kevin Cook, 2007, Gotham Books, New York
- ^ "Deaths in the District of Inveresk and Musselburgh in the County of Midlothian". Statutory Deaths 689/00 0138. ScotlandsPeople. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- ^ "General Scottish news – Former golf champion dies". The Herald. Glasgow. 20 May 1915. p. 5.
- ^ "Racing at Bath". The Times. 20 May 1915. p. 13.