Arnaud Massy
| Arnaud Massy | |
|---|---|
Massy (c. 1919)
|
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Arnaud George Watson Massy |
| Born |
6 July 1877 Biarritz, France |
| Died | 16 April 1950 (aged 72) Étretat, France |
| Nationality |
 France
|
| Career | |
| Status | Professional |
| Professional wins | 17 |
| Best results in major championships (wins: 1) |
|
| Masters Tournament | DNP |
| U.S. Open | DNP |
| The Open Championship | Won: 1907 |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
Arnaud George Watson Massy ([aʁ.no ma.si]; 6 July 1877 – 16 April 1950) was one of France's most successful professional golfers, most notable for winning the 1907 Open Championship.
Massy was born in Biarritz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France. The son of a sheep farmer, he worked on a sardine boat and supplemented his income by caddying at the new Biarritz golf course where a great many of the best professional golfers from Britain came to practice during the off-season in the warm climate of southern France. Blessed with natural abilities, he learned from these pro golfers and in 1898 traveled to North Berwick, Scotland to develop his skills for a professional career.
In 1906, Massy won the first edition of the French Open played at a Paris course. The following year he won it again, defeating a strong contingent of British players including the great Harry Vardon. But Massy wasn't through, he followed up his French national championship by becoming the first non-Briton to win The Open Championship (British Open). His victory raised the profile of the game in his native France, and with three other major players, he put on exhibition matches in various European cities that contributed significantly to the increased popularity of golf on the continent.
In 1910, Massy won the inaugural Belgian Open and in 1911 was the runner-up at the Open Championship to Harry Vardon. That year, Massy completed his book on golfing that was successfully published in France then translated into English for the British market. In 1912, he won the first Spanish Open ever played.
In 1913 he played in the France–United States Professional Match. In 1926 he won an exhibition match against Bobby Jones in France.
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Wikipedia