Edward White (golfer)

Edward White (October 29, 1913 – September 18, 1999) is an American amateur golfer and retired engineer. He had impressive golf achievements in the early to mid-1930s, winning several significant titles, and represented the United States, but never turned professional at golf, since the prize money was low at that time. He graduated in engineering from the University of Texas, and had a successful oil business career.

Edward White was a self-taught player from Bonham, Texas. He had worked as a caddy at the golf club in Bonham, but had minimal playing privileges there, so he laid out his own six-hole course, with the help of friends, and played on that. He studied photos of famous players, such as Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen, in golf magazines, to teach himself how to play. He moved to Austin, Texas in the summer of 1931, and joined the Austin Country Club. He enrolled at the University of Texas as an Engineering student in the fall of 1931, and made the varsity golf team, playing for coach Harvey Penick. At that stage, he had never had a golf lesson from a professional. In February 1932, White scored 252 for 72 holes in the qualifying tournament for the Texas university team, playing at the Austin Country Club (Riverside Drive course), with rounds of 61-64-65-62, winning the Massengill Trophy comfortably; his score in that event has never been challenged, and it may be the lowest ever recorded in the history of golf, over 72 holes on a regulation golf course. The current 72-hole scoring record on the PGA Tour is 254, set by Tommy Armour III in 2003.

As a freshman that year, White was ineligible at the time for full varsity competition (the rule was later changed). He won three consecutive Southwest Conference individual titles in golf, from 1933 to 1935. White advanced to the quarterfinals of the 1933 NCAA Golf Championship, lost in the finals of the 1934 NCAAs, but in 1935, he defeated Fred Haas in the finals of that event, held at the Congressional Country Club. He was the first University of Texas player to win this event. He won the Mexican Amateur Championship in 1935.

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