Jess Sweetser

Jess Sweetser
A sketch of Sweetser by syndicated cartoonist Robert W. Edgren in 1922.
Personal information
Full name	Jesse W. Sweetser
Born	(1902-04-18)April 18, 1902 St. Louis, Missouri
Died	May 27, 1989(1989-05-27) (aged 87) Bethesda, Maryland
Nationality	United States
Spouse	Nan Lewis Sweetser; Virginia Lee Sweetser
Children	Nan, Jess Jr., Charles
Career
College	Yale University
Status	Amateur
Best results in major championships (wins: 2)
Masters Tournament	T29: 1939
U.S. Open	T14: 1920
The Open Championship	DNP
PGA Championship	DNP
U.S. Amateur	Won: 1922
British Amateur	Won: 1926
Achievements and awards
Bob Jones Award	1986

Jesse W. Sweetser (April 18, 1902 – May 27, 1989) was an amateur golfer, best known as the first American-born player to win the British Amateur (the first U.S. citizen to win it was the Australian-born naturalized-American Walter Travis).

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Sweetser later attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Yale University. In 1920, Sweetser won the individual title at the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships. He received golf lessons from noted Siwanoy Country Club professional Tom Kerrigan.

Sweetser won the 1922 U.S. Amateur at the age of 20, defeating Bobby Jones 8 & 7 in the semi-final and then Chick Evans 3 & 2 in the final match. The following year, he again made the finals but lost on the second playoff hole to Max R. Marston.

In 1926, Sweetser won the British Amateur at Muirfield, defeating A.F. Simpson 6 & 5 in the final match. The 1904 winner, Walter Travis, was a naturalized American citizen born in Australia, but Sweetser's victory was the first time an American-born golfer had won the tournament.

Sweetster won the Metropolitan Amateur in 1922 and 1925.

Sweetser was a member of the original Walker Cup team in 1922, and also played in 1923, 1924, 1926, 1928, and 1932. Later, he was non-playing captain for the 1967 and 1973 teams. He was also captain for the 1966 U.S. Eisenhower Trophy team.