On the 11 September 1890, the English amateur golfer, John Ball Jr. (1861-1940), became first amateur to win the Open Championship, at Prestwick GC, beating Willie Fernie and Archie Simpson by 3 strokes.

Ball was born in Hoylake, Cheshire, his father was the owner of the Royal Hotel, located near the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Ball grew up playing golf on the links at Hoylake, and learned the game competing against Harold Hilton. In 1878, at the age of 16, he competed in his first Open Championship and finished fourth at Prestwick.

Ball dominated amateur golf in Great Britain, his run of amateur titles stretching from 1888 to 1912, when he was 51 years old. His best year came in 1890, when he won both the Amateur and the Open Championship with a score of 82-82 – 164. Bobby Jones is the only other golfer to win the two tournaments in the same year.

After winning The Amateur Championship in 1888, Ball subsequently won a record eight titles in all in 1892, 1894, 1899, 1907, 1910, and 1912,  in addition to two runner-up finishes. Ball also won four Irish Amateur titles, and was also runner-up in the 1892 Open Championship, finishing three strokes behind Harold Hilton.

Ball was a shy, modest man who went about his business with stubborn determination that made him a lion in match play.

Ball served his country during the Second Boer War, and died in Holywell, Wales, in 1940.

He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1977.

11 September, 2019