On this day in 1957, Reginald Arthur Whitcombe, the 1938 British Open Champion, died.   Whitcombe's career began at Came Down Golf Club in Dorset and he was the professional at Parkstone Golf Club from 1928 until his death.

Whitcombe finished runner up to Henry Cotton in the 1937 Open Championship at Carnoustie.

His 1938 Open Championship was won on a wildly windswept Open at Royal St George's.  Conditions were so severe that even with his final rounds of 75–78 Whitcombe was able to best the halfway leaders by ten strokes. Whitcombe fought in World War I. Hw was selected for two Ryder Cup teams (1935 and 1939) but only played in one as the 1939 Ryder Cup was pre-empted by WWII.

Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reg_Whitcombe

Photo Credit: Henry Cotton's My Golfing Life