Wanda Morgan

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Wanda Morgan
Personal information
Full nameWanda Morgan
Born(1910-03-22)22 March 1910
Lymm, Cheshire, England
Died8 June 1995(1995-06-08) (aged 85)
Whitstable, Kent, England
Sporting nationality England

Wanda Morgan (22 March 1910 – 8 June 1995) was a leading English golfer of the 1930s. She won the Womens Amateur Championship in 1935, having been a runner-up in 1931. She also won the English Women's Amateur Championship three times, in 1931, 1936 and 1937. She played three times for Britain in the Curtis Cup, in 1932, 1934 and 1936 and for England in the Women's Home Internationals between 1931 and 1953. In early 1938 she took a paid position at Dunlop which resulted in the loss of her amateur status. She was reinstated as an amateur in 1949 but lost her amateur status again in 1954.

Golf career[edit]

Morgan first came to national notice when she reached the semi-finals of the 1929 English Women's Amateur Championship at Broadstone, losing 4&3 to Molly Gourlay. She was representing the Shrub Hill club, Chestfield.[1] Gourlay went on the win the title, beating Diana Fishwick in the final.[2] She reached the quarter-finals in 1930 at Aldeburgh, having beaten Gourlay in the last-16.[3] Now representing the Westgate-on-Sea club, she lost 3&2 to Enid Wilson, an ex-champion.[4]

Morgan reached the final of the 1931 Womens Amateur Championship at Portmarnock, losing to Enid Wilson in the 36-hole final. Wilson led by one hole after the morning round but won 7&6.[5] She had beaten Molly Gourlay by one hole in the semi-finals.[6] Before the championship, she had made her debut in the Women's Home Internationals. In the deciding match against Scotland, she beat Doris Park, but Scotland won the match 6–3 to take the title for the first time since 1927.[7] The English Women's Amateur Championship was held at Ganton. Morgan won the title, beating Gourlay 3&1 in the final.[8] Later in October, she played for Britain in the inaugural match against France at Oxhey Golf Club.[9]

In May 1932 she play in the inaugural Curtis Cup match at Wentworth. America won the match with Morgan losing both her matches.[10][11] Morgan reached the quarter-finals of the Womens Amateur Championship before losing to Ina Clarke by 2 holes.[12] Later in the year she met Molly Gourlay in the fourth round of the English Women's Amateur Championship, Gourlay winning 2&1.[13] Morgan had less success in the important events in 1933. She was second in the qualifying for the Womens Amateur Championship but lost in the first round of the match-play to Diana Plumpton.[14][15] In the English championship she lost in the second round to Dorothy Pearson, who went on to win the title.[16]

Morgan was tied for fourth place in the qualifying for the 1934 Womens Amateur Championship but lost in the second round to Freda Coats.[17][18] In July, Morgan was again selected for the British team to play in the Curtis Cup at Chevy Chase, Maryland.[19] Britain halved the foursomes but were heavily beaten in the singles. Morgan lost both her matches.[20][21]

In late May 1935 Morgan won the Womens Amateur Championship at Royal County Down. She finished fourth in the 36-hole qualifying.[22] In the quarter-finals she had a close match against Mary Johnson, winning by one hole, and then beat Jessie Anderson 2&1 in the semi-finals.[23] She met Pam Barton in the final, winning 3&2.[24] In the English championship she reached the quarter-finals before losing by one hole to Sylvia Bailey.[25]

In March 1936, Morgan was against selected for the Curtis Cup at Gleneagles, played in early May.[26] The match resulted in a tie. Morgan halved her foursomes match but lost in the singles.[27] In the Womens Amateur Championship she met Bridget Newell in the first round, losing 3&1.[28] Later in the year she played Newell again, in the quarter-finals of the English Women's Amateur Championship at Hayling.[29] Morgan won this time and then beat Molly Gourlay in the semi-finals and Phyllis Wade, the 1934 champion, 2&1 in the final, to win the title for the second time.[30]

Morgan played for England in the 1937 home internationals at Turnberry. However they were cancelled, after the first day, following the death of Bridget Newell in Turnberry Hotel. Newell had been due to play in the matches. She had won her two matches on the first day.[31][32] Morgan lost in the second round of the Womens Amateur Championship to Jean McCulloch.[33] However she retained her English Women's Amateur Championship title, beating Madeleine Fyshe 4&2 in the final at St Enodoc in Cornwall.[34]

Morgan played in the Women's Home Internationals each year from 1931 to 1937. She also played for Britain in the match against France each year from 1931 to 1935. She was selected in 1936 but later withdrew.[35]

In early 1938 Morgan took a paid position with Dunlop which resulted in the loss of her amateur status. This severely restricted her playing opportunities, excluding her from the main women's events. She was able to play in the Worplesdon Mixed Foursomes, reaching the final in 1938 and, wth Eustace Storey, winning the event in 1948.[36][37] In 1949 she was reinstated as an amateur, following a change in her role at the firm.[38] She was selected for the England team in the 1950 Women's Home Internationals, but later withdrew.[39] She made a final appearance for England in the internationals in 1953. England won the title, although Morgan lost all her three matches.[40][41] At the start of 1954, Morgan again lost her amateur status following a change in the rules relating to amateur status.

Personal life[edit]

Morgan was born in March 1910 in Lymm, Cheshire, the daughter of Robert Hawley Morgan, an artist, and his wife née Ethel Mary Salmon.[38] In 1921 the family moved to Whitstable, Kent.[42] Robert died in 1954 while Ethel died in June 1960.[43] Morgan died in June 1995.[44]

Team appearances[edit]

  • Curtis Cup (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1932, 1934, 1936 (tie)
  • Vagliano Trophy (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1931 (winners), 1932 (winners), 1933 (winners), 1934 (winners), 1935 (winners)
  • Women's Home Internationals (representing England): 1931, 1932 (winners), 1933 (winners), 1934 (winners), 1935, 1936 (winners), 1937, 1953 (winners)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "English ladies' title finalists". The Glasgow Herald. 11 October 1929. p. 20.
  2. ^ "Miss Molly Gourlay the English champion". The Glasgow Herald. 12 October 1929. p. 17.
  3. ^ "English ladies' golf title". The Glasgow Herald. 2 October 1930. p. 17.
  4. ^ "Play in English ladies' championship". The Glasgow Herald. 3 October 1930. p. 4.
  5. ^ "Ladies' golf title". The Glasgow Herald. 13 June 1931. p. 2.
  6. ^ "A triumph of youth". The Glasgow Herald. 12 June 1931. p. 4.
  7. ^ "Scottish ladies win championship". The Glasgow Herald. 6 June 1931. p. 7.
  8. ^ "Miss W. Morgan English champion". The Glasgow Herald. 2 October 1931. p. 10.
  9. ^ "British Women win". The Guardian. 12 October 1931. p. 3.
  10. ^ "To-day's match with America – New departure in Women's golf". The Glasgow Herald. 21 May 1932. p. 16.
  11. ^ "British Ladies Defeated – Surprising American victory – Visitors win all foursomes". The Glasgow Herald. 23 May 1932. p. 6.
  12. ^ "Scotswoman's success at Saunton". The Glasgow Herald. 2 June 1932. p. 16.
  13. ^ "Miss Gourlay defeats Miss Morgan". The Glasgow Herald. 29 September 1932. p. 17.
  14. ^ "Championship qualifiers". The Glasgow Herald. 15 May 1933. p. 7.
  15. ^ "Scottish hopes fail". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1933. p. 17.
  16. ^ "English women's title features". The Glasgow Herald. 4 October 1933. p. 17.
  17. ^ "British ladies' golf title". The Glasgow Herald. 14 May 1934. p. 8.
  18. ^ "Women golfers". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1934. p. 7.
  19. ^ "British ladies to meet Canada and America". The Glasgow Herald. 19 July 1934. p. 4.
  20. ^ "Curtis Cup golf". The Glasgow Herald. 28 September 1934. p. 12.
  21. ^ "British women golfers beaten". The Glasgow Herald. 29 September 1934. p. 10.
  22. ^ "British women's championship". The Glasgow Herald. 27 May 1935. p. 7.
  23. ^ "British ladies' golf title". The Glasgow Herald. 30 May 1935. p. 3.
  24. ^ "Ladies' golf title". The Glasgow Herald. 31 May 1935. p. 7.
  25. ^ "English ladies' championship". The Glasgow Herald. 4 October 1935. p. 22.
  26. ^ "Britain's team for Curtis Cup". The Glasgow Herald. 24 March 1936. p. 17.
  27. ^ "Women's international match – Britain and America draw in thrilling finish". The Glasgow Herald. 7 May 1936. p. 3.
  28. ^ "Fall of the champions". The Glasgow Herald. 19 May 1936. p. 19.
  29. ^ "Former champions in final". The Glasgow Herald. 2 October 1936. p. 20.
  30. ^ "Miss Morgan wins English title". The Glasgow Herald. 3 October 1936. p. 3.
  31. ^ "Miss Barton defeated by Scottish champion". The Glasgow Herald. 5 June 1937. p. 3.
  32. ^ "Death of Noted Woman Golfer". The Glasgow Herald. 5 June 1937. p. 11.
  33. ^ "Miss Barton working up to championship form". The Glasgow Herald. 9 June 1937. p. 8.
  34. ^ "Miss Wanda Morgan again champion". The Glasgow Herald. 2 October 1937. p. 16.
  35. ^ "British women's team against France". The Glasgow Herald. 26 May 1936. p. 20.
  36. ^ "Worplesdon golf final". The Glasgow Herald. 15 October 1938. p. 19.
  37. ^ "Worplesdon golf winners". The Glasgow Herald. 15 October 1948. p. 2.
  38. ^ a b Collier, Derrick (14 June 1949). "Wanda Morgan an amateur again". Western Mail (Wales). p. 5. Retrieved 15 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  39. ^ "English international team". The Glasgow Herald. 13 April 1950. p. 7.
  40. ^ "Scotswomen outplay Wales". The Glasgow Herald. 19 June 1953. p. 4.
  41. ^ "Scottish women lose "Triple crown"". The Glasgow Herald. 20 June 1953. p. 9.
  42. ^ "Notes of the week". Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 31 August 1946. p. 6. Retrieved 15 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  43. ^ "Well known golfer bereaved". Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 2 June 1960. p. 5. Retrieved 15 October 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  44. ^ "Find a will". probatesearch.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
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