Paul Mallers Hunter (October 28, 1890 – April 28, 1944) was an American amateur golfer. He was the only five-time Southern California Championship Golf Amateur (SCGA) champion (1908, 1909, 1921, 1924 and 1926), and won the California State Amateur Championship in 1920 and 1921.[1][2]

Paul M. Hunter
Hunter in 1928
Personal information
Full namePaul Mallers Hunter
Born(1890-10-28)October 28, 1890
Illinois, US
DiedApril 28, 1944(1944-04-28) (aged 53)
Los Angeles, California
Sporting nationalityAmerican
SpouseElizabeth Hixon
Children3
Career
CollegeUniversity of Chicago
StatusAmateur
U.S. AmateurT5: 1920, 1921
Achievements and awards
Won: California State Amateur Championship1920, 1921
Won: SCGA Amateur champion1908, 1909, 1921, 1924, 1926

Early life

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Paul M. Hunter at University of Chicago (1912).

Hunter was born on October 28, 1890, in Illinois, the son of Charles Legrand Hunter and Ida Malles. He was a student at the University of Chicago, a member of the baseball and golf teams, and was a golf team captain.[3] At age 14, Hunter moved from Chicago to California in 1904. At the outbreak of World War I, Hunter enlisted as an officer in the United States Army Medical Corps.[1]

In the 1930s, Hunter practiced medicine in Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. He had a home in Pebble Beach, California and a ranch in Carmel Valley.[4][5][6]

Golf career

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Hunter was president of Western Research Laboratories and president of the California Golf Association.[1]

Hunter won the California State Amateur Championship in 1920 and 1921. He won the state amateur championship on September 12, 1920, defeating Erwin S. Armstrong 6 to 4.[7] In September 1921, Hunter won the state amateur championship tournament for the second time against C. H. Walter of Oakland. Both years the matches were played on the 19-hole Pebble Beach Golf Links.[8]

Hunter travelled to Europe in 1921. In May, he played for an American team in an international match that was held at Royal Liverpool before the start of the Amateur Championship the following week. The American team won the match 9–3, Hunter winning his foursomes match but losing to Colin Aylmer in the singles.[9][10] In the Amateur Championship, Hunter reached the fifth round, the last-16 stage, before losing to Bernard Darwin.[11] The following month, Hunter played in the Open Championship held June 23–25 at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland.[12] In the qualifying, he started with an 80 on the Eden course but qualified comfortably after a second round of 73 on the Old course.[13] In the championship itself he started with a 75 and eventually finished in a tie for 19th place, the second best amateur behind Roger Wethered.[14]

He won the Southern California Championship five times (1908, 1909, 1921, 1924 and 1926).[1][4] In the 1909 amateur golf championship of Southern California, Hunter, age 19, won the title against N. F. Wilshire. At this time he won for the second time and his name was inscribed on the silver trophy cup.[15] He went on to win the Southern California Amateur title in April 1926, for the fifth time by defeating R. G. Cawsey of the California club.[16]

Team appearances

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Death and legacy

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Hunter died of a heart attack on April 28, 1944, at the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. Funeral services were held at the Hunter residence and he was buried at the San Gabriel cemetery in San Gabriel, California.[1][4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Death Claims Dr. Paul Hunter". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. April 30, 1944. p. 16. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  2. ^ "Dr. Paul Hunter". Social Golf Hall Of Fame. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  3. ^ Hunter, Paul M. Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved March 25, 2023. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ a b c Dr. Paul M. Hunter. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. May 5, 1944. Retrieved March 25, 2023. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ "Dr. Paul Mallers Hunter Omega '13" (PDF). The Diamond of PSI Upsilon. XXXI (One). Modesto, California: 27. November 1944. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  6. ^ Valley Land Is Sold This Week. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. June 6, 1930. Retrieved March 26, 2023. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ "Golf on the Pacific Coast California Amateur Championship" (PDF). Spalding's official golf guide. 1921. p. 141. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  8. ^ "Hunter". Modesto Morning Herald. Modesto, California. September 8, 1921. p. 6. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  9. ^ "Five Yankee Golfers Still in the Running. Dr. Paul Hunter, California Entry, Stirs Up Hope By His Brilliant Third Round Work". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. May 25, 1921. p. 18. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  10. ^ "The International at Hoylake". The Glasgow Herald. May 23, 1921. p. 6.
  11. ^ "The Amateur Golf Championship". The Glasgow Herald. May 26, 1921. p. 3.
  12. ^ "Dr. Hunter Entered In British Open Play". Los Angeles Evening Express. Los Angeles, California. June 18, 1921. p. 23. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  13. ^ "Open Championship". The Glasgow Herald. June 22, 1921. p. 3.
  14. ^ Brenner, Morgan G. (2009). The Majors of Golf: Complete Results of the Open, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters, 1860–2008. Vol. 1. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3360-5.
  15. ^ "Youthful Champion Defends His Title". Los Angeles Herald. Los Angeles, California. February 26, 1909. p. 7. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  16. ^ "Dr. Paul Hunter Wins South Title". Santa Barbara News-Press. Santa Barbara, California. April 12, 1926. p. 12. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
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