Wilfred Hiram "Wiffy" Cox (October 27, 1896 – February 20, 1969) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1930s.
| Wiffy Cox | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Wilfred Hiram Cox |
| Nickname | Wiffy |
| Born | October 27, 1896 Brooklyn, New York |
| Died | February 20, 1969 (aged 72) Washington, D.C. |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Career | |
| Status | Professional |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 12 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 9 |
| Other | 3 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | 12th: 1937 |
| PGA Championship | T17: 1928, 1929, 1930 |
| U.S. Open | T3: 1934 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
Cox was born and grew up in a tough Irish-Italian section of Brooklyn, New York.[1][2] He started in golf as a caddie at Westchester County courses and learned to play at sunrise and sunset with clubs borrowed from the pro shop. The diminutive Cox had a hot-temper and a reputation for foul-mouthed, trash talk among his fellow players.[1]
Cox won nine times on the PGA Tour.[3] His first individual win on the PGA Tour came at the 1931 North and South Open;[1] his four wins that year led the PGA Tour for most wins.[1][4] His best finish in a major championship was tied for third at the 1934 U.S. Open.[5]
Cox played on the winning U.S. team in the 1931 Ryder Cup, winning both his matches.
Like most professional golfers of his generation, Cox earned his living primarily as a club pro. He was the course pro at Dyker Beach Golf Course in Brooklyn, New York from 1921 to 1935.[6] He eventually landed a plum job as head pro at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland,[1] which he held until 1969.[7] He died in Washington, D.C.[2]
Professional wins (12) edit
PGA Tour wins (9) edit
- 1930 Mid-South Open Bestball (with Willie Macfarlane)
- 1931 Miami International Four-Ball (with Willie Macfarlane), North and South Open, Massachusetts Open, San Francisco National Match Play Open
- 1934 Agua Caliente Open, Texas Open
- 1936 Sacramento Open
- 1937 District Open
Other wins (3) edit
- 1931 Florida Open (tie with Joe Turnesa)
- 1942 Maryland Open
- 1943 Long Island PGA Championship
Results in major championships edit
| Tournament | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | WD | T43 | T13 | 12 | T25 | |
| U.S. Open | T29 | T11 | T35 | T4 | 5 | CUT | T3 | CUT | T5 | T45 | CUT | ||||||
| PGA Championship | R64 | R32 | R32 | R32 | R64 |
Note: Cox never played in The Open Championship.
NYF = tournament not yet founded
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Stevens, Peter F. "Golf History Unveiled". Golf News Magazine. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
- ^ a b Elliott, Len; Kelly, Barbara (1976). Who's Who in Golf. New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House. pp. 42–3. ISBN 0-87000-225-2.
- ^ Barkow, Al (November 1989). The History of the PGA TOUR. Doubleday. p. 253. ISBN 0-385-26145-4.
- ^ "PGA Tour Yearly Victory Leaders". GolfCompendium.com. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ "Golf Major Championships". Retrieved February 18, 2010.
- ^ "Willy Cox, Golf Star of 1930's And Former Pro Here, Is Dead". The New York Times. February 21, 1969.
- ^ "Larry Wise Golf". Archived from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved February 15, 2010.