Fred Herreshoff

Fred Herreshoff
— Golfer —
Herreshoff and his wife Mary (c. 1914)
Personal information
Born	(1888-03-07)7 March 1888 Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died	23 March 1920(1920-03-23) (aged 32) Manhattan, New York, United States
Nationality	United States
Spouse	Mary Faulkner
Career
Status	Professional
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament	DNP
U.S. Open	T16: 1913
The Open Championship	DNP
PGA Championship	DNP
U.S. Amateur	2nd: 1904, 1911
British Amateur	R64: 1914

Frederick Herreshoff (March 7, 1888 – March 23, 1920) was an American amateur golfer of the early 20th century. He was a golfing prodigy: at the age of just 16 he reached the final match of the 1904 U.S. Amateur, finishing runner-up to Chandler Egan by the score of 8 and 6.^[1]

Early life

Herreshoff was born on March 7, 1888 to John B. F. Herreshoff and Emaline Duval Lee in Brooklyn, New York. He played on the high school golf team at The Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, in 1904. He attended Yale University, graduating in 1909.^[2]

His father was a metallurgical chemist^[3] affiliated with Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol, Rhode Island, which specialized in the construction of high speed torpedo boats and yachts.^[4] The elder Herreshoff was also the president of The General Chemical Company.^[5]

Marriage and career

He married Mary Faulkner, an actress, in 1909 when she was playing in a musical comedy at the Casino Theatre in New York City.^[5] Thereafter he was engaged as a partner in the banking and brokerage firm of Frenaye & Herreshoff with an office in New York City.^[6]

1904 U.S. Amateur

Herreshoff, who was playing out of Ekwanok Country Club in Manchester, Vermont, finished runner-up in the 1904 U.S. Amateur, held at Baltusrol Golf Club, Far Hills, New Jersey, losing to Chandler Egan by the score of 8 and 6.^[7][8] He got himself into trouble by falling nine holes down after the first 18 holes of play. Herreshoff played better in the second round but it wasn't enough to overcome the large deficit.^[8]

1911 U.S. Amateur

Herreshoff and his wife
(c. 1919)

In the 1911 U.S. Amateur—contested at the Apawamis Club in Rye, New York—Herreshoff had won several matches, including the semi-final against Chick Evans. In the final match against Harold Hilton he was at one point trailing by six holes but managed to mount a stunning comeback to tie the match and send it to a playoff. On the 37th hole of the match, Hilton sliced his approach shot badly but instead of finding the deep rough right of the green his ball ricocheted off a flat rock and luckily landed on the green.

Herreshoff, meanwhile, mishit his approach shot to a position short of the green. His pitch shot to the par 4 hole went 20 feet past the pin. Hilton two-putted for par while Herreshoff was unable to make his 20-foot putt to save par. Hilton was declared the winner by the score of 1 up.^[9][10][11]

Military service

Herreshoff served in the U.S. Army during World War I in France.^[5] He received an honorable discharge on June 2, 1919.^[12]

Death

Herreshoff died suddenly of pneumonia on March 23, 1920 in Manhattan, New York.^[5] Interment was in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.^[13]

Results in major championships

LA = Low amateur
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Yellow background for top-10

Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database

Source for 1912 British Amateur: The American Golfer, July, 1912, pg. 196.

Source for 1914 British Amateur: Golf Illustrated, July, 1914, pg. 27.

References