Willie Turnesa

Willie Turnesa
Personal information
Full name William P. Turnesa
Born (1914-01-20)January 20, 1914
Elmsford, New York
Died June 16, 2001(2001-06-16) (aged 87)
Sleepy Hollow, New York
Nationality  United States
Career
College College of the Holy Cross
Status Amateur
Professional wins 1
Best results in major championships
(wins: 3)
Masters Tournament T26: 1939
U.S. Open T40: 1941
The Open Championship DNP
PGA Championship DNP
U.S. Amateur Won: 1938, 1948
British Amateur Won: 1947

William P. Turnesa (January 20, 1914 – June 16, 2001) was an American amateur golfer, best known for winning two U.S. Amateur titles and the British Amateur. He was one of seven famous golfing brothers; Phil (1896-1987), Frank (1898-1949), Joe (1901-1991), Mike (1907-2000), Doug (1909-1972), Jim (1912-1971), and Willie (1914-2001). Willie was the only brother not to turn professional.[1]

Turnesa was born in Elmsford, New York and lived most of his life there. His older brothers forbade him to turn pro and pooled their money to send him to college.[2] He graduated from Holy Cross in 1938 and won his first U.S. Amateur later that year at Oakmont Country Club.[2]

Turnesa won the British Amateur in 1947 at Carnoustie Golf Links, beating fellow American Dick Chapman 3&2. He won his second U.S. Amateur in 1948 and was runner-up in the 1949 British Amateur, losing to Irishman Max McCready. He won numerous other amateur events, mostly in the New York area.

Turnesa played on three straight winning Walker Cup teams, 1947, 1949, and 1951. He was playing captain on the last team.[3]

Turnesa served as president of both the Metropolitan Golf Association and New York State Golf Association.[3] He co-founded the Westchester Caddie Scholarship Fund in 1956.[3][4]

Turnesa died in Sleepy Hollow, New York.[2]

Tournament wins

this list is incomplete

Major championships

Amateur wins (3)

YearChampionshipWinning ScoreRunner-up
1938 U.S. Amateur 8 & 7 United States Pat Abbott
1947 British Amateur 3 & 2 United States Dick Chapman
1948 U.S. Amateur 2 & 1 United States Raymond E. Billows

Results timeline

Tournament 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
Masters Tournament NYF 45 DNP DNP DNP DNP T26
U.S. Open DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP T47
U.S. Amateur R16 QF R16 R64 DNP 1 R32
British Amateur DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Tournament 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
Masters Tournament T47 DNP DNP NT NT NT DNP DNP DNP DNP
U.S. Open DNP T40 NT NT NT NT DNP DNP DNP DNP
U.S. Amateur R16 DNP NT NT NT NT R64 DNP 1 SF
British Amateur NT NT NT NT NT NT DNP 1 SF 2
Tournament 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957
Masters Tournament DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
U.S. Open DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
U.S. Amateur R32 R128 DNP DNP R128 R32 R64 R32
British Amateur R64 R64 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP

Note: Turnesa never played in the British Open or PGA Championship.
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10

Source for The Masters: www.masters.com

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

Source for 1948 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 29, 1948, pg. 3.

Source for 1950 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 25, 1950, pg. 9.

Source for 1951 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 24, 1951, pg. 7.

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

References

  1. ↑ 7 Famous Brothers And What They Did
  2. 1 2 3 New York Times obituary
  3. 1 2 3 The Turnesa Story
  4. ↑ WGA Caddie Scholarship Fund
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