Willie Fernie (golfer)

William Fernie (7 May 1855 – 24 June 1924) was a Scottish professional golfer and golf course architect from St Andrews. He won the 1883 Open Championship at Musselburgh Links.^[1] The tournament was scheduled to last four rounds of the nine-hole course on a Friday in November. Fernie tied with defending champion Bob Ferguson, with both men shooting 158. The following day Fernie won a playoff by a single stroke.

Willie Fernie
Fernie, c. 1900
Personal information
Full name	William Fernie
Born	(1855-05-07)7 May 1855 St Andrews, Scotland
Died	24 June 1924(1924-06-24) (aged 69) Glasgow, Scotland
Sporting nationality	Scotland
Career
Status	Professional
Best results in major championships (wins: 1)
U.S. Open	DNP
The Open Championship	Won: 1883

Career

Fernie was born in St Andrews, Scotland, on 7 May 1855.^[2]

Fernie was runner-up in the Open Championship in 1882, 1884, 1890 and 1891. When George Strath left Royal Troon in 1887, Fernie took over as club professional and served for 37 years only retiring in January 1924, a few months before his death.^[3] As a golf course designer he made alterations to the Old Course at St Andrews and Royal Troon, and designed Turnberry's Ailsa, Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club and Isle of Arran courses. He also designed Appleby Golf Club in 1903, and Dumfries and County Golf Club in 1912.

Personal life

Two of his sons, Tom and Harry withdrew from 1924 Open qualifying at Royal Liverpool Golf Club because of their father's illness. Tom Fernie had finished fifth in the 1923 Open at Troon.

Fernie died in Glasgow, Scotland, on 24 June 1924.^[4][5][6] He is best remembered for winning the 1883 Open Championship and finishing second four times.

Golf courses (original design)

• Appleby Golf Club
• Craigie Hill GC
• Drumpellier Golf Club
• Dumfries and County Golf Club
• Dumfries and Galloway Golf Club
• Elderslie Golf Club
• Erskine Golf Club
• Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club
• Gatehouse of Fleet Golf Club
• Greenock Whinhill Golf Club
• Lamlash Golf Club
• Machrie Bay Golf Club
• New Cumnock Golf Club
• Pitlochry Golf Club
• Ralston Golf Club
• Royal Troon (Relief Course)
• Sanquhar Golf Club
• Seacroft Golf Club
• Shiskine Golf Club^[7]
• Southerndown Golf Club
• Stirling Golf Club
• Strathaven Golf Club
• Strathendrick Golf Club
• Thornhill Golf Club
• Turnberry (Ailsa)^[8]
• Turnberry (Arran)
• Whitecraigs Golf Club
• Whitsand Bay GC

Golf courses (renovation)

• Royal Troon (Old)
• St. Andrews (Old)

Major championships

Wins (1)

Year	Championship	18 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner-up
1883	The Open Championship	2 shot lead	38-37-40-43=158	Playoff1	Bob Ferguson

¹In a 36-hole playoff, Fernie defeated Ferguson by 1 stroke.

Results timeline

Tournament	1873	1874	1875	1876	1877	1878	1879
The Open Championship	T9						T8

Tournament	1880	1881	1882	1883	1884	1885	1886	1887	1888	1889
The Open Championship		8	2	1	T2	T4	T8	T7	14	6

Tournament	1890	1891	1892	1893	1894	1895	1896	1897	1898	1899
The Open Championship	T2	T2	8	T23	T5	T6	T3	T22	7	T5

Tournament	1900	1901	1902	1903	1904	1905	1906
The Open Championship	CUT	CUT	T12	T24	CUT	T31	CUT

• Note: Fernie played only in The Open Championship.

  Win

  Top 10

  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Team appearances

• England–Scotland Professional Match (representing Scotland): 1903 (winners), 1904 (tie)