David Snell (golfer)

David Snell (10 October 1933 – July 2021) was an English professional golfer who won the 1959 News of the World Matchplay, the British matchplay championship. Despite this win he was not selected for the British 1959 Ryder Cup team.[1]

David Snell
Personal information
Full nameDavid Snell
Born(1933-10-10)10 October 1933
Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
Died16 July 2021(2021-07-16) (aged 87)
Height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Sporting nationality England
Career
Turned professional1949
Former tour(s)European Tour
European Senior Tour
Professional wins5
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenDNP
The Open ChampionshipT30: 1958

Professional career

Snell was an assistant professional at Lindrick Golf Club before becoming the professional at Worksop Golf Club in the mid-1950.[2][1]

Snell won the News of the World Matchplay in September 1959 at Royal Birkdale. He beat the defending champion, Harry Weetman, 3 & 2 in the 36-hole final, taking the first prize of £750.[3] Seven members of the British team for the 1959 Ryder Cup were selected from a points system based on performances during the early part of the 1959 season, ending with Irish Hospitals Tournament finishing on 12 July.[4] The remaining three were selected by the P.G.A. tournament committee after the Dunlop Masters, which was played the week after the News of the World Matchplay. Snell performed poorly in the Dunlop Masters, and was not chosen, with the committee preferring Ken Bousfield, Eric Brown and Dave Thomas.[5][6] In contrast, in both 1957 and 1961, any British or Irish winner of the News of the World Matchplay received an automatic place in the team.[7][8]

Snell was a joint runner-up in the 1959 PGA Close Championship, played at Ashburnham in Wales, finishing six strokes behind Dai Rees.[9] He tied for the 1963 Rediffusion Tournament on Jersey but lost in the playoff to Alex Caygill at the second extra hole, sharing second place with Flory Van Donck.[10] He was also runner-up to Jimmy Hitchcock in the 1965 Agfa-Gevaert Tournament and to Tony Jacklin in the 1967 Pringle of Scotland Tournament.[11][12]

Snell played for the professionals in the last Amateurs–Professionals Match in 1960.[13] He also played for England in the 1965 Canada Cup in Madrid, with Guy Wolstenholme. They finished in a tie for fourth place. Snell had a final round of 68 to equal the best round of the tournament.[14]

Snell was a regular competitor in the Open Championship, qualifying for 17 successive championships from 1957 to 1973. His best finish was a tie for 30th place in 1958.[15]

Despite being in his late 50s when it was formed in 1992, Snell played for a number of years on the European Senior Tour.[16] He never won on the tour, his best finish being runner-up in the La Manga Spanish Seniors Open in 1994, where he was involved in a three-way playoff with Brian Huggett and Malcolm Gregson.[17] He finished 13th in the order of merit in both 1993 and 1994.[16]

Personal life

In the 1990s Snell designed and built College Pines Golf Club, near Worksop.[1] He was only 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) tall and was noted for his long swing.[1]

Snell died in July 2021, at the age of 87.[1]

Tournament wins

Results in major championships
Tournament 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973
The Open Championship CUT T30 CUT CUT T41 CUT CUT CUT CUT T37 T31 CUT CUT CUT T58 CUT CUT

Note: Snell only played in The Open Championship.
CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1969, 1972 and 1973 Open Championships)
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Source:[15]

Team appearances

References
  1. "David Snell (1933 – 2021)". The PGA. 18 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  2. "David Snell". European Tour. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  3. "Match-play title for Snell – Chance of Ryder Cup place". The Glasgow Herald. 14 September 1959. p. 9.
  4. "Seven for Ryder Cup". The Glasgow Herald. 13 July 1959. p. 8.
  5. Horne, Cyril (19 September 1960). "Second Masters' title for O'Connor". Glasgow Herald. p. 9. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  6. "British Ryder Cup team selected". The Glasgow Herald. 23 September 1959. p. 11.
  7. "Ryder Cup team - Nine places now filled". The Glasgow Herald. 6 July 1957. p. 5.
  8. "Ryder Cup points system dropped". The Glasgow Herald. 26 November 1959. p. 13.
  9. "P.G.A. title for Rees". The Glasgow Herald. 11 April 1959. p. 7.
  10. "Victory for Caygill in play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 30 September 1963. p. 4.
  11. "Hitchcock's easy victory in Agfa-Gevaert". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1965. p. 8.
  12. "Younger school continue on winning way". The Glasgow Herald. 26 June 1967. p. 7.
  13. "Professionals' big win at Prestwick – Seven singles victories". The Glasgow Herald. 8 August 1960. p. 3.
  14. "Canada Cup for South Africa". The Glasgow Herald. 4 October 1965. p. 6.
  15. 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.
  16. "David Snell – Legends Tour". European Tour. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  17. "Individual Play-off Records since 1992". European Tour. 14 October 2014. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  18. "PGA Midland Pro Championship – Past Champions". The PGA. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  19. "KCC Midland Open". PGA. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  20. "Platts and Snell win at Sunningdale". The Glasgow Herald. 30 March 1963. p. 9.
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