Watts Gunn

Watts Gunn (January 11, 1905 – November 5, 1994) was an American amateur golfer. He had a long golf career that began in his high school days at Lanier High School in Macon, Georgia. He went on to become a successful player in college at Georgia Tech when he was twice the winner of the Georgia Amateur, in 1923 and 1927. He won a number of other events in his career as well.

Watts Gunn
Gunn (left) with Bobby Jones in 1925.
Personal information
Born(1905-01-11)January 11, 1905
Macon, Georgia, U.S.
DiedNovember 5, 1994(1994-11-05) (aged 89)
Sporting nationality United States
Career
CollegeGeorgia Tech
StatusAmateur
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. Open42nd: 1927
The Open ChampionshipCUT: 1926
U.S. Amateur2nd: 1925
British AmateurT17: 1926
Achievements and awards
Georgia Golf Hall of Fame(1989)

Early life

Gunn was born in Macon, Georgia, on January 11, 1905.[1]

Golf career
Gunn (left) with Bobby Jones in 1925

He became a member of the Atlanta Athletic Club's East Lake Golf Club in the mid 1920s while a student at Georgia Tech. At East Lake Gunn took lessons from James Maiden.[2] Gunn's first major tournament win was in the 1923 Georgia Amateur.[3] At the 1925 U.S. Amateur, played at Oakmont Country Club, Gunn won 15 straight holes in the first round of the 36-hole match. In that tournament, he went to the finals and lost against friend and rival Bobby Jones, marking the only time two players from the same club ever met for the U.S. Amateur crown.[1]

Georgia Amateur

Gunn won the Georgia Amateur title again in 1927.[3] In 1927, he won the Southern and National Intercollegiate tournaments, and the following year he won the Southern Amateur and the Southern Open. Gunn was a member of the United States Walker Cup teams in 1926 and 1928, winning all four of his matches.[1] He later served as president of the Atlanta Athletic Club from 1953 to 1954.

Death and legacy

Gunn died on November 5, 1994. He was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame on January 14, 1989.[4][5] He is best remembered for winning the Georgia Amateur twice, in 1924 and again in 1927.

Amateur wins

Note: This list may be incomplete

References
  1. Elliott, Len; Kelly, Barbara (1976). Who's Who in Golf. New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House. p. 78. ISBN 0-87000-225-2.
  2. "J. C. Maiden, Jones' Teacher, Dies at Age of 76" (PDF). archive.lib.msu.edu. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  3. "Georgia Amateur Championship".
  4. "Famous East Lake Members: Watts Gunn". East Lake Golf Club. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  5. "Watts Gunn papers". Atlanta History Center.
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