The Welsh National PGA Championship is a golf tournament played annually in Wales since 1904. For many years the event was called the Welsh Professional Championship. Currently entry is restricted to professionals employed by a Welsh club and those born in Wales or with a parent or grandparent born in Wales. 2016 was the 100th edition of the event and was won by Lydia Hall after a final round 67.
History The first Championship was held at Radyr Golf Club on 15 July 1904. It was a 36-hole stroke-play event played on a single day. There were 19 entries. Tom Brace led after a 79 in the morning but fell away after an afternoon 92. The winner was the Tenby professional, Arthur Day, who had rounds of 81 and 80 for a total of 161. This put him three strokes ahead of the joint runners-up, 20-year-old George Duncan and Bill Leaver, who had finished 8th in the 1903 Open Championship. The winner received 10 guineas and a gold medal.
The 1905 Championship was held at Conwy Golf Club on 23 August 1905. There were 15 entries. The winner also received entry to the final stage of the News of the World Matchplay. The winner was the Llandudno professional Fred Collins on 153. Collins finished two shots ahead of George Duncan. However, Duncan had moved to Timperley and was only trying to qualify for the News of the World Matchplay, not being eligible for the Welsh Championship. Alfred Matthews, the Rhyl professional, was runner-up in the Championship on 160. The News of the World Matchplay had started in 1903 but in the first two years the Welsh professionals had had to play in the Northern or Midland sections qualifying events.
In 1971 the event was held as part of the Welsh Professional Open Championship. Don Gammon won the open event with a score of 278, a stroke ahead of Stuart Brown. Two golfers tied for the closed event, Jimmy Buckley and Kim Dabson both scoring 291. Buckley won a sudden-death playoff at the second extra hole.
Winners Source: Year Winner Country Venue Score 2024 Zach Galliford Pyle & Kenfig 141 2023 Toby Hunt (2) Machynys Peninsula 132 2022 Sion Bebb (4) Machynys Peninsula 137 2021 Lee Rooke Aberdovey 136 2020 Tim Dykes Cardiff 138 2019 Mark Pilkington Conwy 142 2018 Toby Hunt Ashburnham 136 2017 Sion Bebb (3) Celtic Manor (Roman) 131 2016 Lydia Hall Tenby 138 2015 Garry Houston Radyr 137 2014 Stephen Dodd (5) Royal St David's 134 2013 Lee Rooke Royal St David's 135 2012 Stuart Manley Cardiff 135 2011 Stephen Dodd (4) Southerndown 136 +++ 2010 Simon Edwards (3) Royal St David's 204 2009 Jason Powell Ashburnham 221 2008 Trevor Jones Cardiff 209 2007 Stephen Dodd (3) Cardiff 200 2006 Sion Bebb (2) Tenby 204 2005 Sion Bebb Southerndown 199 2004 Mark Plummer (3) Vale of Llangollen 203 2003 Simon Edwards (2) Porthmadog 196 2002 Simon Edwards Pyle & Kenfig 210 2001 Stephen Dodd (2) Ashburnham 214 2000 Mark Plummer (2) Newport 136 1999 Richard Dinsdale Vale of Glamorgan 134 1998 Liam Bond Vale of Glamorgan 69 ++ 1997 Matthew Ellis Vale of Glamorgan 139 1996 Matt Stanford Northop Country Park 137 1995 Stephen Dodd Northop Country Park 139 1994 Mark Plummer Northop Country Park 133 1993 Phillip Price Mountain Lakes 138 1992 Chris Evans Ashburnham 142 1991 Paul Mayo (2) Fairwood Park 138 1990 Paul Mayo Fairwood Park 136 1989 Kevin Jones (2) Royal Porthcawl 140 1988 Ian Woosnam Cardiff 137 1987 Andrew Dodman Cardiff 132 1986 Philip Parkin Whitchurch 142 1985 David Llewellyn Whitchurch 132 1984 Kevin Jones Cardiff 135 1983 Simon Cox (2) Cardiff 136 1982 Craig Defoy (4) Cardiff 137 1981 Craig Defoy (3) Cardiff 139 1980 Andy Griffiths (2) Cardiff 1391979: Event cancelled 1978 Brian Huggett Whitchurch 145 1977 Craig Defoy (2) Glamorganshire 135 1976 Simon Cox Radyr 284 1975 Craig Defoy Whitchurch 285 1974 Mel Hughes Cardiff 284 1973 Andy Griffiths Newport 289 1972 Jimmy Buckley (2) Royal Porthcawl 298 1971 Jimmy Buckley St Pierre 291 1970 William Evans Tredegar Park 289 1969 Sid Mouland (6) Llandudno 277 1968 Richard Davies Southerndown 292 1967 Sid Mouland (5) Pyle & Kenfig 219 + 1966 Sid Mouland (4) Conwy 281 1965 Sid Mouland (3) Penarth 281 1964 B Bielby Tenby 297 1963 Harry Gould (6) Wrexham 291 1962 Sid Mouland (2) Royal Porthcawl 302 1961 Sid Mouland Southerndown 286 1960 Dick Kemp (2) Llandudno 288 1959 Dennis Smalldon (3) Newport 1958 Dick Kemp Radyr 1957 Jimmy Black (2) Llandudno 1956 Dennis Smalldon (2) Royal Porthcawl 1955 Jimmy Black Penarth 291 1954 Harry Gould (5) Holyhead 293 1953 Dennis Smalldon Tenby 291 1952 Sid Collins Jr. (2) Southerndown 1951 Harry Gould (4) Llandudno 1950 Gwyn James Newport 1949 Harry Gould (3) Radyr 1948 Harry Gould (2) Aberdovey 1947 Ken Williams Llandrindod 1946 Harry Gould Royal Porthcawl 1940–45: No tournament due to World War II 1939 Chris Grabham Harlech 1938 Sid Collins Jr. St Mellons 1937 Frank Hill (2) Clyne 1936 Fred Lloyd Prestatyn 1935 Frank Hill Penarth 1934 Charles Pickett Swansea Bay 1933 Fred Collins (2) Rhyl 305 1932 Bill Smalldon Royal Porthcawl 1931 R Watts Newport 1930 Harold Palferman Wrexham 1929 Bert Hodson (2) Royal Porthcawl 1928 Robert Walker Llandudno 1927 Bert Hodson Tenby 1926 Bert Weastell (2) Llandudno 1925 James Horn Pennard 1924 Bert Weastell Llandudno 1923 Jack Milner Royal Porthcawl 1922 Gus Faulkner Rhos on Sea 1921 Percy Alliss (2) Southerndown 1920 Percy Alliss Aberdovey 1914–19: No tournament due to World War I 1913 George Gadd Chester 1912 Cyril Hughes Royal Porthcawl 1911 Peter Rainford Conwy 1910 Alfred Matthews (2) Swansea 1909 Alfred Matthews Rhyl 1908 Tom Brace Bridgend 1907 Sam Whiting Porthcawl 1906 Jack Ross Radyr 156 1905 Fred Collins Conwy 153 1904 Arthur Day Radyr 161
+ reduced to 54 holes. ++ reduced to 18 holes. +++ reduced to 36 holes.
References
External links Welsh National PGA Championship official site