Fred Daly

Who was Fred Daly?

Frederick Daly was a Northern Irish professional golfer, best known for winning The Open Championship in 1947 at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.

Born in Portrush, County Antrim, Daly was the only Irishman from either side of the border to have won The Open until Pádraig Harrington won it in 2007 and the only Northern Irish major winner until Graeme McDowell won the U.S. Open in 2010. Daly won the Open in 1947 while professional to the Balmoral Club in Belfast. He won with a score of 293, a single stroke ahead of runners-up Reg Horne and amateur Frank Stranahan.

During his acceptance speech at Royal Liverpool, Daly said he was very honoured to receive the Claret Jug and take it back to Northern Ireland. He went on to say that the trophy had never been to Ireland and that he was hoping that the change of air would help it. There was much applause and laughter at his humorous comments.

In addition, he added the News of the World Match Play tournament which was the main British Match Play Championship, becoming the first since James Braid to win both the Open and the Match Play title in the same year.