James Hepburn (golfer)

James Hepburn
— Golfer —
Personal information
Full name	James Melville Dron Hepburn
Born	(1876-09-14)14 September 1876 Carnoustie, Scotland
Died	DOD unknown POD unknown
Nationality	Scotland
Career
Turned professional	c. 1894
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament	DNP
U.S. Open	DNP
The Open Championship	T8: 1909
PGA Championship	DNP

James Melville Dron Hepburn (14 September 1876 – 19??) was a professional golfer from Scotland who played in the late 19th century into the early 20th century. He once served as the secretary of the British PGA and later became one of the founding members of the PGA of America. As a player, he posted two top-10 finishes in the Open Championship, a T8 result in 1909 and a T10 finish in 1911.

Early life

Hepburn was born in Carnoustie, Scotland, on 14 September 1876.^[1] He had an older brother Robert Gray Royston (1869–1940) who was also a professional golfer. Robert was the professional at Royston Golf Club from about 1892 to 1904.^[2]

Golf career

Hepburn plays an iron shot on the National Golf Links of America course in Southampton, New York, as J. H. Taylor and Harry Vardon look on. (c. 1915)

Hepburn, a club maker of some renown, was one of the founding members of the PGA of America when he served as chairman of the seven-member organizing committee. He had formerly been the secretary of the British PGA.^[3][4] He played in the England–Scotland Professional Match representing Scotland in 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1910, 1912 and 1913. He was joint runner-up in the inaugural Tooting Bec Cup in 1901, three strokes behind the winner J. H. Taylor,^[5] and was a semi-finalist in the British PGA Matchplay Championship in 1904 and 1909. In 1904 he lost 4&2 to Alfred Toogood in the semi-final while in 1909 he lost 5&4 to the eventual winner, Tom Ball.^[6][7] He had two top-10 finishes in the Open Championship.^[8]

One of his first postings as a professional came at Bush Hill Park from 1896 to 1897. He later served at Enfield (London) in 1897 and Church Stretton in 1898. He was co-designer of the Church Stretton course with Jack Morris. Hepburn also spent time at Home Park (Surbiton, Surrey), from 1900 until early 1915 where he maintained a successful club-making business by partnering with Hugh Williamson, brother of the noted touring professional Tom Williamson.^[8]

In May 1915 he emigrated to the United States and became the professional at the National Golf Links in Southampton, New York, and remained there until 1928.^[8] Soon after arriving he played in the 1915 U.S. Open at Baltusrol Golf Club. He made the 36-hole cut but his name is not recorded amongst the 54-hole finishers.^[9]

Golf course architecture

• Quogue Field Club, Quogue, New York (1897)^[10]
• Church Stretton Club, Church Stretton, England^[8]

Death

Hepburn's date of death is unknown.

Results in major championships

Hepburn (seated far right) with the 1903 Scotland International Team.

Note: Hepburn only played in The Open Championship and the U.S. Open.

DNP = Did not play
CUT = Missed the half-way cut
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Yellow background for top-10

Team appearances

• England–Scotland Professional Match (representing Scotland): 1903 (winners), 1905 (tie), 1906, 1907, 1910, 1912 (tie), 1913
• Coronation Match (representing the Professionals): 1911 (winners)

References