Ronald James White (9 April 1921 – 17 December 2005) was an English amateur golfer. He was one of the leading amateur golfers of the post-

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

period. He played in five consecutive

Walker Cup The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested in odd-numbered years by leading male amateur golfers in two teams: United States, and Great Britain and Ireland. The official name is the Walker Cup Match (not "Matches" as in Ryder Cup Matches). It is ...

matches from 1947 to 1955. In the four matches from 1947 to 1953 Great Britain and Ireland won 12 and halved 3 of the 48 individual matches of which White contributed 6 wins and a half in his 8 matches, winning all his four singles matches. White was described as being the best amateur golfer during the late 1940s and early 1950s. He announced his retirement from international golf in September 1955 after having lost a singles cup match to American

Harvie Ward Edward Harvie Ward, Jr. (December 8, 1925 – September 4, 2004) was an American golfer best known for his Amateur sports, amateur career. He is best known for winning both the U.S. Amateur (twice) and the British Amateur. Born in Tarboro, North ...

in May 1955.

Early life

Born in Wallasey on 9 April 1921, White was educated at

Merchant Taylors' Boys' School, Crosby ("Small things grow in harmony" - Sallust) , established = , closed = , type = Public SchoolIndependent school; Day school , religion = , president = , head_label = Head Master , head = Mr Deiniol Willi ...

Career

Although a lawyer by profession, White was reportedly considered as "probably the best golfer in the Isles" in 1949 by American amateur golfer

Willie Turnesa William P. Turnesa (January 20, 1914 – June 16, 2001) was an American amateur golfer, best known for winning two U.S. Amateur titles and the British Amateur. He was one of seven famous golfing brothers; Phil (1896-1987), Frank (1898-1949), ...

. By 1953, he was being described as Britain's number one amateur golfer, after having played in the 1953 English Amateur final at the

Royal Birkdale Golf Club Royal Birkdale Golf Club is a golf course in the United Kingdom in North West England, located in Southport, Merseyside. It is one of the clubs in the rotation for both the Open Championship and Women's British Open and has hosted the Open Champio ...

. He was a mainstay of the

competition in the post-war era. In 1953, he wrote an instructional book which was unusual for a golf amateur, while acknowledging his amateur status by noting that he "is not a teacher of golf". By May 1955, his credentials were questioned by the ''Evening Times'' who noted that he was no longer described as Britain's number one for the reason that he was not making sufficient appearances in major tournaments and could therefore not be judged. White announced in September 1955 that he was to retire from international golf, having participated with each British Walker Cup team since 1947 without losing a singles match. His first loss came in May 1955 to

St Andrews St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fou ...

Tournament wins

*1937

Carris Trophy The Carris Trophy is the English Boys Under 18 Open Amateur Stroke-Play Championship. It was founded in 1935. History The event was founded as a boys' golf tournament in 1935 at the Moor Park Golf Club by Austin Carris. The competition was adopt ...

*1947

Daily Telegraph Foursomes Tournament The Daily Telegraph Foursomes Tournament was a golf tournament played in England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northw ...

(with

Charlie Ward Charlie Ward Jr. (born October 12, 1970) is a former American professional basketball player. Ward was an exceptional football player as well, winning the Heisman Trophy, Davey O'Brien Award, and College Football National Championship while quart ...

) *1948 Lancashire Amateur Championship *1949

English Amateur The English Amateur is the national amateur match play golf championship of England. It has been played annually since 1925 (except for war years) and is organised by England Golf. The English Men's Amateur Championship is contested through t ...

Golf Illustrated Gold Vase The Golf Illustrated Gold Vase was a prestigious amateur golf tournament in England. It was a 36-hole scratch stroke play Stroke play, also known as medal play, is a scoring system in the sport of golf in which the total number of strokes is co ...

(with

Reg Horne Reginald William Horne (19 July 1908 – 5 January 1984) was an English professional golfer whose most notable success came in winning the News of the World Match Play shortly after World War II had ended in 1945. Horne won other important ...

) *1950

Brabazon Trophy The English Men's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship for the Brabazon Trophy is the national amateur stroke play golf championship in England (although entry is open to overseas golfers). It has been played annually since 1947 and is organised ...

*1951

Results in major championships

''Note: White only played in the Amateur Championship and the Open Championship.''
LA = Low amateur
"T" indicates a tie for a place
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play

Team appearances

(representing Great Britain & Ireland):

1947 It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – Luis ...

1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the United ...

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito i ...

1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Ronnie English male golfers Amateur golfers People educated at Merchant Taylors' Boys' School, Crosby People from Wallasey 1921 births 2005 deaths