Sun Tournament

The Sun-Herald Tournament was a golf tournament held in Australia from 1924 to 1926. It was the first Australian tournament with significant prize money and was run along the lines of the British News of the World Match Play. The first event in 1924 was sponsored by The Sun newspaper in Sydney and was called the Sun Tournament. In 1925 and 1926 the events were co-sponsored by The Herald newspaper in Melbourne. The 1925 event was held in Melbourne and was called the Herald-Sun tournament while 1926 the event returned to Sydney and was called the Sun-Herald Tournament. The 1926 event was combined with the Australian Professional Championship.

Format

Qualification was by a series of 36-hole stroke-play competitions; one for each state. There were a pre-determined number of qualifiers from each event. A total of 16 players qualified for the final stage with the winner determined by a knock-out competition. The final stage lasted four days, with all matches over 36 holes. There were consolation events for players losing in the early rounds.

Prize money

Total prize money for each event was £500. The winner received £195 and a £5 gold medal. The losing-finalist received £100 with the losing semi-finalist each getting £40. All 16 players reaching the final stage received a minimum of £5.

Winners

1924 Sun Tournament

;Qualifying
Four qualifying events were held. 1 place was allocated to South Australia, 7 to Victoria, 7 to New South Wales and 1 to Queensland. One Tasmanian golfer travelled to Victoria to try to qualify.

*South Australia (7 May at Royal Adelaide Golf Club): Rufus Stewart
*Victoria (29 May at Royal Melbourne Golf Club): Rowley Banks, Ted Cates, Reg Jupp, Barney Keating, Arthur Le Fevre, Walter Spicer, Jock Young
*Queensland (8 June at Brisbane Golf Club): Arthur Spence
*New South Wales (13 June at Royal Sydney Golf Club): Charlie Campbell, Carnegie Clark, Walter Clark, Tom Howard, Les McManus, Fred Popplewell, Dan Soutar

;Final stage
The final stage was played from 7 to 10 July at Royal Sydney Golf Club. The complete draw was announced on 3 July.

Source:

The final was tied after 36 holes and went to extra holes. At the first extra hole both players were about 10 feet from the hole in two. Walter putted first and finished 9 inches from the hole. Carnegie putted next, just having room to pass Walter's ball. The putt ended on the lip of the hole, directly between Walter's ball and the hole; a "dead stymie". Walter tried to chip over Carnegie's ball but he knocked Carnegie's ball into the hole, giving Carnegie a three and winning the match.

1925 Herald-Sun Tournament

;Qualifying
Two qualifying events were held. 8 places were allocated to a qualifying event in Melbourne and 8 to another in Sydney. Professionals from Queensland were included in the Sydney event, while those from South Australia and Tasmania played in Melbourne.
*Victoria (16 June at Royal Melbourne Golf Club): Walter Baldwin, Rowley Banks, Billy Iles, Barney Keating, Arthur Le Fevre, Ted Smith (Tasmania), Walter Spicer, Ernie Wood
*New South Wales (16 June at The Australian Golf Club): Walter Clark, Will Corry, Frank Eyre, Steve Holder, Tom Howard, Fred Popplewell, Dan Soutar, Don Spence

;Final stage
The final stage was played from 6 to 9 July at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The complete draw was made on 29 June.

Source:

1926 Sun-Herald Tournament

;Qualifying
Four qualifying events were held. 2 place was allocated to South Australia, 6 to Victoria, 6 to New South Wales and 2 to Queensland. Tasmanians could play in the Victorian event.

*Queensland (25 September at Royal Queensland Golf Club): Dick Carr, Arthur Spence
*Victoria (27 September at Commonwealth Golf Club): Rowley Banks, Horace Boorer, Billy Iles, Arthur Le Fevre, Ted Smith, Don Thomson
*South Australia (27 September at Royal Adelaide Golf Club): Willie Harvey, Fred McDowall
*New South Wales (28 September at Royal Sydney Golf Club): Carnegie Clark, Will Corry, Frank Eyre, Vic James, Dan Soutar, Don Spence

;Final stage
The final stage was played from 18 to 21 October at the Australian Golf Club. The complete draw was announced on 6 October.

Source:

References

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Golf tournaments in Australia
Golf in New South Wales
Golf in Victoria (Australia)
Recurring sporting events established in 1924
Recurring events disestablished in 1926