Francis Ouimet
Known by many as the 'Father of Amateur Golf', Ouimet was born to Mary Ellen Burke and Arthur Ouimet in Brookline, Massachusetts on May 8th, 1893. Ouimet's interest in golf came at an early age and he started caddying at The Country Club of Brookline at the age of 11. The interest quickly turned into love and his dedication quickly saw him become the best high school golfer in the state. In 1913, aged 20, he won the first of his 6 Massachusetts Amateur State tournaments, but it was a win later that year that firmly cemented his place in golfing history. The US Open of 1913 saw the amateur Ouimet going head to head with the golfing greats of Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in an 18 hole play-off that followed regulation play. Ouimet, with 10 year old Eddie Lowery on the bag, defied the odds and won the play-off and championship by an incredible 5 strokes from Vardon and 6 from Rey. He remained an amateur and played many close matches against Bobby Jones over the years and was an important mentor in the development of a certain Gene Sarazen. In 1951, he became the first non-Briton elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and in 1955 was the first-ever winner of the Bob Jones Award, the highest honour given by the USGA, in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.