Norman Drew
Personal information
Full nameNorman Vico Drew
Born(1932-05-25)25 May 1932
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died13 August 2023(2023-08-13) (aged 91)
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight189 lb (86 kg; 13.5 st)
Sporting nationality Northern Ireland
Career
Turned professional1953
Former tour(s)European Seniors Tour
Professional wins7
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenDNP
The Open ChampionshipT15: 1957

Norman Vico Drew (25 May 1932 – 13 August 2023)[1] was a Northern Irish professional golfer.[2] He had a successful amateur career, winning a number of Irish championships and playing in the 1953 Walker Cup. In the 1959 season, he won the Yorkshire Evening News Tournament and played in the Ryder Cup. Drew later represented Ireland in the Canada Cup (later known as the World Cup), becoming the first golfer to play in the Walker Cup, Ryder Cup and Canada Cup. He was renowned for his short game.[3]

Amateur career

Norman Vico Drew was born on 25 May 1932[4] in Belfast, Northern Ireland and started his golfing career at Balmoral Golf Club in Belfast, before the family moved to Bangor, County Down in 1948.[5] In 1947 and 1948, he won an open boys event at Donaghadee, and in 1948 he reached the last-16 of the Boys Amateur Championship at Kilmarnock (Barassie).[5][6] In 1949, he won the inaugural Ulster Boys' Amateur Open Championship at Royal Belfast, beating John Glover at the 38th hole of the final.[7] In the same year, he reached the final of the Boys Amateur Championship at St Andrews, losing to Harry MacAnespie 3&2 in the 36-hole final.[8]

Drew reached the semi-finals of the 1950 Irish Amateur Close Championship, losing to Brendan Herlihy, and soon afterwards won the North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Portrush, beating Jackson Taggart at the 19th of the final.[9] Taggart was 4 up with 8 holes to play and then dormie two, but Drew won the next three holes.[10] Drew qualified for the 1951 Open Championship at Portrush. A first round 75 put him well up the field but a second round 88 meant he missed the cut by 9 strokes.

Drew had a remarkable run of success in 1952. In April, he reached the final of the West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Rosses Point, losing to Joe Brown in the 36-hole final. Drew was 5 down after 6 holes and although he made a good recovery, he lost 2&1.[11] In early June, he won the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at County Louth, was a score of 306, three ahead of the field.[12] Later in June, he won the Irish Amateur Open Championship at Portrush, beating Cecil Beamish 5&4 in the final.[13] In July, he won the North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Portrush, beating Billy Meharg 8&7 in the 36-hole final.[14] The following month, he reached the final of the South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Lahinch, but lost to Michael Power by one hole in the 36-hole final.[15] His one failure came in September at the Irish Amateur Open Championship at Royal Belfast, where he lost at the last-16 stage.[16] In late September he made his debut in the Men's Home Internationals at Troon.[17]

In 1953 the Men's Home Internationals were moved to an earlier date than usual, in June, at Killarney, the week before the Irish Amateur Open Championship which was also played there. In the Home Internationals, Drew won all his three singles matches and was undefeated in the foursomes.[18] He then won the Irish Amateur Open beating Billy O'Sullivan 4&3 in the final.[19] His second success in the championship came immediately before the selection of the final five players for the 1953 Walker Cup team. Drew was selected and at 21, he was the youngest member of the side.[20] Before the match, Drew played in the Canadian Amateur Championship at Kanawaki, Montreal, losing in the quarter-finals to Don Cherry.[21] The Walker Cup match was played at the Kittansett Club in Massachusetts, the United States winning 9–3. Drew was not selected for the foursomes and lost his singles match 9&7 against Don Cherry, having been 7 down after the first 18 holes.[22] He also played in the US Amateur but lost in the first round.[23] Drew turned professional in November 1953, becoming an assistant to Sam Bacon at County Armagh.[24]

Professional career

Sam Bacon moved to Knock Golf Club in early 1954 and Drew also left County Armagh, moving to Rossmore, before becoming an assistant at the North West Golf Club, Lisfannon, later in the year.[25][26] In early 1956, Drew became the professional at Strabane golf club, which was in the process of moving to a new course.[27] The move was to cause problems for Drew, since he had failed to serve a full three years as an assistant professional, although he satisfied Irish PGA rules which only required two years. He therefore became ineligible to play in British PGA events.[28] In 1957, Drew became an assistant again, to Sam Bacon at Knock, but it was only in early 1958 that he was reinstated as a member of the British PGA.[29][30] In 1958, Drew was a joint winner, with Harry Bradshaw, of the Irish Dunlop Tournament.[31]

1959 was Drew's first full season on the British circuit and was to be his most successful, culminating with the Ryder Cup at Eldorado Golf Club, California, in November.[32] Seven members of the 10-man British team were chosen using a Ryder Cup points system based on performances during the 1959 season. The first event was the PGA Close Championship starting on 8 April with the final event being the Irish Hospitals Tournament finishing on 12 July. The remaining three members of the team were selected by the P.G.A. tournament committee in late September, after the Dunlop Masters.[33][34] Drew started with top-10 finishes in the PGA Close Championship, the Spalding Tournament and the Dunlop Tournament and then finished fourth in the Swallow-Penfold Tournament.[35][36][37][38] After winning the Irish Dunlop Tournament, he missed the cut at the Daks Tournament but then has his first major British success, winning the Yorkshire Evening News Tournament, four strokes ahead of Peter Alliss, Harold Henning and Peter Thomson.[39][40] Drew was then 35th in the Open Championship and 14th in the Irish Hospitals Tournament to finish in sixth place in the rankings and gain his place in the team.[41][42] The season continued with Drew playing in the Amateurs–Professionals Match, winning the Irish Professional Championship and finishing joint runner-up in the Dunlop Masters behind Christy O'Connor Snr and level with Joe Carr.[43][44][45] The 1959 Ryder Cup was the last in which 36-hole matches were played. Drew became the first British ex-Walker Cup golfer to play in the Ryder Cup. He did not play in the foursomes on the first day but halved his singles match against Doug Ford. Drew was four down after nine holes but recovered and was only one down at lunch. In the afternoon, he was one down playing the last. At the 470-yard par-4, he hit a wood to 15 feet and holed the putt.[46]

Drew represented Ireland in the Canada Cup at Portmarnock in 1960 and at Puerto Rico in 1961. Playing with Christy O'Connor, they finished in fourth place in both events.[47][48] He became the first golfer to play in the Walker Cup, Ryder Cup and Canada Cup.[3] He had some success in Irish events. He lost in a three-way playoff for the 1965 Irish Professional Championship, O'Connor winning the title.[49] He won the Ulster Professional Championship for the first time in 1966.[50] In 1969, he was a joint runner-up in the Gallaher Ulster Open, again behind O'Connor.[51] His second win in the Ulster championship came in 1972 and he won the Benson & Hedges (Ulster) match-play championship in 1983.[52][53]

Drew held a number of professional positions. In 1960 he left Knock to become the professional at Ralston Golf Club near Glasgow.[54] During his time there, he was runner-up in the 1964 Cutty Sark Tournament, seven strokes behind John Panton.[55] He left Ralston in 1964 and was briefly at Rossmore before moving to Bradshaws Brae Range near Newtownards in 1966.[56] In 1973, he moved to Malone Golf Club and then to Bangor Golf Club in 1983.[57][58]

Later Drew competed on the European Seniors Tour for a number of years from the start of the tour in 1992 even though, at sixty, he was ten years past the minimum age.[59] His best finish was a tie for fourth place in the 1992 Collingtree Homes Seniors Classic. He tied for ninth place in the 1993 Senior British Open despite a last round 80.[60]

Personal life

Drew was married to Valerie and had two children, Heather and Gordon.[5] Gordon Drew is also a professional golfer, currently at Donaghadee Golf Club, County Down, Northern Ireland.[61]

Drew died in August 2023 at age 91.[62][63]

Amateur wins

Professional wins (7)

Results in major championships

Tournament 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
The Open Championship CUT T20 T15 T20 T35
Tournament 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971
The Open Championship CUT CUT CUT T40 CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT

Note: Drew only played in The Open Championship.

  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1970 Open Championship)
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Source:[64]

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

References

  1. ↑ Norman Vico Drew
  2. ↑ Alliss, Peter (1983). The Who's Who of Golf. Orbis Publishing. p. 235. ISBN 0-85613-520-8.
  3. 1 2 "Norman Drew, a quick sketch of an Irish golfing legend". Irish Golf Desk. 27 November 2016.
  4. ↑ "Norman Drew Overview". European Tour. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Golf: Norman 'drew' himself into Irish history books". Belfast Telegraph. 24 November 2001.
  6. ↑ "Four Scottish boys in last eight". The Glasgow Herald. 27 August 1948. p. 2.
  7. 1 2 "Brilliant golf by boys". Belfast News-Letter. 12 August 1949. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ↑ "M'Anespie consistency wins boys' title". The Glasgow Herald. 29 August 1949. p. 2.
  9. ↑ "Irish Close title finalists". The Glasgow Herald. 29 June 1950. p. 7.
  10. 1 2 "Ulster golf title". Belfast News-Letter. 17 July 1950. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ↑ "Drew beaten in 'ding-dong' final". Belfast News-Letter. 16 April 1952. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. 1 2 "Title for Drew". Belfast Telegraph. 3 June 1952. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. 1 2 "Irish title winner". The Glasgow Herald. 14 June 1952. p. 9.
  14. 1 2 "Drew is new Ulster amateur golf champion". Belfast Telegraph. 16 July 1952. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ↑ "Drew narrowly beaten". Belfast Telegraph. 15 August 1952. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ↑ "Internationalists lose". The Glasgow Herald. 6 September 1953. p. 9.
  17. 1 2 "Scotland win first "Triple Crown" since 1936". The Glasgow Herald. 29 September 1952. p. 7.
  18. 1 2 "Scotland fail to retain Triple Crown". The Glasgow Herald. 13 June 1953. p. 9.
  19. 1 2 "Drew retains Irish Championship". The Glasgow Herald. 20 June 1953. p. 9.
  20. ↑ "Two Scots in Walker Cup team". The Glasgow Herald. 23 June 1953. p. 4.
  21. ↑ McKinlay, S. L. (15 September 1953). "MacGregor and Wilson in semi-finals". The Glasgow Herald. p. 7.
  22. 1 2 "R. J. White's performance in Walker Cup". The Glasgow Herald. 7 September 1953. p. 9.
  23. ↑ "Easy win for Carr, but Drew is eliminated". Belfast Telegraph. 15 September 1953. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  24. ↑ "N. V. Drew professional". The Glasgow Herald. 25 November 1953. p. 4.
  25. ↑ "Norman Drew takes Eire golf post". Ireland's Saturday Night. 10 April 1954. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  26. ↑ "New professional and assistant". Derry Journal. 11 October 1954. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  27. ↑ "Drew now Strabane pro". Belfast Telegraph. 27 March 1956. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  28. ↑ "Drew goes to the 'Open'". Belfast Telegraph. 24 June 1957. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  29. ↑ "Norman Drew". Ireland's Saturday Night. 20 April 1957. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  30. ↑ "Norman Drew re-instated". Londonderry Sentinel. 24 April 1958. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  31. 1 2 "Drew—Bradshaw in play-off". Belfast Telegraph. Belfast, Northern Ireland. 26 September 1958. p. 19. Retrieved 21 October 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  32. ↑ Magowan, Jack (6 January 1959). "Knock golfer is candidate for U.S. trip". Belfast Telegraph. p. 10 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  33. ↑ "Professional golf gets underway – Playing for Ryder Cup places". The Times. 8 April 1959. p. 16.
  34. ↑ "Ryder Cup side completed – Thomas and Brown dispel doubts". The Times. 23 September 1959. p. 4.
  35. ↑ "P.G.A. Title for Rees". The Glasgow Herald. 11 April 1959. p. 8.
  36. ↑ "Lester and Henning tie for Spalding". The Glasgow Herald. 25 April 1959. p. 9.
  37. ↑ "Dunlop tournament's exciting finish". The Glasgow Herald. 9 May 1959. p. 9.
  38. ↑ "Narrow win by Butler". The Glasgow Herald. 25 May 1959. p. 4.
  39. 1 2 "Drew first in Dunlop tourney". Belfast Telegraph. 8 June 1959 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  40. 1 2 "Drew's First Victory In Major Event". The Glasgow Herald. 20 June 1959. p. 9.
  41. ↑ "Irish hospitals event won by Faulkner – Success by 4 strokes". The Glasgow Herald. 13 July 1959. p. 8.
  42. ↑ "Faulkner four up at finish – Alliss and Thomas in second place". The Times. 13 July 1959. p. 3.
  43. 1 2 "Professionals win at Southport – Only one Scottish success". The Glasgow Herald. 10 August 1959. p. 6.
  44. 1 2 "Drew wins Irish title". The Glasgow Herald. 17 August 1959. p. 6.
  45. ↑ Horne, Cyril (19 September 1960). "Second Masters' title for O'Connor". Glasgow Herald. p. 9.
  46. 1 2 "British Isles golfers crushed in singles – U.S. Ryder Cup putting much superior". The Times. 9 November 1959. p. 15.
  47. 1 2 Horne, Cyril (27 June 1960). "Canada Cup event ends at Portmarnock". The Glasgow Herald. pp. 1, 4.
  48. 1 2 "Americans' easy win in Canada Cup". The Glasgow Herald. 5 June 1961. p. 4.
  49. ↑ "Golf". The Glasgow Herald. 31 May 1965. p. 4.
  50. 1 2 Magowan, Jack (23 July 1966). "It's third time lucky as Drew turns the tide". Ireland's Saturday Night. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  51. ↑ "O'Connor keeps nerve to collect £700 prize". The Daily Telegraph. 4 August 1969. p. 7. Retrieved 20 October 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  52. 1 2 "Norman, a pro's pro". Belfast Telegraph. 15 August 1972. p. 17 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  53. 1 2 "Norman Drew (Bangor)". Belfast Telegraph. 24 September 1983. p. 16 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  54. ↑ "N.V. Drew for Ralston". The Glasgow Herald. 17 June 1960. p. 13.
  55. ↑ "Panton's Cutty Sark victory". The Glasgow Herald. 14 August 1964. p. 6.
  56. ↑ "Drew new pro. at Ards range". Ireland's Saturday Night. 24 September 1966. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  57. ↑ "Ernie Patterson". Ireland's Saturday Night. 3 March 1973. p. 13 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  58. ↑ "Bangor golfers get their man". Belfast Telegraph. 7 January 1983. p. 19 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  59. ↑ "Norman Drew Career Record Details Legends Tour". European Tour.
  60. ↑ "Norman Drew Tournament Results Legends Tour". European Tour.
  61. ↑ "Gordon Drew, PGA Head Professional". Donaghadee Golf Club. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  62. ↑ "Norman Drew: Northern Ireland golfing great Drew passes away at 91". BBC Sport. 13 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  63. ↑ "Norman Drew (1932 – 2023)". The PGA. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  64. ↑ Brenner, Morgan G. (2009). The Majors of Golf: Complete Results of the Open, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters, 1860-2008. Vol. 1. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3360-5.
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