Charlie Murray

Charles Richard Murray (27 August 1882 – 23 June 1938) was a Canadian professional golfer who played in the late 19th century and early 20th century. His best finish in a major championship was ninth in the 1912 U.S. Open. Murray was a 9-time winner of the Quebec Open.

Murray won the Canadian Open twice, in 1906 and 1911, and won the inaugural Canadian PGA Championship in 1912. Murray and his brother Albert were co-founders of the PGA of Canada in 1911. In 1971 he was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Charlie Murray was born in Nottingham, England, on 27 August 1882. At the age of six, he emigrated with his family to Canada. As a young lad in the early 1890s he caddied at the Toronto Golf Club where he learned the finer points of club-making and other skills necessary to be a professional golfer. He showed early promise as a player with great potential and was apprenticed under the watchful eye of George Cumming. Under Cumming’s tutelage, Murray learned, in addition to club-making skills, the fundamentals of golf as both a player and teacher.

After two years as an assistant under Cumming, he was appointed as head professional in 1902 at the Toronto Golf Club. Thereafter he spent two years at Westmount Golf Club in Montreal before moving on to Royal Montreal Golf Club in 1905 where he would remain for the next 33 years. In 1924 he accepted a post at Gulf Stream Golf Club in Delray Beach, Florida, and for ten years thereafter would spend his winters in Florida and return to Royal Montreal in the summers. In addition to nine victories in the Quebec Open, Murray also won the Canadian Open twice—in 1906 and again in 1911—as well as the inaugural 1912 Canadian PGA Championship.

Golf course architecture

Murray did some golf course architecture with his brother Albert. Courses they collaborated on include the Kanawaki Golf Club, Montreal Municipal (Yellow Course) and the Whitlock Golf and Country Club. Charlie also made some alterations to toughen up the Royal Montreal old Dixie course at Dorval in preparation for the 1926 Canadian Open.

1912 U.S. Open

The 1912 U.S. Open was the 18th U.S. Open, held August 1–2 at the Country Club of Buffalo in Amherst, New York, a suburb east of Buffalo. Murray finished alone in ninth place, shooting rounds of 75-78-77-76=306, and won $40 in prize money. John McDermott won the tournament.

Quebec Open

Murray won the Quebec Open nine times between 1909 and 1924. The tournament was not played from 1915–1919 due to World War I.

Murray died on 23 June 1938, aged 55, at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal following an operation to correct a stomach ailment (cancer). The direct cause of death was a pulmonary embolism. He was survived by his wife Barbara and three sons—Kenneth, Gordon and Howard—and a brother, Albert, who was also a Canadian golf hall of famer.

Upon his death it was reported, “the Royal and Ancient pastime suffers an irreparable loss”. He was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 1971 and was a founding member of the PGA of Canada in 1911. Murray was inducted into the PGA of Canada Hall of Fame in 2014.

Charlie Murray (right) sitting with his younger brother Albert (left) in 1903

Charlie Murray at Royal Montreal Golf Club, c.  1912

Note: This list may be incomplete.

• 1906 Canadian Open
• 1911 Canadian Open
• 1912 Canadian PGA Championship
• 1933 Quebec Golf Association Spring Open
• Quebec Open (9-time winner)

Note: Murray played only in the U.S. Open.

T = Tied for a place
? = Unknown
Yellow background for top-10

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