Tony Coop

Coop was an assistant professional at Hesketh Golf Club before becoming the professional at Dean Wood Golf Club in Up Holland in about 1954. He retired in 1999, after 45 years at the club.

In September 1965, Coop won the Rediffusion Tournament at La Moye Golf Club in Jersey. Coop and Guy Wolstenholme were joint leaders entering the final round. In the final round, Denis Hutchinson came home with a 32 to record a 65 and overtake Peter Thomson, who also had a final round 65, for the clubhouse lead. Coop then birdied the final hole to beat Hutchinson by a shot. Bill Large needed a birdie at the last hole to tie with Coop but could only manage a par, to tie with Hutchinson. Coop won the first prize of £500.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105864079 |title=Peter Thomson two strokes short |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=40 |issue=11272 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=28 September 1965 |access-date=19 October 2021 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}} The previous week, he had finished tied for 5th place in the Dunlop Masters at Portmarnock despite a last round 75. He finished six strokes behind Bernard Hunt who won the £1,500 first prize.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=e2xAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6108%2C3314427 |title=Masters title for B. J. Hunt |first=Raymond |last=Jacobs |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=8 |date=20 September 1965}} The following month, Coop was tied for 4th in the Piccadilly Medal, played on the East course at Wentworth.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7HVDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6159%2C2048314 |title=Wentworth victory for Butler |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=6 |date=13 October 1965}} The next week, Coop was runner-up in the Gleneagles Hotel Foursomes Tournament, a pro-am tournament played at the Gleneagles Hotel. Playing with Ben Crabtree, they lost the final to Brian Huggett and Michael Burgess.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9XVDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1745%2C3905336 |title=Gleneagles Hotel foursomes – Victory For Burgess and Huggett in final |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=5 |date=23 October 1965}}

Coop was a regular competitor in the Open Championship, playing in 11 championships between 1955 and 1968. His best finish was 13th place in 1961. The final 36 holes were delayed by a day because of rain. Coop had rounds of 73 and 74 to finish 13 strokes behind Arnold Palmer.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MTM1AAAAIBAJ&pg=1792%2C2202377 |title=Open Championship won by Palmer |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=8 |date=17 July 1961}} In 1958, he was tied for 7th place at the start of the final day but two rounds of 75 dropped him down into a tie for 20th.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ghY1AAAAIBAJ&pg=1844%2C559446 |title=O'Connor's halfway lead of one stroke |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=4 |date=4 July 1958}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gxY1AAAAIBAJ&pg=6266%2C786615 |title=Play-off to-day at Royal Lytham |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=5 |date=5 July 1958}} In 1964, he was tied for 8th at the start of the final day but two rounds of 76 left him in a tie for 24th place.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I2RAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4123%2C1353658 |work=The Glasgow Herald |last=Jacobs |first=Raymond |title=Lema's magnificent round of 68 |date=10 July 1964 |page=1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JGRAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4336%2C1536220 |work=The Glasgow Herald |last=Jacobs |first=Raymond |title=Lema champion at first attempt |date=11 July 1964 |page=1}}

Coop died on 12 August 2021, at the age of 87. He was married with three children. His son Andrew also became a professional golfer.[https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/search-results United Kingdom Probate Search: Coop, Antony Bertram]

• 1958 Northern Professional Championship{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87362629/the-guardian/ |title=Fallon beaten by Coop after Northern play-off |newspaper=The Guardian |date=30 May 1958 |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com}}
• 1965 Rediffusion Tournament,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gWxAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6018%2C4514236 |title=First major victory for A B Coop |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=8 |date=27 September 1965}} Leeds Cup

Note: Coop only played in The Open Championship.

{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}

CUT = missed the half-way cut

"T" indicates a tie for a place

Source:{{cite book |title=The Majors of Golf: Complete Results of the Open, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters, 1860-2008 |volume=1 |first=Morgan G. |last=Brenner |year=2009 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-3360-5}}

{{reflist}}

• {{EuroTour player|2413}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coop, Tony}}

Category:English male golfers

Category:Sportspeople from Wigan

Category:1934 births

Category:2021 deaths