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'''Gordon Alexander Caygill''' (born 24 April 1940) is an [[England|English]] professional [[golf]]er.<ref name=alliss>{{cite book |title=The Who's Who of Golf |first=Peter |last=Alliss |authorlink=Peter Alliss |publisher=[[Orbis Publishing]] |year=1983 |isbn=0-85613-520-8 |page=222}}</ref> He had considerable early success as a young professional from 1960 to 1963 but then had a lean period, partly due to a stomach ulcer. He made a comeback in 1969, winning two tournaments, and gained a place in the [[1969 Ryder Cup]] team.
'''Gordon Alexander Caygill''' (born 24 April 1940) is an [[England|English]] professional [[golf]]er. He had considerable early success as a young professional from 1960 to 1963 but then had a lean period, partly due to a stomach ulcer. He made a comeback in the late 1960s, winning two tournaments in early 1969, and gained a place in the [[1969 Ryder Cup]] team.


==Professional career==
==Professional career==
Caygill turned professional at an early age, becoming an assistant professional at West Bowling Golf Club near [[Bradford]]. He was briefly an assistant at [[Sunningdale Golf Club|Sunningdale]], during which time he won the 1960 [[British Youths Open Championship]] at Pannal Golf Club by 7 strokes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aoRAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qZsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1861%2C5207214 |title=Caygill's record aggregate |newspaper=[[Glasgow Herald]] |date=6 August 1960}}</ref> He became an assistant at Pannal in 1961 and was chosen that year by [[Henry Cotton (golfer)|Henry Cotton]] as his [[Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year|Rookie of the Year]]. In 1962 he won the British Youths Open Championship, which was again played at Pannal, for a second time, winning this time by 12 strokes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6ptAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l6MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2000,5353240 |title=Caygill youths' champion for a second time |newspaper=[[Glasgow Herald]] |date=11 August 1962}}</ref> He had more success in 1963, winning the [[Coombe Hill Assistants' Tournament]] and the [[Rediffusion Tournament]] in the same week.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w2JAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hKMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3086%2C4081066 |title=G A Caygill's victory at Selsdon Park |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |page=6 |date=27 September 1963}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xWJAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hKMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5217,4404076 |title=Victory for Caygill in play-off |newspaper=[[Glasgow Herald]] |date=30 September 1963}}</ref> In the 1964 [[Swallow-Penfold Tournament]] Caygill led [[Peter Alliss]] by 3 strokes with 5 holes to play but finished badly to drop into a tie for second place.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AGNAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mKMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3328%2C1459026 |title=Penfold and Swallow win for Alliss |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=11 May 1964 |page=5}}</ref>
Caygill turned professional at an early age, becoming an assistant professional at West Bowling Golf Club near [[Bradford]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/huddersfield-daily-examiner/133596748 |title=Conditions perfect at Pannal |newspaper=Huddersfield Daily Examiner |date=26 September 1956 |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was briefly an assistant at [[Sunningdale Golf Club|Sunningdale]], during which time he won the 1960 [[British Youths Open Championship]] at Pannal Golf Club by 7 strokes.<ref name=by1960/> He became an assistant at Pannal in 1961 and was chosen that year by [[Henry Cotton (golfer)|Henry Cotton]] as his [[Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year|Rookie of the Year]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/133583672 |title=Cdr. Roe awarded writers' trophy |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=20 December 1961 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1962 he won the British Youths Open Championship, which was again played at Pannal, for a second time, winning this time by 12 strokes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6ptAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l6MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2000,5353240 |title=Caygill youths' champion for a second time |newspaper=[[Glasgow Herald]] |date=11 August 1962}}</ref> He had more success in 1963, winning the [[Coombe Hill Assistants' Tournament]] and the [[Rediffusion Tournament]] in the same week.<ref name=chat/><ref name=rt/> In the 1964 [[Swallow-Penfold Tournament]] Caygill led [[Peter Alliss]] by 3 strokes with 5 holes to play but finished badly to drop into a tie for second place.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AGNAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mKMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3328%2C1459026 |title=Penfold and Swallow win for Alliss |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=11 May 1964 |page=5}}</ref>


After his early successes he did not win again on the circuit until 1969 having suffered with stomach ulcers.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BJtAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FaUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1701,2588161 |title=Record 66 puts Caygill three ahead |newspaper=[[Glasgow Herald]] |date=14 June 1969}}</ref> That year he won twice, first at the [[Penfold Tournament]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X9w9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=DEgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1630%2C769268 |title=Caygill wins after dispute with rival |newspaper=[[Glasgow Herald]] |date=5 May 1969}}</ref> and then again at the [[Martini International]], where he tied with South African [[Graham Henning]].<ref name=alliss/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BZtAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FaUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1584%2C2795423 |title=Caygill and Henning tie for Martini |newspaper=[[Glasgow Herald]] |date=16 June 1969}}</ref> On the back of those wins Caygill was chosen as a member of the Great Britain and Ireland [[Ryder Cup]] team in 1969, although he only played one match, partnering [[Brian Huggett]] in Friday's [[Foursome (golf)|foursomes]]. They halved their match against the American pair of [[Raymond Floyd]] and [[Miller Barber]].<ref name=alliss/>
After his early successes he did not win again on the circuit until 1969 having suffered with stomach ulcers.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BJtAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FaUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1701,2588161 |title=Record 66 puts Caygill three ahead |newspaper=[[Glasgow Herald]] |date=14 June 1969}}</ref> That year he won twice, first at the [[Penfold Tournament]],<ref name=pt/> and then again at the [[Martini International]], where he tied with South African [[Graham Henning]].<ref name=mi/> Caygill finished 8th in the points list for the Great Britain and Ireland [[1969 Ryder Cup]] team.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/133367972 |title=Gallacher nosed out by 1/2 point |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=16 July 1969 |page=14 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The leading six were chosen automatically and Caygill was one of the remaining six selected by a committee a few days later.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/133041872/ |title=Gallacher wins Ryder place |first=Pat |last=Ward-Thomas |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=21 July 1969 |page=15 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He only played one match, partnering [[Brian Huggett]] in Friday's [[Foursome (golf)|foursomes]]. They halved their match against the American pair of [[Raymond Floyd]] and [[Miller Barber]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Who's Who of Golf |first=Peter |last=Alliss |authorlink=Peter Alliss |publisher=[[Orbis Publishing]] |year=1983 |isbn=0-85613-520-8 |page=222}}</ref> He finished the season 9th in the Order of Merit.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/133367764 |title=Gallacher top |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=3 October 1969 |page=14 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>


In 1970 Caygill had his only foreign win, the [[Lusaka Dunlop Open]] on the [[Safari Circuit]], finishing two strokes of [[Craig Defoy]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5JRAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1299%2C4709122 |title=Caygill leads British sweep |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |date=24 March 1970 |page=7}}</ref> He played a limited number of events during the early years of the [[European Tour]], from 1972 to 1977. His best finish was to reach the semi-final of the 1975 [[Piccadilly Medal]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=b4tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=76QMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3002%2C2474378 |title=British golf prestige takes another knock |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=12 May 1975 |page=19}}</ref>
In 1970 Caygill had his only foreign win, the [[Lusaka Dunlop Open]] on the [[Safari Circuit]], finishing two strokes of [[Craig Defoy]].<ref name=ldo/> He played a limited number of events during the early years of the [[European Tour]], from 1972 to 1977. His best finish was to reach the semi-final of the 1975 [[Piccadilly Medal]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=b4tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=76QMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3002%2C2474378 |title=British golf prestige takes another knock |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=12 May 1975 |page=19}}</ref> Caygill finished third in the 1974 [[PGA Club Professionals' Championship]] to qualify for the [[Diamondhead Cup]], the forerunner of the PGA Cup.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6ZFAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2183%2C263646 |title='Wild' Bill is champion |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=3 June 1974 |page=5}}</ref> Caygill made 14 appearances in the [[Open Championship]] between 1962 and 1977, making the cut six times.<ref name="Brenner"/>


In 1981 Caygill was fined £500 and suspended by the [[Professional Golfers' Association (Great Britain and Ireland)|PGA]] following an incident the previous October at the Wansbeck Classic, a pro-am event.<ref name=alliss/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Dyg-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=4EoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3840,733127 |title=Alex Caygill is suspended |newspaper=[[Evening Times]] |date=7 January 1981}}</ref>
Caygill became the professional at Cleckheaton Golf Club in the mid-1960s, leaving in 1973 to join the Pleasington club in Lancashire.<ref name=lc1973/> He later moved to the Crimple Valley club, near [[Harrogate]] and later to Branshaw.<ref name=ypc1978/><ref name=fine/> In 1981 Caygill was fined £500 and suspended by the [[Professional Golfers' Association (Great Britain and Ireland)|PGA]] following an incident the previous October at the Wansbeck Classic, a pro-am event.<ref name=fine>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Dyg-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=4EoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3840,733127 |title=Alex Caygill is suspended |newspaper=[[Evening Times]] |date=7 January 1981}}</ref>


==Professional wins (13)==
==Professional wins (20)==
===Major British PGA circuit wins (3)===
===Great Britain and Ireland wins (6)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br />victory!!Runner(s)-up
!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br />victory!!Runner(s)-up!!Ref.
|-
|5 Aug 1960
⚫
|[[British Youths Open Championship]]
|66-71-71-71=279
|7 strokes
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Campbell Brownlee]] (a)
|<ref name=by1960>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aoRAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1861%2C5207214 |title=Caygill's record aggregate |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=6 August 1960 |page=5}}</ref>
|-
|10 Aug 1962
⚫
|[[British Youths Open Championship]]
|74-73-72-68=287
|12 strokes
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Cliff Bowman]] (a)
|<ref name=by1962>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6ptAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2000,5353240 |title=Caygill youths' champion for a second time |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=11 August 1962 |page=5}}</ref>
|-
|26 Sep 1963
⚫
|[[Coombe Hill Assistants' Tournament]]
|71-76-69=216
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Malcolm Gregson]], {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Tony Jacklin]]
|<ref name=chat>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w2JAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3086%2C4081066 |title=G A Caygill's victory at Selsdon Park |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=6 |date=27 September 1963}}</ref>
|-
|-
|align=center|1
|29 Sep 1963
|29 Sep 1963
|[[Rediffusion Tournament]]
|[[Rediffusion Tournament]]
|70-68-66-67=271
|70-68-66-67=271
|Playoff
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Flory Van Donck]], {{flagicon|ENG}} [[David Snell (golfer)|David Snell]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[David Snell (golfer)|David Snell]], {{flagicon|BEL}} [[Flory Van Donck]]
|<ref name=rt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xWJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5217,4404076 |title=Victory for Caygill in play-off |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=30 September 1963 |page=4}}</ref>
|-
|-
|align=center|2
|3 May 1969
|3 May 1969
|[[Penfold Tournament]]
|[[Penfold Tournament]]
Line 79: Line 99:
|2 strokes
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Christy O'Connor Snr]]
|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Christy O'Connor Snr]]
|<ref name=pt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X9w9AAAAIBAJ&pg=1630%2C769268 |title=Caygill wins after dispute with rival |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=5 May 1969 |page=15}}</ref>
|-
|-
|align=center|3
|14 Jun 1969
|14 Jun 1969
|[[Martini International]]
|[[Martini International]]
Line 86: Line 106:
|Tie
|Tie
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1928}} [[Graham Henning]]
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1928}} [[Graham Henning]]
|<ref name=mi>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BZtAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1584%2C2795423 |title=Caygill and Henning tie for Martini |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=16 June 1969 |page=5}}</ref>
|}
|}


===Safari Circuit wins (1)===
===Safari circuit wins (1)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br />victory!!Runner-up
!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br />victory!!Runner-up!!Ref
|-
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|22 Mar 1970
|align=right|22 Mar 1970
|[[Lusaka Dunlop Open]]
|[[Lusaka Dunlop Open]]
Line 98: Line 118:
|2 strokes
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Craig Defoy]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Craig Defoy]]
|<ref name=ldo>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5JRAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1299%2C4709122 |title=Caygill leads British sweep |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=24 March 1970 |page=7}}</ref>
|}
|}


===Other wins (9)===
===Other wins (13)===
*1961 Yorkshire Professional Championship<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/133584830 |title=Caygill's double success |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=20 May 1961 |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
:''This list may be incomplete''
*1963 [[Northern Professional Championship]] (incorporating the [[Leeds Cup]])<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-post/104584577 |title=Northern title for Caygill |newspaper=[[Birmingham Post]] |date=3 August 1963 |page=9 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/104692740 |title=Mr. Arthur Hill |newspaper=[[Liverpool Echo]] |date=18 July 1963 |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
⚫
*1960 [[British Youths Open Championship]]
*1964 Yorkshire Professional Championship,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/huddersfield-daily-examiner/133584583 |title=Caygill wins title by Muscroft sets new record |newspaper=[[Huddersfield Daily Examiner]] |date=13 August 1964 |page=9 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> [[Ryder Cup Reunion Foursomes Tournament]] (with [[Ken Bousfield]])<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/133472537 |title=Bousfield and Caygill win by two strokes |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=14 September 1964 |page=14 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
⚫
*1962 [[British Youths Open Championship]]
*1966 Yorkshire Professional Championship,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mail/133585033 |title='Steady golf' earns Alex Caygill third pro. title |newspaper=[[Hull Daily Mail]] |date=16 June 1966 |page=14 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> [[Gleneagles Hotel Foursomes Tournament]] (with [[Bernard Cawthray]])<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Z-E9AAAAIBAJ&pg=2823%2C4866848 |title=Cotton's challenge ends gallantly |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=11 |date=29 October 1966}}</ref>
⚫
*1963 [[Coombe Hill Assistants' Tournament]], [[Northern Professional Championship]]
*1967 [[Leeds Cup]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/104630145 |title=Caygill does it |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |page=11 |date=29 July 1967 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
*1964 [[Northern Professional Championship]]
*1971 Yorkshire Open<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/133585177 |title=Caygill's title at last |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=15 July 1971 |page=21 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
*1966 [[Gleneagles Hotel Foursomes Tournament]] (with [[Bernard Cawthray]])
*1973 [[Leeds Cup]],<ref name=lc1973>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/104642820 |title=Caygill leaves Yorks in style |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |page=21 |date=5 May 1973 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Lancashire Open<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-daily-post-merseyside-ed/133584451 |title=Caygill completes double |first=Bill |last=Johnson |newspaper=[[Liverpool Daily Post]] |date=8 September 1973 |page=18 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
*1973 Lancashire Open<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pga.info/News/40882127.htm |title=Lancs Open goes regional |work=[[Professional Golfers' Association (Great Britain and Ireland)]] |date=17 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707120657/http://www.pga.info/News/40882127.htm |archivedate=7 July 2011 }}</ref>
*1974 [[Northern Professional Championship]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/104574641 |title=Caygill beats Platts in play-off |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=19 June 1974 |page=25 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
*1974 [[Northern Professional Championship]]
*1978 Sunningdale Foursomes (with Julia Greenhalgh)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qBc-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=KUoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5343,5866562 |title=Second chance for Sandy? |newspaper=[[Glasgow Herald]] |date=24 March 1978}}</ref>
*1978 [[Sunningdale Foursomes]] (with [[Julia Greenhalgh]]),<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qBc-AAAAIBAJ&pg=5343,5866562 |title=Second chance for Sandy? |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=24 March 1978}}</ref> Yorkshire Professional Championship<ref name=ypc1978>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/huddersfield-daily-examiner/133585072 |title=Bickerdike does his first hole in one |first=Geoff |last=Cockin |newspaper=[[Huddersfield Daily Examiner]] |date=10 May 1978 |page=13 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>


==Results in major championships==
==Results in major championships==
Line 160: Line 181:
CUT = missed the half-way cut<br />
CUT = missed the half-way cut<br />
"T" indicates a tie for a place
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Source:<ref name="Brenner">{{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}}</ref>


==Team appearances==
==Team appearances==
*[[Ryder Cup]] (representing Great Britain and Ireland): [[1969 Ryder Cup|1969]] (tie)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://2014rcmediaguide.com/2014RyderCupMediaGuide/ |title=2014 Ryder Cup Media and Players' Guide |accessdate=September 30, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006074322/http://2014rcmediaguide.com/2014RyderCupMediaGuide/ |archivedate=October 6, 2014 }}</ref>
*[[Ryder Cup]] (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1969 (tie)
*[[Diamondhead Cup]] (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1974
*[[Diamondhead Cup]] (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1974<ref name=dhc>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pGM_AAAAIBAJ&pg=6321%2C42188 |title=Jamieson only British winner |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=1 November 1974 |page=4}}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 16:36, 17 October 2023

Alex Caygill
Personal information
Full nameGordon Alexander Caygill
Born (1940-04-24) 24 April 1940 (age 84)
Appleby-in-Westmorland, England
Sporting nationality England
Career
StatusProfessional
Former tour(s)European Tour
Professional wins20
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenDNP
The Open ChampionshipT16: 1966
Achievements and awards
Sir Henry Cotton
Rookie of the Year		1961

Gordon Alexander Caygill (born 24 April 1940) is an English professional golfer. He had considerable early success as a young professional from 1960 to 1963 but then had a lean period, partly due to a stomach ulcer. He made a comeback in the late 1960s, winning two tournaments in early 1969, and gained a place in the 1969 Ryder Cup team.

Professional career[edit]

Caygill turned professional at an early age, becoming an assistant professional at West Bowling Golf Club near Bradford.[1] He was briefly an assistant at Sunningdale, during which time he won the 1960 British Youths Open Championship at Pannal Golf Club by 7 strokes.[2] He became an assistant at Pannal in 1961 and was chosen that year by Henry Cotton as his Rookie of the Year.[3] In 1962 he won the British Youths Open Championship, which was again played at Pannal, for a second time, winning this time by 12 strokes.[4] He had more success in 1963, winning the Coombe Hill Assistants' Tournament and the Rediffusion Tournament in the same week.[5][6] In the 1964 Swallow-Penfold Tournament Caygill led Peter Alliss by 3 strokes with 5 holes to play but finished badly to drop into a tie for second place.[7]

After his early successes he did not win again on the circuit until 1969 having suffered with stomach ulcers.[8] That year he won twice, first at the Penfold Tournament,[9] and then again at the Martini International, where he tied with South African Graham Henning.[10] Caygill finished 8th in the points list for the Great Britain and Ireland 1969 Ryder Cup team.[11] The leading six were chosen automatically and Caygill was one of the remaining six selected by a committee a few days later.[12] He only played one match, partnering Brian Huggett in Friday's foursomes. They halved their match against the American pair of Raymond Floyd and Miller Barber.[13] He finished the season 9th in the Order of Merit.[14]

In 1970 Caygill had his only foreign win, the Lusaka Dunlop Open on the Safari Circuit, finishing two strokes of Craig Defoy.[15] He played a limited number of events during the early years of the European Tour, from 1972 to 1977. His best finish was to reach the semi-final of the 1975 Piccadilly Medal.[16] Caygill finished third in the 1974 PGA Club Professionals' Championship to qualify for the Diamondhead Cup, the forerunner of the PGA Cup.[17] Caygill made 14 appearances in the Open Championship between 1962 and 1977, making the cut six times.[18]

Caygill became the professional at Cleckheaton Golf Club in the mid-1960s, leaving in 1973 to join the Pleasington club in Lancashire.[19] He later moved to the Crimple Valley club, near Harrogate and later to Branshaw.[20][21] In 1981 Caygill was fined £500 and suspended by the PGA following an incident the previous October at the Wansbeck Classic, a pro-am event.[21]

Professional wins (20)[edit]

Great Britain and Ireland wins (6)[edit]

Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up Ref.
5 Aug 1960 British Youths Open Championship 66-71-71-71=279 7 strokes Scotland Campbell Brownlee (a) [2]
10 Aug 1962 British Youths Open Championship 74-73-72-68=287 12 strokes England Cliff Bowman (a) [22]
26 Sep 1963 Coombe Hill Assistants' Tournament 71-76-69=216 2 strokes England Malcolm Gregson, England Tony Jacklin [5]
29 Sep 1963 Rediffusion Tournament 70-68-66-67=271 Playoff England David Snell, Belgium Flory Van Donck [6]
3 May 1969 Penfold Tournament 67-70-70-71=278 2 strokes Republic of Ireland Christy O'Connor Snr [9]
14 Jun 1969 Martini International 70-66-77-69=282 Tie South Africa Graham Henning [10]

Safari circuit wins (1)[edit]

Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner-up Ref
22 Mar 1970 Lusaka Dunlop Open −7 (70-68-73-74=285) 2 strokes Wales Craig Defoy [15]

Other wins (13)[edit]

Results in major championships[edit]

Tournament 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
The Open Championship CUT CUT T17 CUT T16 CUT T24 T25
Tournament 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
The Open Championship T41 CUT CUT CUT T63 CUT

Note: Caygill only played in The Open Championship.

  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Source:[18]

Team appearances[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Conditions perfect at Pannal". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 26 September 1956. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "Caygill's record aggregate". The Glasgow Herald. 6 August 1960. p. 5.
  3. ^ "Cdr. Roe awarded writers' trophy". The Daily Telegraph. 20 December 1961. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Caygill youths' champion for a second time". Glasgow Herald. 11 August 1962.
  5. ^ a b "G A Caygill's victory at Selsdon Park". The Glasgow Herald. 27 September 1963. p. 6.
  6. ^ a b "Victory for Caygill in play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 30 September 1963. p. 4.
  7. ^ "Penfold and Swallow win for Alliss". The Glasgow Herald. 11 May 1964. p. 5.
  8. ^ "Record 66 puts Caygill three ahead". Glasgow Herald. 14 June 1969.
  9. ^ a b "Caygill wins after dispute with rival". The Glasgow Herald. 5 May 1969. p. 15.
  10. ^ a b "Caygill and Henning tie for Martini". The Glasgow Herald. 16 June 1969. p. 5.
  11. ^ "Gallacher nosed out by 1/2 point". The Daily Telegraph. 16 July 1969. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Ward-Thomas, Pat (21 July 1969). "Gallacher wins Ryder place". The Guardian. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Alliss, Peter (1983). The Who's Who of Golf. Orbis Publishing. p. 222. ISBN 0-85613-520-8.
  14. ^ "Gallacher top". The Daily Telegraph. 3 October 1969. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b "Caygill leads British sweep". The Glasgow Herald. 24 March 1970. p. 7.
  16. ^ "British golf prestige takes another knock". The Glasgow Herald. 12 May 1975. p. 19.
  17. ^ "'Wild' Bill is champion". The Glasgow Herald. 3 June 1974. p. 5.
  18. ^ a b 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.
  19. ^ a b "Caygill leaves Yorks in style". The Guardian. 5 May 1973. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ a b Cockin, Geoff (10 May 1978). "Bickerdike does his first hole in one". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ a b "Alex Caygill is suspended". Evening Times. 7 January 1981.
  22. ^ "Caygill youths' champion for a second time". The Glasgow Herald. 11 August 1962. p. 5.
  23. ^ "Caygill's double success". The Guardian. 20 May 1961. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Northern title for Caygill". Birmingham Post. 3 August 1963. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Mr. Arthur Hill". Liverpool Echo. 18 July 1963. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Caygill wins title by Muscroft sets new record". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 13 August 1964. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Bousfield and Caygill win by two strokes". The Guardian. 14 September 1964. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "'Steady golf' earns Alex Caygill third pro. title". Hull Daily Mail. 16 June 1966. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Cotton's challenge ends gallantly". The Glasgow Herald. 29 October 1966. p. 11.
  30. ^ "Caygill does it". The Guardian. 29 July 1967. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "Caygill's title at last". The Guardian. 15 July 1971. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ Johnson, Bill (8 September 1973). "Caygill completes double". Liverpool Daily Post. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Caygill beats Platts in play-off". The Guardian. 19 June 1974. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Second chance for Sandy?". The Glasgow Herald. 24 March 1978.
  35. ^ "2014 Ryder Cup Media and Players' Guide". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  36. ^ "Jamieson only British winner". The Glasgow Herald. 1 November 1974. p. 4.

External links[edit]

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