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Willie Fernie

Scotland · born , St Andrews, Scotland · died

1major championship

Summary

  • First major 1883 The Open
  • Runner-up in majors 4 times

Wins

  1. 1883 The Open Musselburgh Links (9-hole) · 158 · won a playoff against Bob Ferguson

Near misses

  1. 1873 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T9 · 194
  2. 1879 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T8 · 181
  3. 1881 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · finished 8 · 183
  4. 1882 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · runner-up to Bob Ferguson · 174
  5. 1884 The Open Prestwick Golf Club · runner-up to Jack Simpson · 164
  6. 1885 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T4 · 174
  7. 1886 The Open Musselburgh Links (9-hole) · finished T8 · 162
  8. 1887 The Open Prestwick Golf Club · finished T7 · 173
  9. 1889 The Open Musselburgh Links (9-hole) · finished 6 · 164
  10. 1890 The Open Prestwick Golf Club · runner-up to John Ball · 167
  11. 1891 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · runner-up to Hugh Kirkaldy · 168
  12. 1892 The Open Muirfield · finished 8 · 316
  13. 1894 The Open Royal St George's Golf Club · finished T5 · 334
  14. 1895 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T6 · 337
  15. 1896 The Open Muirfield · finished T3 · 319
  16. 1898 The Open Prestwick Golf Club · finished 7 · 318
  17. 1899 The Open Royal St George's Golf Club · finished T5 · 322

Rivals

Beat him

Beaten in finals and playoffs

Next in the chain: Bob Ferguson's rivals →

Moments

  1. 1883 Open Fernie took 10 at the 2nd in his final loop (long grass, a sand hole, a bunker and a whin bush) and still won.
  2. 1883 Open In the first play-off actually contested, Fernie made 2 at the last hole to Ferguson's 4 and won by one, ending Ferguson's bid for four in a row.

Results by championship

    Best day

    1883 The Open

    Musselburgh Links (9-hole) · 158 · won a playoff against Bob Ferguson (Fernie 158 (81-77); Ferguson 159 (82-77))

    Fernie took 10 at the 2nd in his final loop (long grass, a sand hole, a bunker and a whin bush) and still won.

    In the first play-off actually contested, Fernie made 2 at the last hole to Ferguson's 4 and won by one, ending Ferguson's bid for four in a row.

    Chosen by rule: his most recent major win. Year page: 1883.

    Career line, 1873–1899

    The Open
    1873 The Open: finished T91879 The Open: finished T81881 The Open: finished 81882 The Open: runner-up to Bob Ferguson1883 The Open: won1884 The Open: runner-up to Jack Simpson1885 The Open: finished T41886 The Open: finished T81887 The Open: finished T71889 The Open: finished 61890 The Open: runner-up to John Ball1891 The Open: runner-up to Hugh Kirkaldy1892 The Open: finished 81894 The Open: finished T51895 The Open: finished T61896 The Open: finished T31898 The Open: finished 71899 The Open: finished T5
    188018901900

    18 results. Hover or tap a mark; click it for the year.

    • Major win
    • Runner-up
    • Top 10

    Willie Fernie was born on May 7, 1855, in St Andrews, Scotland. Fernie won one major championship: the 1883 Open.

    See Willie Fernie in our rooms: The Open and Every Ground.

    Cards you pull this visit stack here. Tap one to go back to it.

    The record

    Wins in the majors (1)

    1. 1883 The Open Musselburgh Links (9-hole) · 158 · won a playoff against Bob Ferguson (Fernie 158 (81-77); Ferguson 159 (82-77))

    Near misses

    Top-10 finishes are listed for The Open, the one championship with a full top 10 every year.

    1. 1873 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T9 · 194
    2. 1879 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T8 · 181
    3. 1881 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · finished 8 · 183
    4. 1882 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · runner-up to Bob Ferguson · 174
    5. 1884 The Open Prestwick Golf Club · runner-up to Jack Simpson · 164
    6. 1885 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T4 · 174
    7. 1886 The Open Musselburgh Links (9-hole) · finished T8 · 162
    8. 1887 The Open Prestwick Golf Club · finished T7 · 173
    9. 1889 The Open Musselburgh Links (9-hole) · finished 6 · 164
    10. 1890 The Open Prestwick Golf Club · runner-up to John Ball · 167
    11. 1891 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · runner-up to Hugh Kirkaldy · 168
    12. 1892 The Open Muirfield · finished 8 · 316
    13. 1894 The Open Royal St George's Golf Club · finished T5 · 334
    14. 1895 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T6 · 337
    15. 1896 The Open Muirfield · finished T3 · 319
    16. 1898 The Open Prestwick Golf Club · finished 7 · 318
    17. 1899 The Open Royal St George's Golf Club · finished T5 · 322

    Sources

    Every fact on this page comes from Golf Network News data sets compiled in October 2026 (Masters, PGA Championship, The Open, U.S. Women's Open, Ryder Cup, PGA Tour 2024–2026, major host sites, Champions Dinner menus, and the U.S. Open and state rooms). These are the sources those rows cite.

    1. Golf Compendium
    2. R&A player
    3. R&A 1883
    4. GC 1883
    5. R&A 1873
    6. R&A 1879
    7. R&A 1881
    8. R&A 1885
    9. R&A 1886
    10. R&A 1887
    11. Golf Compendium 1887
    12. R&A 1889
    13. R&A 1892
    14. R&A 1894
    15. Golf Compendium 1894
    16. R&A 1895
    17. R&A 1896
    18. R&A 1898
    19. Golf Compendium 1898
    20. R&A 1899