User:Ggliddy34/George Von Elm

George Von Elm (Gix) (March 20, 1901 – May 1, 1961) was one of Utah's greatest amateur golfers, and in the early 1960s was named Utah Golfer of the Century. During the period 1924 to 1931, Von Elm was one of the best players in the world.

Early years
Von Elm was born in Salt Lake City on March 20, 1901, to Jacob H. and Marie Demmer Von Elm. He began his golf career as a caddy on the old Salt Lake Country Club course. He attended West High School (Utah), where he was an outstanding athlete. While a high school senior, he won the first of many golf tournaments, the 1917 Utah Amateur. He won the Utah Amateur again in 1920 and 1921. His golf skills developed quickly, and soon he was seeking competition outside the state.

First significant titles, peak form 1924-31
In 1919 he won the Pacific Northwest Men's Amateur Championship in a final round that pitted the young Utahn against veteran Chandler Egan in what was described by the Salt Lake Tribune as "one of the most sensational matches in the history of northwest golf." He repeated as winner of that tournament the following year. He captured the 1920 Trans-Mississippi Amateur title, and lost in the finals of that event the next year.

Von Elm settled in the Los Angeles area in the early 1920s. He won the Southern California Amateur Championship three times: 1922, 1925, and 1927. This is a prestigious event which always attracts a strong field. Von Elm won the 1925 Northern California Amateur title, and the 1925 California Amateur (played at Pebble Beach Golf Links).

In the 1920s amateur golf was in its heyday, with famous players such as Bobby Jones, Chick Evans, and Francis Ouimet. Von Elm's duels with Jones became legendary. In 1924 Von Elm surprised the top golfers by finishing the U.S. Amateur Championship (golf) as runner-up to Jones. The following year Jones eliminated Von Elm in the semifinals. But Von Elm persisted, and in 1926 succeeded in defeating Jones, who had already won the British Open and the U.S. Open that year, to collect the U.S. Amateur title in September over the Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield Township, New Jersey. A record-breaking crowd of 10,000 erupted with cheers as, in the words of an Associated Press reporter, "The monarch of golf was toppled from his amateur throne...by flaxen-haired George Von Elm...in one of the most stunning upsets of links history." The win capped a superb golf year for Von Elm. Earlier he had played a key role in the American defeat of the British in Walker Cup competition, and had tied for third in the British Open with the famous professional Walter Hagen. Von Elm made two more appearances for his country in the Walker Cup, in 1928 and 1930; he was on the winning U.S. team all three times.

Von Elm's most sensational result was as runner-up to pro Billy Burke in the 1931 U.S. Open, after a playoff which stretched to 72 holes, following the 72 holes of the event itself. This remains the longest playoff in the history of golf. The playoff was set originally for 36 holes, but Burke and Von Elm tied again. Burke eventually won by one stroke at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.

Golf professional, architect
In the early 1930s Von Elm turned professional, calling himself a 'businessman golfer', and made a career out of his athletic prowess. This was an unusual designation, not followed by any other top amateur players. As a pro he played out of the Los Angeles area, and won some big-money tournaments, including the 1936 Southern California Open. He also ran a successful non-golf business, which generated enough money to fund his amateur golf career during the 1920s.

From 1957 to 1960 he was the professional at the Blackfoot, Idaho, golf course. Later he moved to Pocatello, Idaho, where he directed the design and construction of golf courses in suburban Alameda and at the Sun Valley resort.

Family, death
Von Elm was married twice, first to Marcella Rodgers and after her death to Billie Dunn. He died in Pocatello on May 1, 1961.

Tournament wins

 * this list may be incomplete


 * 1917 Utah Amateur
 * 1919 Pacific Northwest Men's Amateur
 * 1920 Pacific Northwest Men's Amateur
 * 1920 Trans-Mississippi Amateur
 * 1920 Utah Amateur
 * 1921 Utah Amateur
 * 1922 Southern California Amateur Championship
 * 1925 Southern California Amateur Championship
 * 1925 Northern California Amateur Championship
 * 1925 California Amateur Championship
 * 1926 U.S. Amateur
 * 1927 Southern California Amateur Championship
 * 1930 French Amateur Championship
 * 1936 Southern California Open

Results timeline
LA = Low Amateur NYF = Tournament not yet founded NT = No tournament DNP = Did not play CUT = missed the half-way cut DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play "T" indicates a tie for a place Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10