George Seymour Lyon
Category: Amateur Golfer
Inducted: 1971
Born: July 27, 1858
Place of Birth: Richmond, Ontario
Died: May 11, 1938
George Lyon didn’t take up the game of golf until he was 38 years old, but that didn’t stop him from honing his skills to become one of Canada’s greatest champions. Lyon won the gold medal for golf at the 1904 Olympics at 46 years old and celebrated his victory by walking through the clubhouse on his hands. He captured eight Canadian Amateur Championships and was runner-up in both the U.S. Amateur and Canadian Open. Later, when he was still an active and championship-winning senior golfer; Lyon founded the Canadian Seniors’ Golf Association and was elected president of the RCGA in 1923.
International:
- 1904 Olympic Golf Championship
- Winner of North American Seniors Golf Championship: 1923, 1931-1932
National:
- Canadian Amateur Champion:1898, 1900, 1903, 1905-06-07, 1912, 1914
- Canadian Senior’s Golf Association Champion: 1918-1923, 1925-1926, 1928, 1930
Other Items of Note:
- President of the Royal Canadian Golf Association in 1923.
- George Lyon started playing golf at the age of 37. He won his first Canadian Amateur Championship three years later.
- Captain of the Lambton Golf Club for 23 years.
- 1910 Runner-Up Canadian Open
- 1906 Runner-up United States Amateur Championship
- His other athletic accomplishments included pole vaulting, football , baseball, tennis, curling and cricket.
Awards:
Resources:
Photos of George Lyon from our collection.