Willingdon Cup

Awarded to the winning Interprovincial Team at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship

Willingdon Cup

The Interprovincial Challenge Cup, also known as the Willingdon Cup was donated by the Governor General of Canada to be awarded to the best inter-provincial men’s team.  This cup has been awarded annually to the best provincial team that competes during the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, however this is not the original trophy awarded for this purpose.

The first of Canada’s interprovincial matches were in no way interprovincial as the tournament was played between Ontario and Quebec RCGA member clubs.  The first year, Toronto, Brantford, and Niagara players travelled to Montreal to play Royal Montreal, with each province providing a team of nine players. Although the event was first held in 1882, the tournament was not held yearly, and ended abruptly in 1887.

Then after a lapse of four years, Ontario and Quebec attempted to ignite the matches starting in 1892.  This was due in part to the founding of Royal Ottawa Golf Club and the second site of the Kingston Golf Club.  Team sizes ranged upwards of 20 a side, to as little as four.  In the final year, Manitoba and Alberta had entered a team.  Unfortunately, the matches were discontinued in 1921 due to the cost of sending players yearly to the Canadian Amateur.

The interprovincial matches were revived in 1927 due in part to the R&A revising the rules of amateur status to allow for the travel expenses of players to be funded without penalty.  This rule change as well as the founding of provincial golf associations, which included a cost sharing plan for the travel of players, allowed for the interprovincial matches to be successful.

The Governor General, Lord Willingdon, presented a cup to be awarded to the top team hence, the trophy and the matches became known as the Willingdon Cup matches. The cup is sterling silver and is marked:

Interprovincial Challenge Cup

Presented by his Excellency

Viscount Willingdon GCSI, GCIE, GBE, GCMG

Governor General of Canada

1927

In 1927, only three teams were sent to compete.  In 1928, five provincial teams and in 1929, six teams.

In 2016, Newfoundland won the Willingdon Cup for the first time in the history of the event.

Willingdon Cup Winning Teams:

1927     Quebec

1928     Ontario (Maritimes participated as single team)

1929     Ontario

1930     Quebec

1931     Ontario

1932     Ontario

1933     British Columbia

1934     British Columbia

1935     Ontario

1936     British Columbia

1937     Quebec

1938     Ontario*

1939     Ontario

1940-1945   No matches played/Pas de matchs

1946     Ontario

1947     Ontario

1948     British Columbia

1949     Ontario

1951     Ontario

1952     British Columbia

1953     Ontario

1954     British Columbia

1955     British Columbia

1956     Ontario

1957     British Columbia

1958     Ontario

1959     British Columba

1960     Alberta*

1961     British Columbia

1962     Ontario

1963     Alberta

2022 Willingdon Cup Quebec Team

 

1964     Saskatchewan

1965     Alberta

1966     Alberta

1967     British Columbia

1968     Ontario

1969     Ontario

1970     Ontario

1971     British Columbia

1972     British Columbia

1973     British Columba

1974     Manitoba

1975     British Columba

1976     British Columbia

1977     Ontario

1978     Ontario

1979     British Columbia

1980     Quebec

1981     Ontario

1982     British Columbia

1983     British Columbia

1984     Ontario

1985     Alberta

1986     Alberta

1987     British Columbia

1988     Alberta

1989     British Columbia

1990     Ontario

1991     Quebec*

1992     Ontario

1993     Alberta

1994     Ontario

1995     Manitoba

 

 1996     Manitoba

1997     Quebec

1998     Ontario

1999     Alberta

2000     Alberta

2001     Nova Scotia

2002     Alberta

2003     Ontario

2004     Quebec

2005     Alberta

2006     Alberta

2007     Alberta

2008     Alberta

2009     Ontario

2010     British Columbia

2011     Ontario

2012     Ontario

2013     British Columbia

2014     Ontario

2015     British Columbia

2016     Newfoundland

2017     Quebec

2018     Quebec

2019     Ontario

2022     Quebec

If you are interested in learning more about the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship please check out these trophies.

Earl Grey Cup and the Aberdeen Cup.