Max Faulkner

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English professional golfer (1916–2005)

title: "Max Faulkner" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["english-male-golfers", "winners-of-men's-major-golf-championships", "ryder-cup-competitors-for-europe", "officers-of-the-order-of-the-british-empire", "royal-air-force-physical-training-instructors", "royal-air-force-personnel-of-world-war-ii", "military-personnel-from-east-sussex", "sportspeople-from-bexhill-on-sea", "1916-births", "2005-deaths", "20th-century-english-sportsmen"] description: "English professional golfer (1916–2005)" topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Faulkner" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary English professional golfer (1916–2005) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox golfer"]

Field	Value
name	Max Faulkner
OBE
image	Max Faulkner in 1936.jpg
imagesize
caption	Faulker in 1936
fullname	Herbert Gustavus Max Faulkner
birth_date
birth_place	Bexhill-on-Sea, England
death_date
height
weight
nationality
spouse	Joan
yearpro	1930
tour
extour
prowins	19
pgawins
eurowins
japwins
asiawins
sunwins
auswins
nwidewins
chalwins
champwins
seneurowins
otherwins
majorwins	1
masters	DNP
usopen	DNP
open	Won: 1951
pga	DNP
wghofid
wghofyear
award1	[Officer of the Order
of the British Empire](order-of-the-british-empire)
year1	2001
awardssection
module	{{Infobox person
signature	Max_Faulkner_signature.jpg
::

| name = Max Faulkner OBE | image = Max Faulkner in 1936.jpg | imagesize = | caption = Faulker in 1936 | fullname = Herbert Gustavus Max Faulkner | nickname = | birth_date = | birth_place = Bexhill-on-Sea, England | death_date = | death_place = | height = | weight = | nationality = | spouse = Joan | partner = | children = | college = | yearpro = 1930 | tour = | extour = | prowins = 19 | pgawins = | eurowins = | japwins = | asiawins = | sunwins = | auswins = | nwidewins = | chalwins = | champwins = | seneurowins = | otherwins = | majorwins = 1 | masters = DNP | usopen = DNP | open = Won: 1951 | pga = DNP | wghofid = | wghofyear = | award1 = Officer of the Order of the British Empire | year1 = 2001 | award2 = | year2 = | awardssection = | module = {{Infobox person|embed=yes | signature = Max_Faulkner_signature.jpg Herbert Gustavus Max Faulkner, OBE (29 July 1916 – 26 February 2005) was an English professional golfer who won the Open Championship in 1951.

Early life

Faulkner was born on 29 July 1916 in Bexhill-on-Sea, the son of Gus (1893–1976), a professional golfer who had been assistant to James Braid before World War I. After the war his father took a position at Pennard Golf Club on the Gower Peninsula in south Wales where he stayed until 1925. His father was briefly at a golf facility in Regent's Park but in 1927 became the professional at Bramley Golf Club, just south of Guildford, where he remained until 1945. Faulkner was outstanding at a number of sports but golf was his main interest. After leaving school he became an assistant to his father at Bramley in 1930.

Faulkner was the eldest of three boys. His younger brother, Frank (1919–1941), who was also an assistant to his father, was killed in a road traffic accident near Cambridge, while serving as a corporal in the Army, aged 21.

Professional career

Faulkner showed considerable talent when very young. He entered the first Daily Mirror Assistants' Tournament in September 1933, just two months after his 17th birthday. The event had prize money of £750, more than the Open Championship, and attracted 206 entries. There was a 36-hole qualifying contest on the first day, after which the leading 64 played match-play. Faulkner finished the stroke-play in a tie for 16th place. The following day, despite suffering from a muscle problem in his back, he won his two matches, before losing the following day at the last-16 stage.

Faulkner played with his father in the 1934 Sunningdale Foursomes, where they reached the semi-final before losing. The second Daily Mirror Assistants' Tournament was played in late May 1934. Faulkner again qualified for the match-play stage but lost his first match. Still aged 17, he entered the 1934 Open Championship at Royal St George's. He had two rounds of 76 to qualify for the main event. In the championship he had two rounds of 78 and missed the cut. In September he qualified for the final stage of the News of the World Match Play, winning his first match and losing at the last-32 stage.

1935 was a less successful season for Faulkner. The Daily Mirror Assistants' Tournament became a stroke play event with sectional qualifying. Faulkner qualified well, finishing 4th in the strong Southern Section but missed the cut in the main tournament. 1936 started poorly with Faulkner failing to qualify for the final stages of the Daily Mail Tournament. In April he moved from Bramley and took a position at Sonning Golf Club, east of Reading, Berkshire where Arthur Young was the professional. Faulkner was to be playing assistant and able to compete in all the leading tournaments.

Faulkner entered the 1936 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. He just qualified with a score of 155 for the two qualifying rounds. Four steady rounds left him tied for 21st place in the championship. At the end of July he had his best finish in an important tournament, the Daily Mirror Assistants' Tournament, despite starting with a 77. A final round course-record 66 lifted him into a tie for 3rd place. In September he qualified for the final stage of the News of the World Match Play where he won two matches before losing to Percy Alliss at the last-16 stage.

Faulkner was joint leader at the halfway stage of the 1937 Daily Mail Tournament but fell back with two rounds 78 on the final day. The following week, in partnership with Stanley Anderson, he won the Addington Foursomes. Faulkner was one of the leading qualifiers for the 1937 Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Links, tying for 6th place. In the championship itself he had a second 83 and missed the cut. He again performed well in the Daily Mirror Assistants' Tournament, despite a poor first day. Final day rounds of 70 and 72 lifted him into 4th place. The following week he finished 3rd in the Irish Open.

In early 1938 Faulkner became the professional at Leamington Spa Golf Club. He had a less successful season but did finish tied for 4th in the Irish Open. Faulkner left his position at Leamington in early 1939 and played the rest of the season as an unattached professional. He qualified for the 1939 Open Championship and was joint-leader after the first round with 70, eventually finishing tied for 23rd place. He again performed well in the Irish Open finishing tied for 7th place.

War service

Faulkner had qualified for the final stage of the 1939 News of the World Match Play. The event was delayed until late April 1940 but Faulkner lost his first round match. Faulkner played relatively little golf during the war, although he played a number of exhibition matches in the winter of 1942/43.

During World War II Faulkner served in the RAF as a Physical Training (PT) instructor. He took up boxing, becoming services champion.

Post-war golf career

Faulkner's tournament career restarted immediately after the war. In September 1945 he was runner-up in the Daily Mail Tournament, a stroke behind Charlie Ward.

During his career he won 16 regular tournaments in Europe, including three Spanish Opens, with his last being the 1968 Portuguese Open at the age of 52. He also won the PGA Seniors Championship on two occasions. His greatest achievement was his victory in the 1951 Open Championship at Royal Portrush. With a round still to be played he had a 6-stroke lead and is reported to have signed autographs with the postscript "1951 Open Champion".

Faulkner played in five Ryder Cup matches, including the historic 1957 contest at Lindrick where the Great Britain team won for the first time since 1933.

Faulkner was believed to have over 300 putters, always searching for the perfect one. He very rarely used a conventional set of clubs, sometimes having several of the same club with a variety of shaft lengths and flexes. He was known for his shotmaking ability, being able to make the ball curve in the air even on short lofted shots.

Awards and honours

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Max_Faulkner_Plaque,_Sutton_Place,Bexhill(full).jpg" caption="The Max Faulkner plaque, [[Bexhill-on-Sea"] ::

In 2001, on the 50th anniversary of the Open triumph, Faulkner was honoured with an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to golf.

Personal life and death

Faulkner's daughter Hilary married professional golfer Brian Barnes, European Tour winner and Ryder Cup player, in 1968; they had two children, Didi and Guy. Hilary died in 2014 and Barnes died in 2019. Faulkner lived in his later years at Pulborough, Sussex. He died on 26 February 2005, aged 88, of pneumonia at St Richard's Hospital, Chichester.

Professional wins (19)

British PGA circuit wins (9)

::data[format=table] | No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | 10 May 1946 | Dunlop-Southport Tournament | 79-74-72-71=296 | 1 stroke | AUS Norman Von Nida | | 2 | 6 May 1949 | Dunlop Tournament | 74-67-72-74=287 | 2 strokes | ENG Sam King | | 3 | 24 Jun 1949 | Penfold Tournament (with ENG John Burton) | 1 up (foursomes) | ENG Dick Burton & BEL Flory Van Donck | | | 4 | 2 Sep 1949 | Lotus Tournament | 69-68-70-70=277 | 1 stroke | ENG Charlie Ward | | 5 | 6 Jul 1951 | The Open Championship | 71-70-70-74=285 | 2 strokes | ARG Antonio Cerdá | | 6 | 11 Oct 1951 | Dunlop Masters | 71-70-72-68=281 | 4 strokes | ENG Reg Horne | | 7 | 2 May 1952 | Dunlop Tournament | 68-73-67-65-72=345 | 7 strokes | SCO Tom Haliburton | | 8 | 19 Sep 1953 | News of the World Match Play | 1 up | WAL Dai Rees | | | 9 | 12 Jul 1959 | Irish Hospitals Tournament | 67-65-74-68=274 | 4 strokes | ENG Peter Alliss, WAL Dave Thomas | ::

Continental Europe wins (5)

::data[format=table] | No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | 19 Oct 1952 | Spanish Open | 275 | 2 strokes | SCO Tom Haliburton | | 2 | 18 Oct 1953 | Spanish Open | 271 | 6 strokes | ESP Carlos Sellés | | 3 | 27 Oct 1957 | Spanish Open | 73-70-?-?=283 | 6 strokes | ENG Henry Cotton | | 4 | 26 Aug 1962 | Woodlawn Tournament | 68-68-68-69=273 | Playoff | NZL Bob Charles | | 5 | 24 Nov 1968 | Portuguese Open | 66-69-69-69=273 | 2 strokes | ESP Ángel Gallardo | ::

Other wins (3)

1937 Addington Foursomes (with Stanley Anderson)
1947 West of England Professional Championship
1964 Southern Professional Championship

Senior wins (2)

1968 PGA Seniors Championship
1970 PGA Seniors Championship

Major championships

Wins (1)

::data[format=table]

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner-up
1951	The Open Championship	6 shot lead	−3 (71-70-70-74=285)	2 strokes	ARG Antonio Cerdá
::

Results timeline

::data[format=table]

Tournament	1934	1935	1936	1937	1938	1939
The Open Championship	CUT		T21	CUT		T23
::

::data[format=table]

Tournament	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949
The Open Championship	NT	NT	NT	NT	NT	NT	CUT	T32	T15	T6
::

::data[format=table]

Tournament	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959
The Open Championship	T5	1	T17	12	T20	T35		T9	T16	CUT
::

::data[format=table]

Tournament	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969
The Open Championship			CUT	T20	T38	T10	CUT	CUT	CUT	T30
::

::data[format=table]

Tournament	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
The Open Championship	CUT	CUT	CUT	CUT	CUT	CUT
::

Note: Faulkner only played in The Open Championship.

CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1974 Open Championship)

"T" indicates a tie for a place

Team appearances

Ryder Cup (representing Great Britain): 1947, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1957 (winners)
Slazenger Trophy (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1956 (winners)
Amateurs–Professionals Match (representing the Professionals): 1956 (winners), 1957 (winners)
PGA Cup (representing Great Britain and Ireland): 1975

References

Fisher, Richard. "Faulkner, (Herbert Gustavus) Max (1916–2005), golfer".
(27 September 1941). "Corpl. F. Faulkner". Surrey Advertiser.
(26 September 1933). "Assistants' Tournament at Moor Park". The Times.
(27 September 1933). "Assistant Professions' Championship". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
(2 April 1934). "The Sunningdale Foursomes". The Times.
(31 May 1934). "Assistants at Wentworth". The Times.
(27 June 1934). "The Qualifiers". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
(29 June 1934). "Cotton's lead at Sandwich". The Times.
(20 September 1934). ""News of the World" Tournament". The Times.
(12 July 1935). "Fine Performance by S.L. King". The Times.
(24 April 1936). "M. Faulkner's Appointment". The Times.
(29 June 1936). "Padgham Open Champion". The Times.
(31 July 1936). "Winner Leads in Every Round". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
(17 September 1936). ""News of the World" Tournament". The Times.
(10 April 1937). "Brilliant Final Rounds". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
(15 April 1937). "The Addington Foursomes". The Times.
(24 July 1937). "Tie in Assistants's Tournament". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
(30 July 1937). "Gadd's winning round". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
(22 July 1938). "Locke comes from behind to win Irish "Open"". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
(21 July 1939). "Arthur Lees wins his first big tournament". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
(2 March 2005). "Max Faulkner". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
Rees, Michael. (February 2009). "Legends of the game ... Max Faulkner". Tee Times.
(22 September 1945). "Ward's one stroke victory at St Andrews". [[The Glasgow Herald]].
Farrell, Andy. (2 March 2005). "Max Faulkner; Flamboyant golfer who won the Open in 1951". [[The Independent]].
(2005). "Max Faulkner, former Open winner, dies aged 88". Golf Today.
Alliss, Peter. (1983). "The Who's Who of Golf". [[Orbis Publishing]].
(31 December 2001). "Faulkner's reward for Open triumph". BBC Sport.
Mason, Peter. (12 September 2019). "Brian Barnes obituary, Maverick golfer celebrated for beating Jack Nicklaus twice in one day". The Guardian.
(10 September 2019). "Brian Barnes: Former Ryder Cup player dies aged 74". BBC Sport.

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