Bill Laidlaw


William Laidlaw was a Scottish professional golfer. He finished tied for 7th place in the 1937 Open Championship and won the 1938 Daily Mirror Assistants' Tournament. He was killed during an RAF bombing raid on Bremen, aged 27.

Golf career

Laidlaw was an assistant professional at Gleneagles Hotel and Malden and then with Henry Cotton at Ashridge Golf Club from the start of 1937. He became full professional at West Herts Golf Club in early 1939.
Laidlaw's big win was in the 1938 Daily Mirror Assistants' Tournament at Blackpool North Shore. He scored 289 for the 72 holes and won by 9 strokes from Alan Waters and Geoff White. Later in 1938 he was second in the Czechoslovak Open, although 11 strokes behind the winner, Henry Cotton.

Death

Laidlaw was killed during an RAF raid on the night of 20/21 October 1941. Laidlaw was in No. 50 Squadron RAF and was involved in a raid on Bremen. He had left RAF Swinderby in a Handley Page Hampden.
Laidlaw married Pamela Mary Tanner, a singer, in 1940. They had a son, William, who was born in 1942.

Tournament wins

Note: Laidlaw only played in The Open Championship.
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Team appearances