Fred McLeod came to the United States in 1903 from North Berwick, Scotland, at age 21. He was a Club Professional in the Mid-West prior to becoming the Head PGA Professional at Columbia County Club, where his tenure lasted for fifty-five years (1912-1967). Fred played in twenty-four US Opens, seventeen of them consecutively (1903-1921). He won the 1908 US Open at Myopia Hunt Club with a six-stroke victory over Willie Smith in an 18-hole playoff.
While living in the mid-West, McLeod won the Western PGA title in 1905 and 1907. He won the 1909 and 1920 North-South Opens and the 1922 St. Petersburg Open. He finished fifth on the PGA money list in 1921. Playing in seven PGA Championships, Mr. McLeod made it to the finals in the second playing of the PGA Championship in 1919, where he lost to his friend, Englishman, Jim Barnes. After finishing seventh in the 1921 British Open at Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s, McLeod went to Wentworth to take part in the informal Anglo-American matches that proved to be the forerunner of the Ryder Cup, which officially began in 1927. He played in thirteen PGA Seniors’ Championships, winning the second edition in 1938 at Augusta National Golf Club.
At age 45, he won the Maryland Open in 1927 at Fountain Head Country Club. Mr. McLeod’s career included distinction as a founding member of The PGA in 1916 and election as the first President of the District of Columbia Professional Golfers’ Association in 1923. Membership of the newly formed MAPGA Section elected him their first President in 1925. The PGA of America Hall of Fame elected him to their body in 1960 and the Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA elected him to their Hall of Fame in 1991.
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