When Henry Blue, a Butler (Md.) resident, won the recent championship of the United States Seniors’ Golf Association, it turned out to be a memorable performance.
For the record, Henry posted rounds of 72-76–148 and thwarted Bob Harrington, Portland, Ore., 72-77–149, and Trip Long, Wichita Falls, Texas, 75-74–149. Single rounds at Round Hill Country Club in Greenwich, Conn., and at the Apawamis Club in neighboring Rye, N.Y. were held during the two-day event.
“The key was my finish at Round Hill,” says Blue, 61, a member of the Green Spring Valley Hunt Club and Caves Valley Golf Club, who includes a Middle Atlantic Seniors title in his collection. I birdied the par-5 16th from six feet, hit it to a foot at the par-3 17th, and parred the par-4 18th.”
The outcome meant more than just a title to Blue, though, for he is the fourth generation of a storied American golf family to play in the championship and the first to win it. The others, in order, were William C. Fownes, Jr., of Pittsburgh (his father, Henry, built Oakmont CC); a son-in-law, Roland MacKenzie, from Washington and later, Baltimore, and grandson Clark MacKenzie, of Baltimore, Roland’s son. Henry Blue is a great-grandson of Fownes, Jr.; his father, Richard Blue, is a Fownes grandson-in-law, and Clark is a step-uncle.
As for being steeped in golf, W.C. Fownes, Jr., won the 1910 U.S. Amateur (he would go on to qualify for the championship 19 times in 25 years), was captain and a player in the 1922 Walker Cup matches (and a player in the 1924 matches), and president of the United States Golf Association, 1926-27. Roland MacKenzie was on Walker Cup teams in 1926-28-30, and won Middle Atlantic Amateur championships a record 23 years apart (1925-1948); Clark won a Maryland State Amateur title in 1966, and after immersing himself in his real estate business for some 30 years, returned to competitive golf in the 90’s, playing in the Senior Amateur championships of Bermuda (won), England, Scotland (second), Ireland, and Canada, among others in a crowded 1998 schedule.
Clark was accepted for membership in the USSGA in 1998, and went on to captain the organization’s two international teams, and served as president in 2009-2011.
The Devonshire Cup, a competition between teams representing the USSGA and the Canadian Seniors’ Golf Association, is held in the even-number years, dating to its founding in 1918. Celebration of its 100th anniversary will be held in the fall at the Royal Montreal Golf Club, site of the first one.
Clark played in his first USSGA championship in 1998 and would go on to international play for 15 consecutive years, serving as international team captain, 2002-2005.
Which brings it back to Henry Blue, who has been invited to play in the next Devonshire Cup as the result of his showing in the championship.
It will be another feather in a family cap filled with them, and its not out of the question to think more will be along in the future.
Reported by John Stewart
