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Jack Burns

1859 – 1927

Professional golfer

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About Jack Burns

Lived 1859 – 1927 (aged 68). Jack Burns was a golfer.

John Burns (7 January 1859 – 18 December 1927 ), a native of St Andrews, was a Scottish professional golfer for part of his life.

Early life Burns, the son of an Irish labourer, and started earning his living as a plasterer. However, there is reference to him being a professional golfer in the minutes of the St Andrews Golf Club in October 1885.

Professional career In 1887, Burns moved to Warwick, England to become the golf professional and greenskeeper at the newly formed Warwickshire Golf Club (now known as Warwick Golf Centre), the first golf club in Warwickshire. Burns returned to Scotland in October 1888 to become the winner of the Open Championship, which was held at the Old Course at St Andrews. The £8 prize of his major championship title accomplishment did not make him a fortune. He returned to his job in Warwick and was involved in the creation of the neighbouring golf course in Kenilworth in 1890.

He moved back to St Andrews in 1891 to work on the railways, but he carried on caddying. When he died in 1927, his profession was listed as a plasterer again.

Major championships

Wins (1) YearChampionshipWinning scoreMarginRunners-up 1888 The Open Championship 86-85=171 1 stroke David Anderson Jr., Ben Sayers

Results timeline Note: Burns only played in The Open Championship.

CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" indicates a tie for a place

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Important facts

People in Jack Burns's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jack Burns's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jack Burns?

professional golfer (1859–1927)

When was Jack Burns born?

Jack Burns was born on 7 January 1859 in St Andrews.

When did Jack Burns die?

Jack Burns died on 18 December 1927 in St Andrews.

What was Jack Burns's occupation?

Jack Burns was a golfer.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jack Burns

· Wikidata: Q5590554

· DBpedia: Jack Burns (golfer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jack Burns. https://biography.guide/jack-burns-golfer/

MLA: "Jack Burns." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jack-burns-golfer/.

Chicago: "Jack Burns." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jack-burns-golfer/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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