Miriam Burns Horn – A Golf Champion Remembered

Several academic studies have been conducted to understand why once-famous people, such as sporting champions, are forgotten over time, some quicker than others.

Conclusions about the reason for this vary, including …

• The natural forgetfulness of Homo sapiens.
• Immediate focus on the current (champions), displacing the focus on the previous (champions).
• The death of a champion precipitates the diminishing remembrance of their achievements.

Miriam Burns Horn was a champion golfer during the Roaring Twenties. Miriam’s profile aligns with the above, and thus, today, she has sadly been forgotten by the global golfing community, apart from a group of golf historians and fans in Kansas City (her home city) … and myself!

I hope you enjoy reading Miriam Burns Horn – A Golf Champion Remembered, which chronicles her extraordinary life and achievements.

Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns

Miriam Marjorie Burns was born on February 3rd 1904, in Kansas City, Missouri, the only child of Clinton and Mabel Burns (née McComb).

Her father, Clinton Sumner Burns, was a remarkable businessman and civil engineer. While at Stanford University, he became close friends with Robert Emmett McDonnell, and before graduating in 1897, they promised to establish an engineering business together. Clinton and Robert met up the year after graduating and researched where in the United States had the fewest waterworks systems allied to the head of population. They concluded that Kansas City and the surrounding 200-mile radius area met the criteria, and thus, they launched the engineering company Burns & McDonnell in the largest city in Missouri. They never looked back, designing water and sewer systems for hundreds of American cities.

Clinton Sumner Burns became an honorary member of Sigma Xi, the international science and engineering honour society whose past members include Albert Einstein. Sadly, Clinton died in 1924, aged 52, and thus never witnessed his daughter’s most significant achievements on the golf links.

Roll the clock forward 100 years, and Burns & McDonnell is today one of the most prominent architecture and engineering companies in the United States, with over 75 offices worldwide.

One Sunday

Miriam would occasionally caddy for her step-grandfather Axom Farmer Beery and grandmother Lucy Beery, both keen golfers. One Sunday in 1916, Axom could not play, so Miriam played a round with her grandmother, using only a mashie, a club which closely resembled today’s 5-iron. In her grandmother’s (paraphrased) words…

“This intrepid lady was beaten badly … and to think she (Miriam) used a mashie all the way.”

Miriam’s golfing journey was up and running.

Star Pupil

The following year, Scottish-born professional golfer and club maker Harry Robb became the first professional at Milburn Country Club, which opened on 1st April 1917.

Encouraged by her grandmother and mother, who was also an enthusiastic golfer, Miriam Burns joined Milburn Country Club and quickly became Harry Robb’s star pupil. However, regulations prevented Miriam from entering competitions until she reached 16. So, for Miriam, that meant regular coaching lessons with Harry Robb combined with practice rounds and matches with her grandmother and mother to develop and fine-tune her golf skills in readiness for her first championship in 1920, the Missouri Women’s Amateur played at Bellerive Country Club.

(For the record, Harry Robb was the head professional at Milburn Country Club until he died in 1952)

Right out of the Gate

Outwardly, at least, Miriam displayed no nerves throughout her first stroke-play round of championship golf, qualifying (for the match-play) in third place at Bellerive. In the Round of 16, Miriam won comfortably by 3&2. She showed remarkable resilience to finally win her quarter-final match 1 up, setting up a semi-final against Mrs L.E. Wasson, an experienced amateur golfer from St. Louis. Despite a battling performance, Miriam tasted defeat by the narrowest of margins, eventually losing at the 18th.

A fortnight later, buoyed by an incredible performance at Bellerive, Miriam entered her first Kansas City Women’s Amateur Championship, played at Mission Hills Country Club. In the qualifying round, Miriam broke the course record by a single stroke to win the medal as the leading qualifier.

Miriam reached the final after playing superb match-play golf. Indeed, after her stunning 7&5 quarter-final win, the Kansas City Times reported that her opponent …

“fell victim to the brilliant game of Miriam Burns, the young Milburn star.”

In the final against Mrs E.R. McClelland (of Mission Hills Country Club), Miriam started slowly, losing the 2nd hole … but then proceeded to win the 3rd, 5th, 6th (with a birdie 2), and the 8th to be 3 up at the turn. Despite losing the 11th, Miriam won the 13th, 14th, and 15th to be crowned champion.

At 16, Miriam Burns had won her first Kansas City Championship … but as you will read, certainly not her last.

Inexperience

Miriam travelled to Oak Park Country Club, Chicago, Illinois, to participate in the 20th Women’s Western Amateur. Over the next decade, this championship and the U.S. Women’s Amateur would be the pivotal cornerstones of Miriam’s elite amateur golfing career.

Organised by the Western Golf Association, this prestigious amateur championship has been contested annually since 1901. Past champions include golfing greats such as Opal Hill, Patty Berg, Louise Suggs, Catherine Lacoste, Nancy Lopez, and Beth Daniel. Today, the winner receives an exemption to the U.S. Women’s Amateur, and the championship is part of the Women’s Elite Amateur Golf Series.

In 1920, Miriam progressed to the match-play stage after successfully navigating the stroke-play qualifying round. She then proceeded to record 4&3 and 8&6 wins in the Rounds of 32 and 16, respectively. Her quarter-final opponent was Elizabeth Klotz, the Chicago City Champion. By the time the match reached the 15th tee, Miriam was three up but lost the closing four holes to be defeated 1up. Some superb golf over the closing holes by Elizabeth Klotz … absolutely. Inexperience from Miriam at championship golf level … most definitely.

One of the greatest

Without exception, conversations about the best women’s amateur golfer of all time will include Alexa Stirling and (in my opinion) Dorothy Campbell Hurd, Cecil Leitch, Glenna Collett, and Joyce Wethered.

Alexa Stirling arrived at the 1920 U.S. Women’s Amateur with an incredible record of not losing a match since 1915, when she was defeated in the semi-final (of this championship) at the 22nd hole! She won this championship in 1916 and 1919 (it was not played in 1917 and 1918 due to WWI) and the 1920 Canadian Women’s Amateur.

Miriam’s reward in qualifying for the match play was to be drawn against … yes, you guessed it, Alexa Stirling! The large gallery was astonished that Miriam was the better player over the opening holes and deservedly edged ahead … but the champion responded, as champions invariably do, and eventually won without too much difficulty by 6&4.

It was a fantastic learning experience for Miriam, and there was no shame in losing to Alexa Stirling, who went on to win the 1920 U.S. Women’s Amateur. To provide additional context, the match with Miriam Burns was the only time Alexa Stirling trailed in match-play throughout 1920!

Without a doubt, it was an exceptional rookie season for Miriam Burns.

Sartorial Elegance

Miriam Burns started the 1921 season by winning the Kansas City Women’s Amateur for the second year running, this time defeating Esther Levy in the final.

Following a similar schedule to that of 1920, Miriam’s next championship was the Missouri Women’s Amateur, played at the Blue Hills Country Club. It was no surprise when Carolyn Lee, who had held the title for three years, and Miriam Burns reached the final, as they had finished first and second, respectively, in the stroke-play qualifying.

The final was played before a rain-soaked gallery of about 125 brave souls. There was nothing to separate the two finalists over the opening nine holes. Miriam could not take advantage of consistently outdriving her opponent due to her struggles on the soggy greens. However, all that changed on the inward nine when Miriam started sinking putts, winning the 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th to claim her first state championship by 4&3.

For Miriam, her performance in the 1921 Women’s Western Amateur, played at Westmoreland Golf Club, was almost identical to the year before. In the Round of 32, she played sensational golf to defeat the defending champion Marjorie Dodd Letts by 5&4, followed in the Round of 16 with an emphatic 7&5 success … but once again, she came unstuck in the quarter-finals, losing by 3&1 to Jeannette Kinney from Cleveland.

An unusual postscript to this championship was the headline Knickers Win Over Skirts, which appeared in The Muscatine Journal. It referred to Miriam as the only golfer wearing Knickerbockers!

Tertiary Education

Miriam did not play in the 1921 U.S. Women’s Amateur as she enrolled at university to continue her education (newspaper articles indicate that Miriam attended the University of Kansas for her Freshman year and then Northwestern University for her Sophomore year onwards).

Based on her phenomenal performances over the first two seasons, Miriam was one of nine women selected to represent the Western Team against an Eastern Team in a National Tournament (the Mississippi River, flowing from North Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, marked the boundary between West and East for team selection). Regrettably, Miriam had to decline the honour of being selected due to her university studies.

In an article published in October 1921, Miriam said that her ambition was to play golf in Europe after college. By that, she probably meant competing in championships such as the British Women’s Amateur and the French Women’s Amateur … as you will read, an ambition never fulfilled through circumstances and choices. When asked whether she had a regime while preparing for a tournament, Miriam revealed that she had no special training rules other than …

“Eight hours sleep, starting no later than 23:00, and regular meals of any suitable food!”

Juggling

Miriam had to plan her championship golf commitments in 1922 without impacting her university studies, which meant missing the U.S. Women’s Amateur again.

After securing medallist honours with the lowest score in stroke-play qualifying, Miriam thoroughly outclassed the field in match-play to win the Kansas City championship for a third consecutive year.

Unlike previous years, the Women’s Western Amateur was the second championship on Miriam’s golf itinerary … and once again, history repeated itself. Progressing serenely to a third consecutive quarter-final after impressively defeating her first two opponents by 4&3 and 5&4, Miriam came unstuck against Marguerite Gaut from Memphis. Miriam was 2 up with two holes to play but somehow lost the 17th and 18th, eventually losing at the 20th.

Miriam quickly shrugged off this bitter disappointment by successfully defending the Missouri Women’s Amateur, defeating Carolyn Lee in a repeat of the 1921 final. She then finished the year on a high, adding the Tri-State (Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma) Championship to her progressive golfing curriculum vitae.

Breakthrough

It was no surprise when Miriam started her 1923 golfing season by winning the Kansas City championship for a fourth consecutive year, defeating Mrs O.C. Sullivan in the match-play final … but could she build upon this expected success and progress further than the quarter-final stage in the Women’s Western Amateur, played in 1923 at the historic Exmoor Country Club.

Miriam comfortably came through the Round of 32 by 6&5, setting up a Round of 16 contest against (medallist) Rosie Jones of the Olympia Fields Country Club, who was expected to get the better of Miriam … but after a hard-fought match, Miriam ran out victorious by 2&1, to once again reach the quarter-finals.

But this time, Miriam cruised through the quarter-final and, in the semi-final, overwhelmed Elaine Rosenthal Reinhardt. Despite her opponent’s steady par golf, Miriam was well under par when closing the match on the 13th. Miriam had built an unstoppable momentum, which she carried into the final against Louise Fordyce from Youngstown, Ohio. There was nothing that Louise Fordyce could do to prevent Miriam from winning her first prestigious championship by 5&4.

(On the same day Miriam won the championship at Exmoor, her grandmother, Lucy Beery, had a hole-in-one on the 6th hole at Milburn!)

So Close

Following this breakthrough success, respected commentators considered 19-year-old Miriam Burns a possible contender for that year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur, played at the Westchester Country Club. However, the championship’s timing clashed with the autumn semester at Northwestern University. To resolve this problem, Miriam left the University to participate and re-enrolled for the spring semester!

After successfully surviving the stroke-play qualifier, Miriam finally beat Bernice Wall 1 up in the Round of 32. Her prize was a Round of 16 match against Alexa Stirling, her conqueror back in 1920, the only occasion Miriam had previously played in the national championship.

The large gallery witnessed a superb match where Alexa’s fine driving and approach play was pitted against Miriam’s excellent short game. The match was all square at the turn and then ebbed and flowed throughout the back nine. Playing the penultimate hole, Miriam was one down and stymied on the 17th green by Alexa’s excellent approach putt. Undaunted, Miriam curled her ball around the stymie to sink the putt, win the hole, and level the match … but on the 18th, Miriam had no answers to Alexa Stirling’s magnificent approach shot and exited the championship. For the record … Edith Cummings defeated Alexa Stirling 3 & 2 in the final.

The following year, Edith Cummings, affectionately known as the Fairway Flapper, became the first golfer and female athlete to appear on the cover of Time Magazine. That year also saw two (never-to-be-forgotten) matches between Miriam Burns and Edith Cummings.

Miriam vs. Edith (Match #1)

Miriam Burns maintained her incredible unbeaten record to become a five-time winner of the Kansas City championship. However, her primary targets for 1924 were to defend the Women’s Western Amateur and to contend for the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

The 123-strong field for the Woman’s Western Amateur played at the Onwentsia Club was headed by Edith Cummings, the reigning United States national champion and Miriam Burns, aiming to defend the (Western) title. Monsoon-like weather severely disrupted the tournament schedule, with the Round of 16 and the quarter-finals having to be played at the nearby Shoreacres.

The horrendous weather did not stop Miriam and Edith from playing majestically throughout to set up a much-anticipated final, which, for the first time in the championship’s history, was played over 36 holes … but the expectant gallery could not believe what happened in the final. After the 18 holes in the morning, Edith Cummings held a 5-hole advantage, and in the afternoon, she won seven of the following eight holes to win by 12&10. It was a one-sided final, which the press initially labelled as a humiliating defeat for Miriam Burns until they uncovered why Miriam struggled so much in the final.

Only through the insistence of her friends did Miriam explain that she was in no condition to play golf as the night before the final, she suffered from a severe attack of ptomaine poisoning. Ignoring medical advice, Miriam refused to withdraw and concede the final without a shot being struck … in the (paraphrased) words of the press that followed …

“Her sportsmanship to sacrifice the title and the honour that goes with it on the course rather than raise a white flag was an illustration of her supreme sporting ethos.”

Miriam vs. Edith (Match #2)

Fully recovered from her illness, Miriam Burns travelled to Rhode Island Country Club a few weeks later to play in the 1924 U.S. Women’s Amateur. After winning their opening matches, Miriam and Edith faced each other in the Round of 16 (the golfing gods must have had a guiding hand in shaping the draw!).

On the opening hole, Edith Cummings sank an 18-foot putt to halve the hole. Both players then won three holes apiece to reach the turn A/S. Edith edged ahead at the 13th when she holed a 30-foot putt, but Miriam immediately responded to win the 14th and 15th with solid pars to regain the lead with three holes to play. The match was level again when Miriam over-clubbed at the par 3 17th, and sudden death was required after the 18th was halved. Miriam missed a short putt at the 19th that would have clinched victory, and the 20th was halved. At the third extra hole, Miriam had another opportunity to dethrone the champion … her putt tantalisingly hung on the edge of the cup before dropping for a famous victory. Commentators and spectators alike agreed this was one of the best-ever matches in the tournament’s history.

(Edith Cumming’s caddy carried with her clubs a new lucky horseshoe, attempting to offset the fact that her competitor’s number was #13 … for most of the match, it looked as if the horseshoe had worked its magic as most of the bad breaks went against Miriam … but by the end, Miriam’s golf rather than luck won the day!)

In the quarter-final, Miriam was up against a rejuvenated Dorothy Campbell Hurd, who had previously won this championship in 1909 and 1910 and was the first woman to win the United States, British and Canadian Amateur championships. Her victory against Edith Cummings in the previous round had exhausted Miriam mentally, resulting in several silly errors, enabling her more experienced opponent to win by 3&2.

Dorothy Campbell Hurd won her third championship, defeating Mary K. Browne by 7&6 in the final. At 41 years, 5 months, and 13 days, she became the oldest winner of this event, a record that still stands today.

Rankings

The World Amateur Golf Rankings® (WAGR®) provides comprehensive rankings and assessments for elite amateur golfers, women and men. In 1924, there was no such concept as official rankings. Still, Ray McCarthy, a renowned sports journalist and promoter, published an article in which he selected his top 10 women golfers in the United States based on their performances throughout the season.

1. Mrs Dorothy Campbell Hurd
2. Miss Glenna Collett
3. Miss Edith Cummings
4. Miss Marion Hollins
5. Miss Miriam Burns
6. Miss Mary K. Browne
7. Mrs Clarence Vanderbeck
8. Miss Bernice Wall
9. Miss Louise Fordyce
10. Miss Audrey Faust

(Alexa Stirling was not included in the list as she was ill for most of the 1924 golf season)

For Miriam, Ray McCarthy wrote …

“Miss Miriam Burns showed excellent form in both the Western and the National tournaments and is fairly entitled to fifth position on her play through the season. This girl has the game to win both titles she fought so hard for this season and is improving constantly.”

But nobody, including Miriam Burns herself, could have foreseen what unravelled over the next two years, on and off the links.

Prolific Writer

Over the years, Miriam Burns Horn wrote numerous magazine and newspaper articles, including contributing to the popular series ‘Golf – As Champions Play It’. In this series, Miriam wrote short tutorials on golfing topics such as mental attitude making a difference, slowing down the upswing, and successful putting. In the latter, she highlighted that confidence is the key to successful putting. Think the ball into the hole and use a short, firm backswing, keeping the arms stiff. Most importantly, she recommended purchasing a putter that suits you and having a professional golfer help you make the correct selection.

Engagement and Marriage

In early 1925, the engagement of Miriam Burns and Joseph Horn, a fellow student at Northwestern University, was announced. Interestingly, their engagement was made known in Chicago rather than Kansas City, as her widowed mother, Mabel, objected to their relationship.

Secrecy surrounded their wedding plans, other than a wedding licence issued in the names of Burns and Horn. Eventually, Miriam conceded that her plans to have a quiet wedding had been to no avail. So, she gave notice that their marriage would be on June 6th at the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago.

In an article published not long after her wedding day, Miriam Burns Horn was quoted as saying …

“Golf is fine, but a husband is better, and a husband and golf are better yet.”

Miriam did not play in the Kansas City championship, as it clashed with her wedding and honeymoon. Remarkably, she shot 78 at the White Bear Yacht Club to head the stroke-play qualifiers at the 1925 Women’s Western Amateur. She achieved this with minimal practice and no competitive golf since the match against Dorothy Campbell Hurd! Miriam progressed to the semi-finals but eventually lost to Elaine Rosenthal Reinhardt at the first hole of sudden death.

At the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Miriam defeated Virginia Van Wie by 2 up in the Round of 32 (Virginia Van Wie was playing in her first U.S. Championship … she would go on to be the losing finalist in 1928 and 1930, and champion in 1932, 1933 and 1934!). In the next round, Miriam was surprisingly knocked out by Mary K. Browne, losing 1 down.

Most people thought Miriam’s lack of match practice and rustiness contributed to her below-par performances, particularly in the national championship …possibly, but a more logical explanation was that Miriam was now two months pregnant.

Pivoting in Life

On 16th April 1926, Joseph and Miriam welcomed their son, Kenneth Bradford Horn, into the world.

Sadly, at some point during 1926, and for reasons unknown, Joseph and Miriam’s relationship did not work. Miriam had been so optimistic, with her nirvana being a romantic mix of marriage to Joseph and competing in golf championships. Whatever the reason for their breakup, they appear to have gone their separate ways quite soon after the birth of Kenneth (in July 1927, Miriam was granted a divorce from Joseph).

Consequently, Miriam had to decide upon her future direction, which was a pivotal moment in her life … and remember, she was still only 22 years old. While deciding, she and her son travelled during the latter months of 1926, including time in London, having sailed from New York to the Port of London on the Cunard steamship R.M.S. Tuscania.

An article previewing the 1926 U.S. Women’s Amateur mentions Miriam. Still, there is no evidence confirming her participation, and the dates of this championship almost overlapped with her trip to London.

Miriam decided to resume her amateur golf career the following year despite an emotionally traumatic absence away from the sporting theatre in which she had hitherto excelled. Quoting from Corinthians 4.6 …

“Let light shine out of darkness.”

(Note from the author: Researching this article uncovered minimal information about Miriam during 1926. Thus, excluding the date of birth of Kenneth Bradford Horn and the month/year of her divorce, the Pivoting in Life section is my interpretation of events based upon limited material.)

Late Starter

Opal Hill took full advantage of Miriam Burns Horn’s absence from the 1925 and 1926 Kansas City championships, winning on both occasions. Her story is equally extraordinary. Born in Nebraska in 1892 but raised in Kanas City, she married attorney Oscar S. Hill.

Opal only took up golf at the age of 31, after her doctor prescribed ‘light activity’ to help her overcome a kidney infection! She had an incredible amateur career, including representing the United States in the first three Curtis Cup matches against Great Britain & Ireland. Opal then turned professional (only the third American to do so) … although her professional career never matched her success as an amateur, Opal will always be remembered as one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) in 1950.

Miriam finally returned to competitive golf in the 1927 renewal of the Kansas City championship, played at Mission Hills Country Club. As if she had never been away, Miriam shot a 78 to win the medal as the leading qualifier and then defeated Opal Hill in the match-play final. It was a remarkable achievement. This was Miriam and Opal’s first, but not the last, match in this and other championships. Indeed, the golfing public did not have to wait long at all …

Trans-Mississippi

The Trans-Mississippi Championship was an outgrowth of the Missouri State Championship. Founded by the Women’s Trans-Mississippi Association, the inaugural event was held in June 1927 at the Blue Hills Country Club, attracting over one hundred golfers representing eight states west of the Mississippi.

Opal Hill was viewed as the golfer to beat despite her recent loss to Miriam (in Kansas City). The rain-soaked course made conditions and scoring difficult. The leading qualifier, Marion Turpie, recorded an 82! Miriam safely reached the match-play phase before producing some magnificent golf, progressing to the final with (18-hole) victories by 5&4, 5&4, 5&4 and 9&7! Awaiting her in the final was Opal Hill, who was equally impressive, especially in the semi-final when she knocked out Marion Turpie by 6&5.

Once again, Opal Hill was no match for Miriam Burns Horn in the 36-hole final. As The San Antonio Light newspaper reported …

“Displaying long, accurate drives and an unerring putting touch, Miriam Burns Horn buried her opponent under an avalanche of pars to end the match on the 32nd, winning by 6&4.”

What a comeback season for Miriam as her darkness rapidly faded. Two championships had been won, with the Women’s Western Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur looming.

(This event continues to be played annually, though it is now known as the Ladies National Golf Association Championship, with no restrictions on which states are represented. This, the Women’s Western Amateur, and three other championships comprise today’s Women’s Elite Amateur Golf Series)

Emotional Rollercoaster

As noted earlier … in July 1927, Miriam was granted her divorce from Joseph. Whatever their differences, Miriam must have carried a myriad of emotions and feelings as she prepared for the (1927) Women’s Western Amateur, played in mid-August at the Lake Geneva Country Club.

Miriam impressed in the Rounds of 32 and 16, defeating Elizabeth Curtis 6&5 and Dorothy Scherer Higbie 2 up, respectively. However, as had occurred in previous years at this championship, Miriam could not progress further than the quarter-finals, surprisingly losing to Marguerite Gaut at the 18th.

Maybe Miriam’s success at the Trans-Mississippi also took an emotional and mental toll. As always, Miriam made no excuses and graciously congratulated her opponent, who, for the record, lost in the semi-final to Leona Pressler, who went on to clinch the title.

Garden City, New York

The Cherry Valley Club in Garden City, New York, provided a stunning backdrop for the 1927 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Sports journalists agreed that this was the strongest field (to date) assembled for the national championship. Defending champion Helen Stetson was joined by five former champions … Glenna Collett, Alexa Stirling Fraser, Margaret Curtis (who, with her sister, donated the Curtis Cup), Dorothy Campbell Hurd and Katherine Harley (now Mrs H.A. Jackson).

In addition, the field was sprinkled with an array of international champions … 18-year-old Simone de la Chaume (France), Ada  Mackenzie (Canada) and Eileen Pattison (Bermuda). Also competing were the best amateurs from across the United States, including Opal Hill, Maureen Orcutt, Virginia Van Wie … and (last but not least) Miriam Burns Horn.

Despite the drizzling rain, Ada Mackenzie won the qualifying medal with a superb 5-under-par 77. Maureen Orcutt and Miriam Burns Horn tied for second place on 78, but (defending champion) Helen Stetson failed to qualify for the match-play phase. It was hardly surprising as she played while running a temperature of 102F and was accompanied throughout her round by a nurse and a physician!

Battle of the Titans

The biggest shock in the Round of 32 was the defeat of (three-time champion) Dorothy Campbell Hurd, whose title aspirations were ended by Leona Pressler, the recent Women’s Western Amateur winner. The most impressive performance came from 20-year-old New Yorker Maureen Orcutt, who was 5-under-par when winning her match by 8&6. As for Miriam, she displayed all her battling qualities to get the better of Dorothy Page by 1 up.

The Round of 16 contest that stood head and shoulders above the rest was between (two-time champion) Glenna Collett and (three-time champion) Alexa Stirling Frazer (who in 1925 married Canadian doctor Wilbert G. Fraser and was now based in Ottawa, Canada). The ‘Battle of the Titans’ enthralled the watching gallery, with Alexa Stirling Frazer eventually prevailing by 2&1.

Miriam was level-pegging with Bernice Wall in her match until she swamped her opponent with a five-hole winning streak to progress to the quarter-finals. Miriam’s 5&4 winning margin was equalled by Maureen Orcutt, who once again recorded the best score against par.

Au Revoir

Alexa Stirling Frazer continued her fine form in the quarter-finals when she defeated (by 3&2) the young French champion Simone de la Chaume, who had become the first foreign player to win the British Ladies Amateur earlier that year.

Without exception, newspaper reports of the quarter-final match between Miriam Burns Horn and Leona Pressler commented on how Miriam was the surprise winner. This was rather unkind as Miriam took an early lead and effectively controlled the match, finally securing her place in the semi-finals by 2&1.

Maureen Orcutt dug deep to win her quarter-final contest, and leading qualifier Ada Mackenzie completed the semi-final lineup, which was …

Ada Mackenzie vs. Maureen Orcutt

Alexa Stirling Frazer vs. Miriam Burns Horn

(In 1930, Simone de la Chaume married René Lacoste, and they built the Lacoste Sports Empire! Their daughter, Catherine Lacoste, remains the only amateur golfer ever to win the U.S. Women’s Open, which she accomplished in 1967 … and two years later, she won the British Ladies and U.S. Women’s Amateur championships.)

Risk and Reward

In the first semi-final, Maureen Orcutt played steady golf and was never threatened by Ada Mackenzie. The American built a healthy lead, and despite a late rally from the Canadian champion, the result was never in doubt. The Metropolitan Women’s Amateur champion sealed her place in the 36-hole final by 2&1.

Alexa Stirling Frazer was the overwhelming favourite, not only to win the second semi-final against Miriam Burns Horn but to go on and seal her fourth U.S. Women’s Amateur title … and having previously defeated Miriam in the 1920 and 1923 national championships, nobody outside Kansas City thought one of the golfing greats could be toppled.

However, Miriam had a game plan, which she executed to perfection. It required much belief, even when she played the occasional poor shot. Miriam had noted how meticulous Alexa was with her pre-shot routine, so she decided to play quicker than usual, introducing a degree of risk. This approach rewarded Miriam with several scintillating shots that put pressure on her opponent. Consequently, Alexa started to pull some of her shots from the tees and the fairways, finding trouble in various sand traps. Miriam took advantage of these unexpected mistakes and secured a famous victory by 1 up.

The Final

An enthusiastic gallery of nearly two thousand witnessed some sensational golf from Maureen Orcutt and Miriam Burns Horn.

‘Nip and Tuck’ is the best way to summarise the opening nine holes. At the 3rd hole, Miriam gained an early lead, but Maureen immediately restored parity at the 4th and followed up by winning the 5th. Miriam responded by winning the 8th and the 9th to lead once again, albeit narrowly.

The 11th hole of the morning round, where both players reached the green in three, was possibly the match’s defining moment. Maureen was 40 feet away from the pin, whilst Miriam’s approach shot was much closer to the pin, about 15 feet. Maureen read the sloping contours of the green to perfection and sank the putt. The ecstatic cheers from the spectators had just about died down when Miriam nervelessly followed suit and sank her putt to halve the hole. Miriam soon won another hole, so after the first 18 holes, she was 2 up.

Miriam’s grip on the final was unshakeable in the afternoon. With nine holes to play, she had stretched the lead to 3 up, and solid pars at the 31st and 32nd clinched victory and the championship by 5&4. The deadly accuracy of her shots with a Mashie Niblick, her phenomenal approach shots, and her unerring ability to sink 5 and 6-foot putts was the recipe for this incredible performance.

Thus, at 23 years of age, Miriam Burns Horn became the first golfer based west of the Mississippi, the Father of Waters, to lift the Robert Cox Cup.

Tongue in Cheek

Miriam’s interview with the press after winning the national championship was something else.

One of the reporters enquired whether she was superstitious, to which Miriam’s (paraphrased) reply was …

“I travelled from Kansas City to New York on the 13th (of September). I carry 13 clubs in my bag. I weigh 123 (lb). I am 23 years of age. But maybe these numbers had nothing to do with my success, as I occupied lower section 7 on the train in car 11.”

 … thus, showing a basic understanding of crap shooting!

Another reporter asked Miriam to confirm that she had indeed smoked four packets of cigarettes during the final, to which Miriam retorted …

“My grandfather would have killed me if I did that. I only had five cigarettes. And it wasn’t to calm my nerves. I smoke because I enjoy it and to prove that I was offered a trip to Europe once if I would quit, and I refused!”

It Girl

American actress Clara Bow became the biggest movie star of the 1920s when she starred in the movie “It”, which Paramount Pictures released in 1927. This box office hit led to the term “It girl,” which means a glamorous, vivacious, or sexually attractive woman, such as an actress or model.

Following her success at Cherry Valley, Miriam Burns Horn was called the “It girl” of women’s golf by O.B. Keeler, a famous sports journalist and author who primarily reported on the legendary Bobby Jones. This stunning photograph of Miriam, beautifully captured by Strauss Peyton, a Kansas-based photography company, perfectly illustrates why …

(John Garrity, a long-time member of Milburn Country Club, award-winning author and prolific writer for Sports Illustrated, purchased the original photograph and donated it to Milburn as a centennial gift)

Pacific Coast

Miriam took a break from golf over the winter months to spend quality time with her son Kenneth. As the new year dawned, journalists unanimously agreed that Miriam was the golfer to beat, and thus, she would be the prey and not a predator.

Miriam got her 1928 season underway by travelling to California to play in the annual Pebble Beach Women’s Championship, a tournament dominated throughout the 1920s by Marion Hollins, U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion in 1921.

In qualifying, Marion Hollins shot a respectable 82. Miriam, who had only played a couple of practice rounds at the challenging Monterey Peninsula course, broke the course record and led qualifying with a brilliant 74! As expected, Marion and Miriam progressed to the final, where admirers of Marion thought she had played the game of her life to secure victory at the second hole of sudden death … the first time in five years that Miriam had been taken to extra holes in a match-play tournament.

A few days later, an Exhibition Match billed as ‘an event featuring four of the greatest golf champions’ was played at La Cumbre Golf and Country Club … Miriam Burns Horn, Marion Hollins, Leo Diegel and Walter Hagen were those champions.

During the few weeks on the Pacific coast, Miriam made many friends through a combination of her brilliant golf and radiant personality.

From Horn to Tyson

Miriam skipped the Kansas City Championship to defend the Trans-Mississippi title at the historic Minikadha Club, the oldest country club west of the Mississippi. Miriam reached the 36-hole final, where her nemesis, Opal Hill, awaited. This time, the tables were turned, and Miriam was no match for her Kansan opponent, who, in the morning round, shot a course-record 73 to be 6 up. The contest was much closer in the afternoon, but Opal Hill eventually closed out the championship by a winning margin of 8&7.

The following month, the newspapers reported that Miriam, now 24, had married George Walter Tyson, who was ten years her senior. The couple had applied for a licence to marry on 3rd August 1928 and a week later tied the knot in a private ceremony at her mother’s home. Following their marriage, Miriam’s son Kenneth had his surname legally changed to Tyson (as confirmed in the 1930 Census).

George Walter and Miriam Burns Tyson left on honeymoon, which meant she did not play in the Women’s Western Amateur.

Defending National Champion

Virginia Hot Springs Golf and Tennis Club (Cas­cades Course), Virginia, was the 1928 U.S. Women’s Amateur venue. Miriam started her championship defence by finishing tied fourth in stroke-play qualifying, which Maureen Orcutt won.

A series of upsets marked the Round of 32, including … Opal Hill, who played par golf and lost by 3&1 and Edith Cummings, who lost by a bizarre technicality (swatting a fly away between her ball and the hole while preparing to putt, but the referee ruled she was pressing on the line of the putt and was disqualified!) at the first hole of sudden death.

However, Miriam’s elimination at the hands of the Canadian Helen Paget by 2&1 was the most significant upset. Miriam wasted many stokes on and around the green as her fine short game for once deserted her.

Despite this surprising early exit from the national championship, Miriam was ranked eighth in the end-of-year rankings, where it was noted that she had played well throughout the year, had a tremendous competitive spirit and was an excellent shot-maker.

Retirement

Nobody besides friends and family could have predicted Miriam’s shock announcement. In late February 1929, having just celebrated her 25th birthday, Miriam retired from competitive golf.

In a letter to Ray McCarthy (the author of the unofficial ranking list), Miriam said that …

“Henceforth, I intend to devote my time and attention to my family.”

However, she fleetingly deviated from this announcement by participating in and winning the 1929 Kansas City championship for a record seventh time.

Rolling Back the Years

The 1930 Women’s Western Amateur was played at the Hillcrest Country Club in Kansas City and attracted the strongest field to date. The entry list included one Miriam Burns Tyson, who, despite such a prolonged absence from the upper echelon of championship golf, could not resist playing again in her home city.

After qualifying for the match-play phase, Miriam administered the most significant winning margins (7&6 and 5&4) in the Rounds of 32 and 16, respectively. In the quarter-final, Miriam had to draw on every ounce of her experience to finally get the better of youthful Chicagoian Florence Beebe by 1 up.

In previewing the semi-final, sports journalists thought the match between Miriam Burns Tyson and Nellita “Fifi” Lifur (from Los Angeles) was too close to call … maybe not that close, as Miriam raced into a three-hole lead after five! A temporary lapse in concentration saw Miriam lose the 8th and the 9th, but on the turn for home, she won the 10th, 11th, and 12th to be 4 up with six to play. Despite losing the 13th and 14th, Miriam clinched her place in the 36-hole final with a stunning birdie at the 16th.

Dorothy Page of Madison, Wisconsin, stood between Miriam and a (remarkable) second success in this championship. Dorothy stunned Miriam and the large gallery by gaining a three-hole advantage after nine, thanks to an eagle and three birdies. Displaying a champion’s mental strength, Miriam won four of the next eight holes before Dorothy sunk a 20-foot putt at the 18th to level the match.

Miriam rolled back the years after the first four holes were halved in the afternoon. The longer the match, the stronger Miriam became, and her shot-making ability was just too much for her opponent. Miriam was an impressive 4 under par for the afternoon round when the match finished on the 14th … an astonishing performance from undoubtedly one of the greats.

Honesty

Miriam gave a searingly honest interview a few months after her Women’s Western Amateur triumph. During this interview, she said …

“The strain of tournament play is hardly worth the glory of victory.”

“There is never any rest or time when one can be one’s natural self on the course.”

The prospect of being away from home and her family to play in the 1930 U.S. Women’s Amateur in Los Angeles did not appeal to Miriam, though she did not rule out playing in tournaments much closer to home.

Curtain Call

As it transpired, Miriam only played in one more championship on American soil. In 1931, she attempted to defend the Women’s Western Amateur at Exmoor Country Club.

Miriam had a hole-in-one in the qualifying round at the 135-yard 9th hole. Miriam came through the first two rounds untested to set up an intriguing quarter-final clash with Opal Hill … but this was one match too many, and Miriam gracefully bowed out, narrowly beaten 1 down.

Fact not Fiction

After the 1931 Women’s Western Amateur, Miriam Burns Tyson appeared to recede from public life based on the scarcity of column inches about her in periodicals and newspapers. Many people thought Miriam, her husband George, and her son Kenneth spent several years travelling the world. This may be true, but as per the quotation in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle …

“It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly, one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.”

Bearing that in mind, what has been unearthed to be factually correct, in chronological order, is …

1933 ~ Miriam set an impressive new mark for the lowest score on the back nine at Milburn Country Club. She shot a superb 35, one under the men’s par and five under the women’s par, as follows …

• Women’s Par   – 554 543 455 = 40
• Miriam’s Score – 424 443 554 = 35

One bogey, three birdies and an albatross!

1934 ~ Miriam lost in the final of the Argentine National Golf Tournament to the long-hitting Uruguayan Fay Crocker. She returned the following year to try and go one better, though nothing was published to say how she fared!

1944 ~ As evidenced through official Immigration lists and visas, Miriam made several trips to South America, the last trip being to Brazil.

1947 ~ Sadly, her second marriage to George Walter Tyson ended in divorce.

1949 ~ A newspaper article that looked back 25 years (to 1924) at what made the news highlighted that …

“Miriam Burns, the women’s golf champion of Kansas City, launched a campaign to let women golfers play on Sundays and holidays.”

Unfortunately, it did not say how successful her campaign was!

Gone to Soon

According to the 1950 US Federal Census, Miriam lived alone in an apartment building on Brush Creek Boulevard, Kansas City. On 17th March 1951, she fell ill with a respiratory ailment and was admitted to Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City. Her condition rapidly worsened, developing into lobar pneumonia, and sadly, Miriam passed away on 19th March. She was only 47.

Notices about her untimely death were few and far between, and several were factually incorrect. So maybe, in a small way, this article will help redress the balance and ensure that Miriam Burns Horn, champion golfer, is always remembered.

Golf Hall of Fame

To finish, roll the clock forward six decades and the Kansas City Golf Hall of Fame, which was established to …

“Recognize the contributions and accomplishments of area amateur and professional golfers, teaching professionals, golf course superintendents, pioneers of the game and others who have contributed to the success and growth of golf.”

Inducted in 2013, the inaugural class included Opal Hill, 8-time major winner Tom Watson, and Miriam Burns Horn.

Kansas City will never forget Miriam, a truly remarkable person and golfer …

Acknowledgements

And finally, a massive thanks to …

• James Nanson ~ General Manager/COO, Milburn Country Club.
• Doug Habel ~ Executive Director, Central Links Golf.
• Donald R. Holton ~ Historian, Exmoor Country Club.
• Don Kuehn ~ Historian/Director, Central Links Golf.
• Bruce Mathews ~ Photographer/Publisher/Kansas City Historian.
• Lance M. Warren ~ Research Librarian/Archivist, Burns & McDonnell.
• Jack Garvin ~ Kansas City Golf Historian.

… whose assistance throughout my research helped enormously in making this article possible.