Larry Montes

Larry Montes
Montes in 1928
Personal information
Full nameAbundio Montes
Nationality Philippines
Born(1911-02-28)February 28, 1911
Santa Maria, Bulacan, Philippine Islands
Died1996 (aged 84 or 85)
United States
Career
SportGolf
Turned professional1932
Professional wins15
Achievements and awards
PSA Half Century Athlete1951
PSA Athlete of the Year1951

Abundio "Larry" Montes (February 28, 1911 – 1996) was a Filipino professional golfer who is the 13-time Philippine Open champion.

Early life and education

Montes was born on February 28, 1911, in Santa Maria, Bulacan. Montes has at least two younger brothers and two younger sisters. His family moved to Manila when he was age two where he later attended school. He studied at the Tondo Primary School and Meisic School with him becoming part of the latter's volleyball team. He finished his secondary studies at the old Manila High School in 1927.

Career

Caddie work and debut

Montes started working caddie at Municipal Links golf course in Intramuros. He and his brother Vicente were asked by a police officer to carry bags for American golfers in 1923. Montes observed golfers play and taught himself of the sport.

Montes caught the attention of Shanghai-based dentist Norman L. Downs who sponsored his entry fee for the Philippine Open in 1928. He lost his temper, failed to execute an easy putt and was penalized conceding the Open to J.R.H. Mason.

1929 Philippine Open win

At the 1929 Philippine Open, Montes became first native Filipino to win the annual golf tournament. He was allegedly barred from the Manila Golf Club's clubhouse during the awarding ceremony which led to William James Shaw establishing the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in the following year.

1929 to 1932

After the 1929 Open win, Downs funded Montes' trip abroad. He left in March 13, 1931, to go to the United States and Europe. Montes took part at the 1931 French Open and finished as runners-up. He qualified for the British Open but missed the 36-hole cut. In the United States, Montes played in the U.S. Open in Toledo as well as other tournaments. He returned to the Philippines by October 1931.

Montes won the 1931 and 1932 Philippine Opens.

Japan

In late 1932, Montes received an offer to join the Kasumigaseki Country Club to play professional golf in Japan where he stayed for three years. He played at the Japan PGA Championship winning the 1933 and 1934 editions Montes also played at the Japan Open Golf Championship finishing 11th in 1932 and runner-up in 1933. He returned to Manila in late 1935.

Later years

From 1938 to 1940, Montes lagged behind foreign golfers in the Philippine Open. With Australian golfer Norman Von Nida winning the 1938 and 1939 editions and Jug McSpaden in 1940. Montes went on to win nine more editions of the Philippine Open from 1941 to 1954. He also played in Australia.

He had won games against top golfers of his time such as Norman Von Nida and Jug McSpaden by the 1940s.

Montes also played in the Canada Cup with Celestino Tugot in 1954 and 1955; with Vic Allin in 1959; with Ben Arda in 1960.

Later life and death

Montes emigrated to the United States by the 1980s. He died in 1996.

Personal life

Montes was married and had five children as of 1949.

Honors

Montes was inducted to the Golf Hall of Fame in 1990. The Philippine Sportswriters Association named Montes among the Half Century Athletes and one of the Athletes of the Year for 1951.

Tournament wins

Team appearances

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Reminiscences About Larry Montes Golf Champion" (PDF). The American Chamber of Commerce Journal. 9 (4): 5. January 1929. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Open Access Repository at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
  2. ↑ "Montes, with 144, Leading". The Tribune. January 9, 1938. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Benavides, Ancleto (February 11, 1941). "Montes Cops P. I. Open, Tying McSpaden's 287". The Tribune. p. 9. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  4. ↑ Robb, James (December 1938). "Golf in the Philippines Comes of Age" (PDF). The American Chamber of Commerce Journal. 18 (12): 9, 28–34. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Open Access Repository at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Melendres, Teddyvic (February 19, 1987). "Montes heads honorees". Manila Standard. p. 8. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Google News Archive.
  6. ↑ Juico, Philip Ella. "Larry Montes as role model". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  7. ↑ Alcott, Carrol (March 1928). "The Month in Sports: The 1928 Open" (PDF). The American Chamber of Commerce Journal. 8 (3): 12. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Open Access Repository at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
  8. ↑ Alcott, Carrol (February 1928). "The Month in Sports: Soup to Nuts" (PDF). The American Chamber of Commerce Journal. 8 (2): 13. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Open Access Repository at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
  9. 1 2 Mendoza, Al S. (May 19, 2005). "Larry, Ka Tino & Ben: RP Open legends". Philippine Daily Inquirer. p. A24. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Google News Archive.
  10. ↑ Juico, Philip Ella (March 30, 2011). "Phl Open returns to old home at WW". The Philippine Star. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 "Montes Ties For 4th Place". The Tribune. October 3, 1933. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Larry Montes Qualifies In Title Defense". The Tribune. Associated Press. October 3, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Trove.
  13. ↑ "Montes Keeps Japanese Pro Golf Diadem". The Tribune. Associated Press. October 5, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Larry Montes Rates 11th in Japan Open". The Tribune. Associated Press. October 11, 1932. p. 9. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Trove.
  15. ↑ "Montes Finishes 2nd in Japan Open". The Tribune. October 10, 1933. p. 7. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Trove.
  16. ↑ "Expect Record Entry List for 1941 P. I. Open". The Tribune. January 30, 1941. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Trove.
  17. ↑ "1941 P.I. Open Gets Under Way Today". The Tribune. February 7, 1941. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Trove.
  18. ↑ "Mason, Monies Big Winners". The Tribune. January 6, 1939. p. 12. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Trove.
  19. ↑ "Philippine Open to raise curtain on Asian Tour's 2025 season". Asian Tour. October 17, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Larry Montes to Play in Golf Tourney". Central Western Daily. January 15, 1951. p. 17. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Trove.
  21. ↑ "Von Nida To Interview Larry Montes". The Daily Telegraph. March 25, 1949. p. 17. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Trove.
  22. ↑ "Overflowing Cup". Sports Illustrated. August 1954. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Ike welcomes 50 golfers to international". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. June 9, 1955. p. F-5. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Australians easily win team championship". The Glasgow Herald. November 23, 1959. p. 10 – via Google News Archive.
  25. ↑ Horne, Cyril (June 27, 1960). "Canada Cup event ends at Portmarnock". The Glasgow Herald. pp. 1, 4 – via Google News Archive.
  26. ↑ Morrison, Hector (March 23, 1949). "Cold Weather Stymies Visiting Filipino Golfers". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved February 26, 2025 – via Trove.
  27. ↑ "Eight outstanding sportsmen inducted to DLSU Hall of Fame". The Philippine Star. March 9, 2000. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  28. ↑ Baquizal, Ceferino, ed. (1951). "Our Sports". Philippine Yearbook. National Statistics Office (Philippines). p. 76.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 "Past Winners Of P.I. Open". The Tribune (Philippines). February 7, 1941. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  30. ↑ "Larry Mantes Retains P. I. Open Golf Title with 294". The Tribune (Philippines). January 25, 1943. p. 4. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Montes Retains Open Golf Title". The Tribune (Philippines). January 11, 1944. p. 4. Retrieved February 26, 2025.