Arnaud Massy
The dashing French golfer who broke the British stronghold on the Open Championship, becoming continental Europe's first major winner.
1877–1950 (age 73)·Birthday: July 6·The Gilded Age
Biography
Arnaud Massy emerged from the golf links of Biarritz to challenge the sport's British hegemony at the dawn of the 20th century. With a powerful, self-taught swing and a trademark beret, he was a charismatic figure who brought a distinctly continental flair to the game. His victory at the 1907 Open Championship in Hoylake was a seismic event; he was not only the first French champion but the first from anywhere outside Scotland and England. Massy defeated a field of British stars, including the great Harry Vardon, in a 36-hole playoff. He remained a consistent threat, finishing runner-up in The Open three more times and winning the French Open a record four times. His success proved that golfing excellence existed beyond the British Isles, inspiring a generation of European players and helping to internationalize a once-insular sport.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Arnaud was born in 1877, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Arnaud Was Born
The biggest hits of 1877
Arnaud's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1877Born
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1882Started school
First electrical power plant opens in New York
President: Chester A. Arthur
1890Became a teenager
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1893Could drive
World's Columbian Exposition dazzles Chicago
President: Grover Cleveland
1895Could vote
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1898Turned 21
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1907Turned 30
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1917Turned 40
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Turned 50
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1937Turned 60
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1947Turned 70
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Died at 73
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
Key Achievements
- Won the 1907 Open Championship, becoming the first golfer from outside the British Isles to win a major championship.
- Won the French Open a record four times (1906, 1907, 1911, 1925).
- Finished as runner-up in The Open Championship three times (1911, 1912, 1925).
- Was the first French professional to achieve sustained success on the British tournament circuit.
Did You Know?
He served as a dispatch rider for the French army during World War I.
Massy was known for his exceptional strength and was said to have once driven a ball over 400 yards.
He worked as the professional at the Golf de Chantilly club in France for many years.
His 1907 Open win was so celebrated in France that a street in his hometown of Biarritz was named after him.
“I play my own game, with my own swing, and that is enough.”
