Ivo Whitton

Who was Ivo Whitton?

Ivo Harrington Whitton was an Australian amateur golfer, who is the only Australian to have won the Australian Open five times.

Whitton was born in Moonee Ponds, Victoria. He took up golfing at the age of 14, joining his father in the Caulfield Golf Club the next year, and winning the club championships three times. In 1911, he began working at a wool broking firm which allowed him time off to play golf during the off-season. In 1912, he competed at The Amateur Championship in the United Kingdom, returning to England during World War I to serve with the Royal Garrison Artillery after being rejected by the Australian Imperial Force.

In 1912, Whitton won his first Australian Open championship, and went on to win four more in 1913, 1926, 1929 and 1931. He also won the Australian Amateur twice, the Victorian Amateur five times, the New South Wales Amateur and the Queensland Amateur and Open.

In 1920, Whitton won the Helms Award as the most outstanding Australasian athlete. He returned to the wool industry as a wool appraiser for the Australian government, but ended up as a general manager for the Spalding sporting goods company.