Cotton, (Thomas) Henry (1907–1987)

British golfer. He won the British Open three times, in 1934, 1937 and 1948, an achievement which, with the exception of Nick Faldo, no other British golfer has matched since World War I. He turned professional in 1924 at the age of 17. In 1932 he won the first of three PGA Match Play championships. He played in three Ryder Cups in 1929, 1937 and 1947, the last as captain. He was also a non-playing captain in 1953.

1934, at Sandwich, he became the first British golfer to win the British Open for 11 years, shooting a championship record round of 65 on the second day and a championship record-equalling aggregate of 283. He won it again at Carnoustie in 1937, but it was not until 1948, at the age of 41, that he won it for a third time. After retiring from competitive golf in the early 1950s he became a distinguished writer on golf, and a successful golf course architect.