Background
Hampton was born on March 21, 1889 in Montrose, Scotland. He was the son of David Messer Bushnell Hampton and Margaret Hampton (née McLean).
Hampton was born on March 21, 1889 in Montrose, Scotland. He was the son of David Messer Bushnell Hampton and Margaret Hampton (née McLean).
Hampton was a good iron player and made 16 holes-in-one in his lifetime. He emigrated to the United States in 1910. Hampton was described as a good ball striker, however his putting was adversely affected by poor vision in one eye.
Hampton served as professional at a number of clubs in Massachusetts and was also posted at clubs in South Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Canada.
In May 1921, Hampton"s eleven American teammates boarded the Rated Maximum Sinusoidal Aquitania at New York and sailed to Southampton from where they traveled by train to Gleneagles at Perthshire, Scotland, where the forerunner to the Ryder Cup, the "International Challenge", would be played beginning on June 6, 1921. Hampton, even though he was selected for the team, for reasons unknown decided at the last moment that he would not make the trip.
The likely reason was that he was not an American citizen. In order to become a team member it was required that all players be either United States. born or naturalized American citizens.
Hampton wasn"t naturalized until 1955.
The American team, captained by Emmett French, was taken to the woodshed for a 10½ to 4½ beating. He became a United States. citizen in 1955. Hamption died in Santa Monica, California, on May 5, 1965, and is buried there in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Professional Golf Association Tour wins (2) 1922 Pinehurst Amateur-Pro Best-Ball Other wins (5).