1931 U.S. Open (golf)

1931 U.S. Open
Tournament information
Dates July 2–6, 1931
Location Toledo, Ohio
Course(s) Inverness Club
Organized by USGA
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Stroke play − 72 holes
Statistics
Par 71[1]
Length 6,529 yards (5,970 m)[2]
Field 144 players,[3] 62 after cut
Cut 158 (+16)
Prize fund $6,000
Winner's share $1,750
(incl. $750 playoff bonus)[4]
Champion
United States Billy Burke
292 (+8), playoff
Toledo
Location in the United States
Toledo
Location in Ohio

The 1931 U.S. Open was the 35th U.S. Open, held July 2–6 at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. Billy Burke won his only major title, defeating George Von Elm in a marathon 72-hole playoff, the longest in tournament history.[5][6][7]

Von Elm, the 1926 U.S. Amateur champion, held the 54-hole lead at 217 after rounds of 75-69-73. Burke, playing just ahead of Von Elm in the final round, carded a 73 and a 292 total. Von Elm bogeyed 12, 14, 15, and 16, and needed a birdie at 18 to force a 36-hole playoff on Sunday.[8][9]

In the playoff, Von Elm and Burke were still tied after 36 holes, with Von Elm making a birdie on the 36th to extend it.[10][11] In the era prior to sudden-death, 36-hole playoffs were required to break ties, so another was held the following day.

In the morning round, Von Elm shot a 76 and led by a stroke, but Burke took the lead late in the afternoon round at the 32nd and extended it to two strokes at the 34th. A bogey on the final hole narrowed Burke's victory margin to one stroke, 148 to Von Elm's 149.[12][13] Burke reportedly smoked 32 cigars during the tournament, and quipped afterwards: "George Von Elm lost 15 pounds (7 kg). I gained three."

Following this tournament, the USGA reduced the length of all future playoffs to 18 holes, which remained the format until 2018[14]. A second playoff round was played in 1939 and 1946. Sudden-death after 18 holes was added in the 1950s, but was not needed until 1990, and was used again 1994 and 2008.

Leo Diegel made a hole-in-one during the second round, only the third in U.S. Open history and first since 1922. He missed the playoff by two strokes and finished in third place. Low-amateur went to Philip Perkins, who finished in a tie for seventh. Three-time British Open champion Henry Cotton played the first of two U.S. Open appearances this year, missing the cut. Defending champion Bobby Jones retired from competition in 1930 and did not compete.

This was the second U.S. Open at Inverness, which hosted eleven years earlier in 1920. It later hosted in 1957 and 1979, and the PGA Championship in 1986 and 1993.

Course layout

Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Yards3923881464314303503162104923,1553483805161464164413984043253,3746,529
Par443444435354453444443671

Source:[2][15]

Past champions in the field

PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2R3R4TotalTo parFinish
Gene Sarazen United States192274787470296+12T4
Walter Hagen United States1914, 191974747376297+13T7
Johnny Farrell United States192878707972299+15T10
Tommy Armour Scotland
 United States		192775837978315+31T46

Source:[8][16]

  • All former champions in the field made the cut

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, July 2, 1931

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Herman Barron United States71E
Mortie Dutra United States
Charles Guest United States
Eddie Williams United States
5Al Espinosa United States72+1
T6Billy Burke United States73+2
Henry Ciuci United States
Bill Davies England
Guy Paulsen United States
Fred Robson England
Joe Turnesa United States
Frank Walsh United States

Source:[17]

Second round

Friday, July 3, 1931

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1George Von Elm United States75-69=144+2
T2Billy Burke United States73-72=145+3
Eddie Williams United States71-74=145
T4Herman Barron United States71-75=146+4
Charles Guest United States71-75=146
Guy Paulsen United States74-72=146
Macdonald Smith Scotland
 United States		73-73=146
T8Leo Diegel United States75-73=148+6
Mortie Dutra United States71-77=148
Johnny Farrell United States78-70=148
Walter Hagen United States74-74=148
Joe Turnesa United States73-75=148

Source:[16]

Third round

Saturday, July 4, 1931 (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1George Von Elm United States75-69-73=217+4
2Billy Burke United States73-72-74=219+6
3Guy Paulsen United States74-72-74=220+7
T4Mortie Dutra United States71-77-73=221+8
Walter Hagen United States74-74-73=221
Macdonald Smith Scotland
 United States		73-73-75=221
T7Leo Diegel United States75-73-74=222+9
Charles Guest United States71-75-76=222
T9Wiffy Cox United States76-74-74=224+11
Herman Barron United States71-75-78=224

Source:[8][9][11]

Final round

Saturday, July 4, 1931 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney ($)
T1Billy Burke United States73-72-74-73=292+8Playoff
George Von Elm United States75-69-73-75=292
3Leo Diegel United States75-73-74-72=294+10650
T4Wiffy Cox United States76-74-74-72=296+12450
Bill Mehlhorn United States77-73-75-71=296
Gene Sarazen United States74-78-74-70=296
T7Mortie Dutra United States71-77-73-76=297+13200
Walter Hagen United States74-74-73-76=297
Philip Perkins (a) England78-76-73-70=2970
T10Al Espinosa United States72-78-75-74=299+15105
Johnny Farrell United States78-70-79-72=299
Macdonald Smith Scotland
 United States		73-73-75-78=299
(a) denotes amateur

Source:[8][9][11]

Scorecard

Final round

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par443444435445344444
United States Burke+7+7+7+8+8+8+8+7+7+7+7+7+7+8+8+8+8+8
United States Von Elm+3+3+3+4+5+5+5+5+5+5+5+6+6+7+8+9+9+8

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par

Birdie Bogey

Source:[18]

Playoff

First playoff

Sunday, July 5, 1931

PlayerCountryScoreTo par
Billy Burke United States73-76=149+7
George Von Elm United States75-74=149+7

Source:[11]

Scorecards

Morning round

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par443444435445344444
United States BurkeE+1+2+2+2+2+1+1E+1+1EEEEE+1+2
United States Von ElmE-1E+2+4+4+3+3+3+3+3+2+3+3+3+4+4+4

Afternoon round

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par443444435445344444
United States Burke+3+3+4+5+5+6+7+8+7+7+7+7+7+6+7+7+7+7
United States Von Elm+4+6+7+7+9+8+7+6+5+6+6+6+6+6+8+8+8+7

Cumulative playoff scores, relative to par

Birdie Bogey Double bogey

Source:[19]

Second playoff

Monday, July 6, 1931

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney ($)
1Billy Burke United States77-71=148+61,750
2George Von Elm United States76-73=149+71,000
  • Playoff bonus is included: $750 to champion, $250 to runner-up[4]

Scorecards

Morning round

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par443444435445344444
United States Burke+1+3+3+3+3+3+2+3+2+2+2+3+3+3+5+4+5+6
United States Von ElmEEE+1+1+1+2+3+3+4+3+3+5+5+5+5+5+5

Afternoon round

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par443444435445344444
United States Burke+6+5+5+4+5+5+6+5+5+5+5+4+5+5+5+5+5+6
United States Von Elm+5+5+5+6+6+6+6+7+6+5+5+5+5+6+6+7+7+7

Source:[5][15][20]

References

  1. ↑ "Leaders' cards". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 3, 1931. p. 15.
  2. 1 2 Gould, Alan (July 3, 1931). "Four outsiders lead in U.S. Open golf at Toledo". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. p. 13.
  3. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (July 2, 1931). "144 start play today for Jones' U.S. Open crown". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 32.
  4. 1 2 "Bonus given Burke, Von Elm for fine play". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 7, 1931. p. 14.
  5. 1 2 Rice, Grantland (July 7, 1931). "Burke beats Von Elm for title by 1 stroke". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1, sports.
  6. ↑ "Burke's work on green wins Open title". Pittsburgh Press. July 7, 1931. p. 18.
  7. ↑ McCabe, Jim (June 13, 2011). "The epic battle of the 1931 U.S. Open". Golfweek. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Bartlett, Charles (July 5, 1931). "Burke's 292 ties Von Elm for Open title". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
  9. 1 2 3 Rice, Grantland (July 5, 1931). "Von Elam and Burke tie in National Open meet". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1, sports.
  10. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (July 6, 1931). "Von Elm, Burke tie at 149 in Open golf playoff". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 29.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Von Elm, Burke all square in Open playoff". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 6, 1931. p. 1.
  12. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (July 7, 1931). "Burke defeats Von Elm; king of U.S. golf". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1.
  13. ↑ "Burke wins National Open golfing crown". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 7, 1931. p. 1.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Open abandons 18 holes for 2-hole playoff". ESPN. Associated Press. February 26, 2018.
  15. 1 2 "Hole-by-hole account of Von Elm-Burke match". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 7, 1931. p. 14.
  16. 1 2 Bartlett, Charles (July 4, 1931). "Von Elm breaks par to lead U.S. Open". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 11.
  17. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (July 3, 1931). "Four pros shoot par 71 for lead in U.S. Open". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 19.
  18. ↑ "Leaders' scores". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. July 5, 1931. p. 1, sports.
  19. ↑ "Play-off cards". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 6, 1931. p. 15.
  20. ↑ "The cards". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 7, 1931. p. 14.

Coordinates: 41°39′07″N 83°39′04″W / 41.652°N 83.651°W / 41.652; -83.651

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