1937 Open Championship

1937 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates 7–9 July 1937
Location Carnoustie, Scotland
Course(s) Carnoustie Golf Links
Medal Course[1]
Statistics
Par 72
Length 7,200 yards (6,584 m)[1]
Field 141 players, 47 after cut[2]
Cut 153 (+9)
Prize fund £500
Winner's share £100
Champion
England Henry Cotton
290 (+2)
Carnoustie
Location in Scotland
Carnoustie
Location in Angus, Scotland

The 1937 Open Championship was the 72nd Open Championship, held 7–9 July at Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Scotland. Henry Cotton won the second of his three Open titles, two strokes ahead of runner-up Reg Whitcombe.[3][4] The Ryder Cup was held in late June at Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club in North West England,[5][6][7] and all the members of the victorious American team played in the championship, creating a star-studded field, similar to four years earlier in 1933.

Qualifying took place on 5–6 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes on the Medal Course (the championship course) and 18 holes on the Burnside Course.[8][9] The number of qualifiers was increased to the top 140 and ties, having previously been the top 100 and ties. Two-time Masters champion Horton Smith led the qualifiers on 138;[10] the qualifying score was 157 and 141 players advanced, and all the American Ryder Cup players qualified comfortably.[11][12]

In the opening round on Wednesday, Ed Dudley took the lead with a 70.[13] Reg Whitcombe led after the first two rounds at two-under 142,[14] with his brother Charles and Dudley two behind on 144, and Cotton was tied for fourth at 146.[15] Only the leading forty players and ties made the 36-hole cut,[16] which was at 153 (+9) and 47 advanced. Previously the top sixty and ties made the cut.[17]

The final two rounds on Friday were played in a steady, cold rain.[3] Whitcombe maintained his lead with a third-round 74, two shots ahead of his brother, while Cotton moved up to three behind. The weather proved to be Whitcombe's downfall in the final round; on the 7th tee, his club slipped out of his hands as he was swinging and the ball traveled only 40 yards (37 m). He ended up taking a six and finished with a 76 and 292 total. Cotton did not seem affected by the conditions and arrived at the 18th needing only a six to lead. His approach shot found a greenside bunker, but he was able to get down in five to post a 290 total. Only Charles Whitcombe could catch Cotton, but his 76 and 294 finished four strokes behind in fourth place.[3]

The American contingent included Byron Nelson and Sam Snead, both of whom were making their Open Championship debuts. Nelson finished fifth but played the Open just once more, returning in 1955. Snead tied for eleventh and played in four more, winning his next in 1946 at St. Andrews. The non-playing captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, four-time Open champion Walter Hagen, tied for 26th place in his final Open appearance at age 44.

In his last Open Championship as an amateur, nineteen-year-old Bobby Locke was the only amateur to make the cut and tied for seventeenth. As a professional, he won four times (1949, 1950, 1952, 1957).

Course

Medal (Championship) Course

HoleNameYardsParHoleNameYardsPar
1Cup401410South America4534
2Gulley442411Dyke3684
3Jockie's Burn346412Southward Ho4674
4Hillocks430413Whins1683
5Brae388414Spectacles4735
6Long ^567515Lucky Slap4574
7Plantation389416Barry Burn2503
8Short161317Island4544
9Railway483418Home5035
Out3,60736In3,59336
Source:[1]Total7,20072

^ The 6th hole was renamed Hogan's Alley in 2003

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2R3R4TotalTo parFinish
Henry Cotton England193474727371290+21
Alf Padgham England193672747676298+10T7
Denny Shute United States193373737680302+1414
Arthur Havers England192377757676308+20T17
Walter Hagen United States1922, 1924,
1928, 1929		76728081309+21T26

Source:[2][3][4]

Missed the cut

PlayerCountryYear wonR1R2TotalTo par
Gene Sarazen United States19328176157+13
Alf Perry England19358376159+15
George Duncan Scotland19209076166+22
Ted Ray Jersey19128788175+31

Source:[2][15][16]

Did not advance past qualifying rounds (Monday & Tuesday):

Did not enter:

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 7 July 1937

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Ed Dudley United States70−2
T2Bill Branch England72E
Willie McMinn Scotland
Alf Padgham England
Reg Whitcombe England
T6Douglas Cairncross Scotland73+1
Fred Robertson Scotland
Denny Shute United States
Jack Taylor England
Charles Whitcombe England

Source:[13]

Second round

Thursday, 8 July 1937

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Reg Whitcombe England72-70=142−2
T2Ed Dudley United States70-74=144E
Charles Whitcombe England73-71=144
T4Henry Cotton England74-72=146+2
Alf Padgham England72-74=146
Denny Shute United States73-73=146
7Bill Branch England72-75=147+3
T8Walter Hagen United States76-72=148+4
Arthur Lacey England75-73=148
Bobby Locke (a) South Africa74-74=148
Dai Rees Wales75-73=148
Fred Robertson Scotland73-75=148
Horton Smith United States77-71=148

Source:[15][16]

Third round

Friday, 9 July 1937 (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Reg Whitcombe England72-70-74=216E
2Charles Whitcombe England73-71-74=218+2
3Henry Cotton England74-72-73=219+3
4Bill Branch England72-75-73=220+4
5Charles Lacey United States76-75-70=221+5
T6Ed Dudley United States70-74-78=222+6
Bill Laidlaw Scotland77-72-73=222
Byron Nelson United States75-76-71=222
Alf Padgham England72-74-76=222
Denny Shute United States73-73-76=222

Source:[2][3][4]

Final round

Friday, 9 July 1937 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney (£)
1Henry Cotton England74-72-73-71=290+2100
2Reg Whitcombe England72-70-74-76=292+475
3Charles Lacey United States76-75-70-72=293+550
4Charles Whitcombe England73-71-74-76=294+630
5Byron Nelson United States75-76-71-74=296+825
6Ed Dudley United States70-74-78-75=297+920
T7Arthur Lacey England75-73-75-75=298+1016
Bill Laidlaw Scotland77-72-73-76=298
Alf Padgham England72-74-76-76=298
10Horton Smith United States77-71-79-72=299+1110

Source:[2][3][4]
Amateur: Locke (+16)

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Carnoustie cards". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 5 July 1937. p. 19.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 96. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Cotton's brilliant victory". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 10 July 1937. p. 6.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Cotton wins Open in violent storm with total of 290". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 10 July 1937. p. 15.
  5. ↑ "Yankees win Ryder Cup from Britons". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. 30 June 1937. p. 30.
  6. ↑ "U.S. golfers down British, 8-4, to win Ryder Cup tourney". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 1 July 1937. p. 12.
  7. ↑ "First victory on British soil". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 1 July 1937. p. 11.
  8. ↑ "To-day's notable pairings". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 5 July 1937. p. 19.
  9. ↑ "First day of Open Championship". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 6 July 1937. p. 2.
  10. ↑ "H. Smith leader in British Open". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. 6 July 1937. p. 29.
  11. 1 2 3 "Americans dominate Open qualifying golf". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 7 July 1937. p. 23.
  12. ↑ "Golf - Open Championship". The Times. London. 7 July 1937. p. 7.
  13. 1 2 "Carnoustie scene changes". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 8 July 1937. p. 3.
  14. ↑ "Golf - Open Championship". The Times. London. 9 July 1937. p. 7.
  15. 1 2 3 "British Open lead goes to home-bred with score of 142". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 9 July 1937. p. 15.
  16. 1 2 3 "Britain takes the lead". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 9 July 1937. p. 5.
  17. ↑ "Golf - The Championships". The Times. 3 February 1937. p. 6.
Preceded by
1937 U.S. Open		 Major Championships Succeeded by
1938 Masters Tournament

Coordinates: 56°29′49″N 2°43′01″W / 56.497°N 2.717°W / 56.497; -2.717

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