1938 Open Championship

1938 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates 6–8 July 1938
Location Sandwich, England
Course(s) Royal St George's Golf Club
Statistics
Par 70 [1]
Field 120 players, 37 after cut[2]
Cut 148 (+8)
Prize fund £500
Winner's share £100
Champion
England Reg Whitcombe
295 (+15)
Sandwich 
Location in England
Sandwich
Location in Kent. England

The 1938 Open Championship was the 73rd Open Championship, held 6–8 July at Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, England. In terrible weather conditions that caused scores to soar, Reg Whitcombe prevailed by two strokes over runner-up Jimmy Adams to win his only major title.[3][4] The purse was £500 with a winner's share of £100.[2]

It was planned to play the Championship at Royal Cinque Ports in nearby Deal, but abnormally high tides that February caused severe flooding to the course, leaving it like "an inland sea several feet deep."[5] The venue was switched to Royal St George's, and Prince's replaced Royal Cinque Ports as the venue for one of the qualifying rounds.[6]

Qualifying took place on 4–5 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes at St. George's and 18 holes at Prince's.[7] The number of qualifiers was reduced this year to a maximum of 130, and ties for 130th place did not qualify.[6] John Fallon led the qualifiers on 142; the qualifying score was 157 and 120 players advanced,[8] with none from the United States.[2]

Dick Burton, Jack Busson, and Bill Cox shared the 36-hole lead at even par 140, with Whitcombe two strokes back after consecutive rounds of 71.[1] A maximum of 40 players after 36 holes made the cut to play on the final day, and ties for 40th place did not make the cut. It was at 148 (+8) and 37 advanced.[9]

In the last two rounds on Friday, the weather turned from challenging to treacherous. Gale force winds ripped apart the large exhibition tent and scattered debris for a mile around. Alf Padgham drove the green on the 384-yard (351 m) 11th hole, while Cyril Tolley cleared the water on the 14th only to have the wind blow his ball back into the hazard. Only seven sub-80 scores were recorded in the final round. The leaders suffered terribly in the conditions: Burton finished 78-85, Busson shot 83-80, while Cox went 84-80. Whitcombe's scores of 75-78 were enough to post a 295 total, two ahead of Adams and three clear of defending champion Henry Cotton.

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2R3R4TotalTo parFinish
Henry Cotton England1934, 193774737774298+183
Alf Padgham England193674727582303+23T4
Alf Perry England193571747786308+28T15

Source:[2]

Missed the cut

PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2TotalTo par
James Braid Scotland1901, 1905,
1906, 1908, 1910		7478152+12
Arthur Havers England19237879157+17

Source:[2]

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

Did not enter:

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 6 July 1938

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Jimmy Adams Scotland70E
Jimmy Bruen (a) Ireland
Bill Cox England
Marcel Dallemagne France
John Fallon Scotland
Ernest Whitcombe England
T7Dick Burton England71+1
Jack Busson England
Bert Gadd England
Ted Jarman England
Alf Perry England
Charles Whitcombe England
Reg Whitcombe England

Source:[10]

Second round

Thursday, 7 July 1938

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Dick Burton England71-69=140E
Jack Busson England71-69=140
Bill Cox England70-70=140
T4Jimmy Adams Scotland70-71=141+1
Bert Gadd England71-70=141
6Reg Whitcombe England71-71=142+2
7Bob French England72-71=143+3
T8Jimmy Black Wales72-72=144+4
Marcel Dallemagne France70-74=144
T10Allan Dailey Scotland73-72=145+5
John Fallon Scotland70-75=145
Bobby Locke South Africa73-72=145
Alf Perry England71-74=145
Dai Rees Wales73-72=145
Cyril Tolley (a) England77-68=145

Source:[9]

Third round

Friday, 8 July 1938 (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Reg Whitcombe England71-71-75=217+7
2Dick Burton England71-69-78=218+8
3Jimmy Adams Scotland70-71-78=219+9
4Alf Padgham England74-72-75=221+11
5Alf Perry Scotland71-74-77=222+12
6Jack Busson England71-69-83=223+13
T7Fred Bullock England73-74-77=224+14
Henry Cotton England74-73-77=224
Bill Cox England70-70-84=224
Dai Rees Wales73-72-79=224

Source:[2][4]

Final round

Friday, 8 July 1938 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney (£)
1Reg Whitcombe England71-71-75-78=295+15100
2Jimmy Adams Scotland70-71-78-78=297+1775
3Henry Cotton England74-73-77-74=298+1850
T4Dick Burton England71-69-78-85=303+2323
15s
Jack Busson England71-69-83-80=303
Allan Dailey Scotland73-72-80-78=303
Alf Padgham England74-72-75-82=303
T8Fred Bullock England73-74-77-80=304+2415
Bill Cox England70-70-84-80=304
T10Bert Gadd England71-70-84-80=305+2510
Bobby Locke South Africa73-72-81-79=305
Charles Whitcombe England71-75-79-80=305

Source:[2][4]

Amateurs: Storey (+36), Tolley (+37), Thomson (+39), Pennink (+42).

References

  1. 1 2 "Archer leads qualifiers in Amateur golf – 3 share British Open Lead". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 8 July 1938. p. 13. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 95. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  3. ↑ "Reginald Whitcombe win British Open crown". Miami News. Associated Press. 8 July 1938. p. 12. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 "Reggie Whitcombe scores 295 to win". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 9 July 1938. p. 13. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  5. ↑ "Gales and snow - Damage on east coast - Widespread flooding". The Times. 14 February 1938. p. 12.
  6. 1 2 "Golf - The Open and Amateur Championships - New Conditions". The Times. 12 February 1938. p. 4.
  7. ↑ "Assault on Cotton's title". Glasgow Herald. 5 July 1938. p. 3.
  8. 1 2 3 "Decks cleared for action". Glasgow Herald. 6 July 1938. p. 6.
  9. 1 2 "Golfers' changing fortunes". Glasgow Herald. 8 July 1938. p. 12.
  10. ↑ "Fascinating day's golf". Glasgow Herald. 7 July 1938. p. 2.
Preceded by
1938 U.S. Open		 Major Championships Succeeded by
1938 PGA Championship

Coordinates: 51°16′26″N 1°22′01″E / 51.274°N 1.367°E / 51.274; 1.367

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