1949 Open Championship

1949 Open Championship

Tournament information
Dates	6–9 July 1949
Location	Sandwich, England
Course(s)	Royal St George's Golf Club
Statistics
Par	72[1]
Length	6,728 yards (6,152 m)[2]
Field	96 players, 31 after cut[3]
Cut	147 (+3)
Prize fund	£1,500
Winner's share	£300
Champion
Bobby Locke
283 (–5), playoff

Sandwich 

Location in England

Sandwich

Location in Kent. England

The 1949 Open Championship was the 78th Open Championship, held 6–9 July at Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent, England. Bobby Locke of South Africa won the first of his four Open titles in a 36-hole playoff, twelve strokes ahead of runner-up Harry Bradshaw of Ireland.^[1][4] It was the first playoff at the Open since 1933.^[5]

This edition was originally scheduled for Royal Cinque Ports, but it was flooded in early 1949 and the venue was switched to Royal St George's. Royal Cinque Ports was retained as a venue for one of the qualifying rounds.^[6]

Qualifying took place on 4–5 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes at Royal St. George's and 18 holes at Royal Cinque Ports.^[7][8] The number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 100, and ties for 100th place did not qualify. Bradshaw led the qualifiers scoring 139 with Locke next at 140; the qualifying score was 154 and 96 players advanced.^[8][9][10] The total prize money was increased fifty percent, from £1,000 to £1,500. The winner received £300 with £200 for second, £100 for third, £75 for fourth, £50 for fifth and then £20 each for the next 35 players. The £1,500 was completed with a £15 prize for winning the qualification event and four £15 prizes for the lowest score in each round. For the first time a silver medal was awarded to the first amateur.^[11]

In the opening round on Wednesday, Jimmy Adams led with 67.^[12] Locke entered as the favorite,^[2][13] but was in a tie for fourth place, despite taking seven at the 14th, cutting his tee shot out of bounds.^[14] After the second round on Thursday, Sam King had the lead on 140, Adams dropping back after a 77. At the 5th hole, Bradshaw's ball finished in a broken beer bottle; he decided to play it, getting the ball clear but dropping a shot on the hole. The maximum number of players making the cut after 36 holes was again set at forty, and ties for 40th place did not make the cut. With eleven players tied for 32nd place at 148, the cut was 147 (+3) and a record low 31 players advanced to the final two rounds.^[15][16]

After the morning round on Friday, there were three players tied for the lead on 213: Bradshaw, Locke, and Max Faulkner. Charlie Ward and King were just a stroke behind. Bradshaw was in one of the early groups and had a final round of 70 to take the lead on 283. Playing forty minutes later, Locke reached the turn in 32 but took five at the 10th, 14th, and 15th, and then three-putted the short 16th. However he then sank a ten-foot (3 m) birdie putt at 17 then from four feet (1.2 m) for par at the last to tie Bradshaw. None of the later players in contention could get close to Bradshaw and Locke. De Vicenzo had a good last round of 69 to take third place. His chances were spoilt by an inward half of 40 in the morning which had left his three strokes behind.^[17][18]

In the playoff on Saturday, both players started well but Locke had a three-shot lead after thirteen holes. At the 520-yard 14th hole, Locke put his second shot stone dead for a three while Bradshaw found a bunker and eventually took six. Locke's lead was thus extended to six and then to seven at the end of the morning round. The lead quickly extended to 10 after two holes of the afternoon round as Bradshaw started 6-5. Bradshaw gained a shot at the 9th and 11th, but Locke went on to win the playoff by twelve strokes.^[1][4][19]

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Player	Country	Year won	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total	To par	Finish
Dick Burton	England	1939	73	70	74	74	291	+11	T14

Source:^[3]

Missed the cut

Player	Country	Year won	R1	R2	Total	To par
Reg Whitcombe	England	1938	71	77	148	+4
Alf Padgham	England	1936	72	77	149	+5
Fred Daly	Northern Ireland	1947	75	76	151	+7
Alf Perry	England	1935	73	79	152	+8
Arthur Havers	England	1923	77	78	155	+11

Source:^[3][15]

Did not enter:

• Henry Cotton (1934, 1937, 1948), Sam Snead (1946), Denny Shute (1933), Gene Sarazen (1932), Tommy Armour (1931).^[2][10]

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 6 July 1948

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Jimmy Adams	Scotland	67	–5
T2	Harry Bradshaw	Ireland	68	–4
	Roberto De Vicenzo	Argentina
T6	Ken Adwick	England	69	–3
	Ken Bousfield	England
	John Fallon	Scotland
	Bobby Locke	South Africa
	Bill Shankland	Australia
	Ernie Southerden	England
	Norman Sutton	England

Source:^[12]

Second round

Thursday, 7 July 1949

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Sam King	England	71-69=140	–4
T2	Max Faulkner	England	71-71=142	–2
	Bill Shankland	Australia	69-73=142
T4	Dick Burton	England	73-70=143	–1
	Roberto De Vicenzo	Argentina	68-75=143
T6	Jimmy Adams	Scotland	67-77=144	E
	Johnny Bulla	United States	71-73=144
	John Fallon	Scotland	69-75=144
	Arthur Lees	England	74-70=144
	Frank Stranahan (a)	United States	71-73=144
	Charlie Ward	England	73-71=144

Source:^[15]

Third round

Friday, 8 July 1949 (morning)

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
T1	Harry Bradshaw	Ireland	68-77-68=213	–3
	Max Faulkner	England	71-71-71=213
	Bobby Locke	South Africa	69-76-68=213
T4	Sam King	England	71-69-74=214	–2
	Charlie Ward	England	73-71-70=214
6	Walter Lees	England	74-72-69=215	–1
T7	Jimmy Adams	Scotland	67-77-72=216	E
	Roberto De Vicenzo	Argentina	68-75-73=216
	John Fallon	Scotland	69-75-72=216
	Arthur Lees	England	74-70-72=216

Source:^[18]

Final round

Friday, 8 July 1949 (afternoon)

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par	Money
T1	Harry Bradshaw	Ireland	68-77-68-70=283	–5	Playoff
	Bobby Locke	South Africa	69-76-68-70=283
3	Roberto De Vicenzo	Argentina	68-75-73-69=285	–3	£100
T4	Sam King	England	71-69-74-72=286	–2	£62 10s
	Charlie Ward	England	73-71-70-72=286
T6	Max Faulkner	England	71-71-71-74=287	–1	£20
	Arthur Lees	England	74-70-72-71=287
T8	Jimmy Adams	Scotland	67-77-72-72=288	E
	John Fallon	Scotland	69-75-72-72=288
	Wally Smithers	England	72-75-70-71=288

Source:^[18]
Amateurs: Stranahan (+2), Francis (+19)

Playoff

Saturday, 9 July 1949

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par	Money (£)
1	Bobby Locke	South Africa	67-68=135	–9	300
2	Harry Bradshaw	Ireland	74-73=147	+3	200

Scorecards

Morning round

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Back	Total
Locke	4	4	3	4	4	3	4	3	4	33	4	4	4	4	3	4	3	4	4	34	67
Bradshaw	4	4	3	4	5	3	5	3	4	35	4	4	5	4	6	4	3	5	4	39	74

Afternoon round

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Back	Total
Locke	4	4	3	4	4	3	4	3	4	33	4	4	4	4	4	5	3	3	4	35	68
Bradshaw	6	5	3	4	5	3	4	3	3	36	4	3	4	5	5	5	3	4	4	37	73

References

External links

• 78th Open - Royal St George's 1949 (Official site)
• 1949 Open Championship (about.sports)

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