1959 Open Championship

1959 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates 1–3 July 1959
Location Gullane, Scotland
Course(s) Muirfield
Statistics
Par 72[1]
Length 6,806 yards (6,223 m)[2]
Field 90 players, 48 after cut[3]
Cut 148 (+4)
Prize fund £5,000
$14,000
Winner's share £1,000
$2,800
Champion
South Africa Gary Player
284 (–4)
Muirfield
Location in Scotland
Muirfield
Location in East Lothian, Scotland

The 1959 Open Championship was the 88th Open Championship, held 1–3 July at Muirfield Golf Links in Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland. Gary Player, age 23, shot a final round of 68 to win the first of his nine major titles, two strokes ahead of runners-up Fred Bullock and Flory Van Donck.[4][5] It was the first of Player's three Claret Jugs; he won again in 1968 and 1974.

Muirfield was originally scheduled to host in 1957, but it was transferred to St. Andrews because of petrol rationing following the "Suez Crisis" in late 1956. Muirfield was subsequently allocated the 1959 Championship.

Qualifying took place on 29–30 June, with 18 holes at Muirfield and 18 holes at the number 1 course Gullane.[6] There were no exemptions and the number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 100, and ties did not qualify. The qualifying score was 147 and 90 players advanced to the first round the next day; defending champion Peter Thomson led with 137 and won the £50 qualifying prize.[7][8] The maximum number of players making the cut after 36 holes was again set at 50, and ties did not make the cut.

The purse was increased to £5,000, up 150 from 4,850 in 1958; the winner's share remained unchanged at £1,000, but the prizes for second to fifth places were increased. Second place received £700, with 525 for third, 400 for fourth, and 325 for fifth.[9][10]

Bullock and Arnold Stickley led after the first round on Wednesday with scores of 68.[11] A number of amateurs made good starts, the best was Michael Bonallack at 70. Bullock retained the lead after a second round 70 and Bonallack was one of four amateurs to make the cut. The three 'giants' Bobby Locke, Henry Cotton, and Thomson all made the cut, but all were eight or more strokes behind Bullock.[12][13]

On Friday, Player teed off at 9:04 am (and 1:34 pm), two hours before the leaders, who started at 11:04 am (and 3:34 pm). Player was out in 37 in his morning round but came home in 33 and was only four strokes behind the leaders after 54 holes. The Scottish amateur Reid Jack had a third round 68 to be only two shots behind. In the afternoon's final round, Player reached the last needing 4 for a round of 66. However he drove into a bunker at the 18th and three-putted for a 6, a round of 68 and a total of 284. In the last group Bullock and Flory Van Donck both finished two shots behind Player. Jack won the silver medal for leading amateur by finishing tied for fifth place, two ahead of Bonallack.[4][14]

Only four Americans were in the field of 90; two were amateurs and none made the cut.[3][15]

Course

HoleYardsPar   HoleYardsPar
14534104804
23534113594
33824123804
41923131533
55105144585
64584153934
71673161933
84554175135
94905184274
Out3,45036In3,35636
Source:[2]Total6,80672

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2R3R4TotalTo parFinish
Peter Thomson Australia1954, 1955, 1956, 195874747274294+6T23
Bobby Locke South Africa1949, 1950, 1952, 195773737673295+7T29
Henry Cotton England1934, 1937, 194871757777300+12T41

Missed the cut

PlayerCountryYear wonR1R2TotalTo par
Dick Burton England19397574149+5
Max Faulkner England19517475149+5

Source:[12]

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 1 July 1959

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Fred Bullock England68−4
Arnold Stickley England
3Antonio Cerdá Argentina69−3
T4Michael Bonallack (a) England70−2
Sam King England
Flory Van Donck Belgium
T7Jimmy Adams Scotland71−1
Harry Bradshaw Ireland
Henry Cotton England
Norman Drew Northern Ireland
Reid Jack (a) Scotland
Reg Knight England
Eddie Whitcombe England

Source:[1][11]

Second round

Thursday, 2 July 1959

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Fred Bullock England68-70=138−6
2Flory Van Donck Belgium70-70=140−4
T3Michael Bonallack (a) England70-72=142−2
Reg Knight England71-71=142
Arnold Stickley England68-74=142
T6Antonio Cerdá Argentina69-74=143−1
Tom Haliburton Scotland74-69=143
Jimmy Hitchcock England75-68=143
Syd Scott England73-70=143
T10Sam King England70-74=144E
Eric Lester England73-71=144
John Panton Scotland72-72=144

Source:[12]

Amateurs: Bonallack (−2), Carr (+1), Jack (+2), Wolstenholme (+4),
Sweeny Jr (+7), Smith (+8), Garrett (+12), Dalziel (+13), Ferguson (+13), Stuart (+13).

Third round

Friday, 3 July 1959 - (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Fred Bullock England68-70-74=212−4
Sam King England70-74-68=212
T3Jimmy Hitchcock England75-68-70=213−3
Flory Van Donck Belgium70-70-73=213
T5Michael Bonallack (a) England70-72-72=214−2
Reid Jack (a) Scotland71-75-68=214
T7John Panton England72-72-71=215−1
Dai Rees Wales73-73-69=215
Leopoldo Ruiz Argentina72-74-69=215
T10Antonio Cerdá Argentina69-74-73=216E
Reg Knight England71-71-74=216
Gary Player South Africa75-71-70=216
Syd Scott England73-70-73=216

Source:[4]

Final round

Friday, 3 July 1959 - (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney (£)
1Gary Player South Africa75-71-70-68=284−41,000
T2Fred Bullock England68-70-74-74=286−2612
Flory Van Donck Belgium70-70-73-73=286
4Syd Scott England73-70-73-71=287−1400
T5Reid Jack (a) Scotland71-75-68-74=288E–
Sam King England70-74-68-76=288258
Christy O'Connor Snr Ireland73-74-72-69=288
John Panton Scotland72-72-71-73=288
T9Dai Rees Wales73-73-69-74=289+1137
Leopoldo Ruiz Argentina72-74-69-74=289

Source:[4]

Amateurs: Jack (E), Bonallack (+2), Wolstenholme (+3), Carr (+10).

References

  1. 1 2 "Two unknowns (68s) top British Open". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. 2 July 1959. p. 5, part 2.
  2. 1 2 "The lay-out of the Muirfield course". Glasgow Herald. 29 June 1959. p. 6.
  3. 1 2 "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 77. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Horne, Cyril (4 July 1959). "Open Championship for G.J. Player". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. p. 1.
  5. ↑ Longhurst, Henry (13 July 1959). "South Africans at Muirfield". Sports Illustrated.
  6. ↑ Horne, Cyril (29 June 1959). "Open Championship starts today". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. p. 1.
  7. ↑ Horne, Cyril (1 July 1959). "Holder leads 90 qualifiers for Open title". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. p. 9.
  8. ↑ "Thomson head Open golf qualifiers - Proud day for amateur players". The Times. London. 1 July 1959. p. 5.
  9. ↑ "Centenary Open Championship: prize money increased". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. 4 December 1959. p. 12.
  10. ↑ "Golf - Centenary Open Championship - Prize money increased". The Times. London. 4 December 1959. p. 12.
  11. 1 2 Horne, Cyril (2 July 1959). "Bullock and Stickley lead after one round". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. p. 9.
  12. 1 2 3 Horne, Cyril (3 July 1959). "Bullock half-way leader in Open golf". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. p. 9.
  13. ↑ "Few Open golf clues - Three giants still trailing - Bullock keeps lead". The Times. London. 3 July 1959. p. 3.
  14. ↑ "Player rises to challenge and wins Open golf - Advantage of U.S. experience tells in the end". The Times. London. 4 July 1959. p. 3.
  15. ↑ "Gary Player wins British Open golf". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 4 July 1959. p. 29.
Preceded by
1959 U.S. Open		 Major Championships Succeeded by
1959 PGA Championship

Coordinates: 56°02′35″N 2°49′23″W / 56.043°N 2.823°W / 56.043; -2.823

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