1931 Open Championship

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1931 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates3–5 June 1931
LocationCarnoustie, Angus, Scotland
Course(s)Carnoustie Golf Links
Statistics
Par72[1]
Length6,701 yards (6,127 m)[2]
Field109 players, 66 after cut[3]
Cut159 (+15)
Prize fund£500
Winner's share£100
Champion
ScotlandUnited States Tommy Armour
296 (+8)
← 1930
1932 →
Carnoustie is located in Scotland
Carnoustie
Carnoustie
Carnoustie is located in Angus
Carnoustie
Carnoustie
Location in Angus, Scotland

The 1931 Open Championship was the 66th Open Championship, held 3–5 June at Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland. Tommy Armour outlasted José Jurado by a single stroke to win his only Open title,[1][4][5] and his third and final major championship.[1][6] This was the first time Carnoustie hosted the championship.[2]

Qualifying took place on 1–2 June, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes at Carnoustie and 18 holes at Panmure Golf Club in nearby Barry,[2] and the top 100 players and ties qualified. Macdonald Smith led the qualifiers on 141; the qualifying score was 160 and 109 players advanced.[7][8][9] Prize money for the championship was increased to £500 with £100 for the champion, £75 for second place, £50 for third, £30 for fourth, £25 for fifth, £20 for sixth and seventh, £15 for eighth and ninth and £10 for the next 15 players.[10]

Johnny Farrell, Henry Cotton, and Bill Twine led after the first round on Wednesday at even-par 72.[11] Cotton shared the lead with Jurado after the second round at 147 (+3), with Armour a stroke behind.[12][13][14] The top 60 and ties would make the cut; it was at 159 (+15) and 66 players advanced to the final rounds.

Cotton slipped back with a 79 in the third round on Friday morning, while Jurado shot 73 to open up a three-shot lead over Smith and Arthur Havers. Farrell and Reg Whitcombe were a stroke back in a tie for fourth and Armour, Percy Alliss, and Gene Sarazen were tied for sixth. Despite a shaky finish which saw him take eleven strokes on the last two holes, Alliss shot 73 and took the clubhouse lead at 298. Armour surpassed that total after a course-record 71, finishing at 296. Still on the course when Armour finished, Jurado needed a 75 to win the title. After making the turn in 36, he found trouble on the back-nine. Jurado arrived at the 17th needing to finish with fives on the last two holes to tie Armour, but his drive found the burn and he carded a six. Now needing a four on the last, he hit his approach to 9 feet (2.7 m), but his putt to tie just missed, securing the championship for Armour.[4][5]

Armour, age 36 and a U.S. citizen, played the Open Championship just once more; he returned to Britain to defend his title in 1932 and finished in 17th place.

Defending champion Bobby Jones won the amateur grand slam in 1930 at age 28 and retired from competition; he did not compete again at the Open.

Course

Championship Course

Hole Name Yards Par Hole Name Yards Par
1 Cup 401 4 10 South America 406 4
2 Gulley 418 4 11 Dyke 352 4
3 Jockie's Burn 321 4 12 Southward Ho 467 4
4 Hillocks 365 4 13 Whins 135 3
5 Brae 363 4 14 Spectacles 473 5
6 Long ^ 521 5 15 Lucky Slap 424 4
7 Plantation 376 4 16 Barry Burn 235 3
8 Short 146 3 17 Island 428 4
9 Railway 417 4 18 Home 453 5
Out 3,328 36 In 3,373 36
Source:[2] Total 6,701 72

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

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Player Country Year won R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To par Finish
Arthur Havers  England 1923 75 76 72 79 302 +14 T10
George Duncan  Scotland 1920 78 79 79 76 312 +24 T36

Source:[3][4]

Missed the cut

Player Country Year won R1 R2 Total To par
Ted Ray  Jersey 1912 79 81 160 +16

Source:[3]

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

Did not enter:

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 3 June 1931

Place Player Country Score To par
T1 Henry Cotton  England 72 E
Johnny Farrell  United States
Bill Twine  England
4 Tommy Armour  Scotland
 United States
73 +1
T5 Percy Alliss  England 74 +2
Marcel Dallemagne  France
Arthur Lacey  England
Bill Large Sr.  England
George Oke  England
Gene Sarazen  United States

Source:[11]

Second round

Thursday, 4 June 1931

Place Player Country Score To par
T1 Henry Cotton  England 72-75=147 +3
José Jurado  Argentina 76-71=147
3 Tommy Armour  Scotland
 United States
73-75=148 +4
4 Johnny Farrell  United States 72-77=149 +5
T5 Joe Kirkwood Sr.  Australia 75-75=150 +6
Gene Sarazen  United States 74-76=150
Bill Twine  England 72-78=150
T8 Marcos Churio  Argentina 76-75=151 +7
Marcel Dallemagne  France 74-77=151
Arthur Havers  England 75-76=151
Willie Hunter  Scotland
 United States
76-75=151
Abe Mitchell  England 77-74=151
Alf Perry  England 77-74=151
Philip Rodgers  England 77-74=151

Source:[12]

Third round

Friday, 5 June 1931 (morning)

Place Player Country Score To par
1 José Jurado  Argentina 76-71-73=220 +4
T2 Arthur Havers  England 75-76-72=223 +7
Macdonald Smith  Scotland
 United States
75-77-71=223
T4 Johnny Farrell  United States 72-77-75=224 +8
Reg Whitcombe  England 75-78-71=224
T6 Percy Alliss  England 74-78-73=225 +9
Tommy Armour  Scotland
 United States
73-75-77=225
Bill Davies  England 76-78-71=225
Willie Hunter  Scotland
 United States
76-75-74=225
Gene Sarazen  United States 74-76-75=225

Source:[3][4][5]

Final round

Friday, 5 June 1931 (afternoon)

Place Player Country Score To par Money (£)
1 Tommy Armour  Scotland
 United States
73-75-77-71=296 +8 100
2 José Jurado  Argentina 76-71-73-77=297 +9 75
T3 Percy Alliss  England 74-78-73-73=298 +10 40
Gene Sarazen  United States 74-76-75-73=298
T5 Johnny Farrell  United States 72-77-75-75=299 +11 22
10s
Macdonald Smith  Scotland
 United States
75-77-71-76=299
T7 Marcos Churio  Argentina 76-75-78-71=300 +12 17
10s
Bill Davies  England 76-78-71-75=300
9 Arthur Lacey  England 74-80-74-73=301 +13 15
T10 Henry Cotton  England 72-75-79-76=302 +14 10
Arthur Havers  England 75-76-72-79=302

Source:[3][4][5]

Amateurs: McRuvie (+24), L. Hartley (+25), Bookless (+31), Burge (+31),
                 Sutton (+32), R. Hartley (+33), Shankland (+34), Tulloch (+34).

References

  1. ^ a b c "Armour wins British Open golf honors". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. 6 June 1931. p. 19. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d "Carnoustie's great week". Glasgow Herald. 1 June 1931. p. 13.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 104. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Thrilling finish to Open Championship". Glasgow Herald. 6 June 1931. p. 11.
  5. ^ a b c d Speck, Eugene (6 June 1931). "Armour wins British Open tourney with 296". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 17.
  6. ^ Armour, Tommy (6 June 1931). "Armour tells how it feels to be a champion". Milwaukee Journal. p. 10. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  7. ^ "Macdonald Smith leads qualifiers in "Open"". Glasgow Herald. 3 June 1931. p. 13.
  8. ^ a b c "Qualifiers in the Open". Glasgow Herald. 3 June 1931. p. 21.
  9. ^ "Golf - Open Championship - Macdonald Smith in form". The Times. 3 June 1931. p. 7.
  10. ^ "Open Championship - Statement by Royal and Ancient club". The Times. 30 May 1931. p. 6.
  11. ^ a b Speck, Eugene (4 June 1931). "Farrell and 2 Britons get 72 on British Open". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 27.
  12. ^ a b "Cotton still ahead". Glasgow Herald. 5 June 1931. p. 13.
  13. ^ Speck, Eugene (5 June 1931). "Cotton, Jurado top British Open field with 147". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 29.
  14. ^ King, Frank H. (5 June 1931). "Jurado, Cotton pace British Open tourney". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. p. 17. Retrieved 17 May 2013.

External links

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