1961 Open Championship

Coordinates: 53°37′19″N 3°01′59″W / 53.622°N 3.033°W / 53.622; -3.033
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1961 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates12–15 July 1961
LocationSouthport, England
Course(s)Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Statistics
Par72 [1]
Length6,844 yards (6,258 m)
Field108 players, 48 after cut[2]
Cut153 (+9)
Prize fund£8,500
$23,800
Winner's share£1,400
$3,920
Champion
United States Arnold Palmer
284 (−4)
← 1960
1962 →
Southport is located in England
Southport
Southport
class=notpageimage|
Location in England

The 1961 Open Championship was the 90th Open Championship, played 12–15 July at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Arnold Palmer won the first of two consecutive Open Championships, one stroke ahead of Dai Rees.[1] It was the second Open for Palmer, the runner-up in his first in 1960, and the fourth of his seven major titles. He was the first American to win the Claret Jug since Ben Hogan in 1953. This was the second Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, which hosted in 1954.

Qualifying took place on 10–11 July. Entries played 18 holes on the Championship course and 18 holes at Hillside Golf Club. The number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 120. Ties for 120th place would not qualify. The qualifying score was 151 and 108 players qualified. There were 22 players on 152. Bob Charles led the qualifiers on 136, two ahead of Gary Player.[3][4][5] A maximum of 50 players could make the cut after 36 holes. Ties for 50th place did not make the cut.

Gale-force winds caused scores to soar during the second round on Thursday,[6] followed by heavy rains which washed out both rounds on Friday.[7] Cancellation was a possibility, but the weather cooperated enough to play the third and fourth rounds in showers on Saturday.[1][8]

1959 Open champion and reigning Masters champion Gary Player withdrew early in the third round due to a stomach ailment.[1]

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To par Finish
Kel Nagle  Australia 1960 68 75 75 71 289 +1 T5
Peter Thomson  Australia 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958 75 72 70 73 290 +2 7
Henry Cotton  England 1934, 1937, 1948 76 77 74 77 304 +16 T32
Gary Player  South Africa 1959 73 77 WD

Missed the cut

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 Total To par
Dick Burton  England 1939 80 77 157 +13
Bobby Locke  South Africa 1949, 1950, 1952, 1957 75 84 159 +15

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 12 July 1961

Place Player Country Score To par
T1 Harold Henning  South Africa 68 −4
Kel Nagle  Australia
Dai Rees  Wales
T4 Jean Garaïalde  France 69 −3
Norman Johnson  England
David Miller  England
T7 Alan Brookes  South Africa 70 −2
Neil Coles  England
Sam King  England
John MacDonald  Scotland
Arnold Palmer  United States
Lionel Platts  England

Second round

Thursday, 13 July 1961

Place Player Country Score To par
T1 Harold Henning  South Africa 68-74=142 −2
Dai Rees  Wales 68-74=142
T3 Kel Nagle  Australia 68-75=143 −1
Arnold Palmer  United States 70-73=143
T5 Neil Coles  England 70-77=147 +3
Sam King  England 70-77=147
Ramón Sota  Spain 71-76=147
Peter Thomson  Australia 75-72=147
T9 Peter Alliss  England 73-75=148 +4
Ken Bousfield  England 71-77=148
Harry Bradshaw  Ireland 73-75=148
Peter Butler  England 72-76=148
Eric Lester  England 71-77=148
David Miller  England 69-79=148
Christy O'Connor Snr  Ireland 71-77=148
Dave Thomas  Wales 71-77=148
Brian Wilkes  South Africa 72-76=148

Amateurs: Christmas (+6), White (+6), Chapman (+11), Bonallack (+15), Carr (+17), Reece (+18), Pearson (+25)

Third round

Saturday, 15 July 1961 - (morning)

Place Player Country Score To par
1 Arnold Palmer  United States 70-73-69=212 −4
2 Dai Rees  Wales 68-74-71=213 −3
3 Christy O'Connor Snr  Ireland 71-77-67=215 −1
4 Neil Coles  England 70-77-69=216 E
T5 Harold Henning  South Africa 68-74-75=217 +1
Peter Thomson  Australia 75-72-70=217
7 Kel Nagle  Australia 68-75-75=218 +2
T8 Eric Brown  Scotland 73-76-70=219 +3
Norman Johnson  England 69-80-70=219
Ramón Sota  Spain 71-76-72=219

Final round

Saturday, 15 July 1961 - (afternoon)

Place Player Country Score To par Money (£)
1 Arnold Palmer  United States 70-73-69-72=284 −4 1,400
2 Dai Rees  Wales 68-74-71-72=285 −3 1,000
T3 Neil Coles  England 70-77-69-72=288 E 710
Christy O'Connor Snr  Ireland 71-77-67-73=288
T5 Eric Brown  Scotland 73-76-70-70=289 +1 400
Kel Nagle  Australia 68-75-75-71=289
7 Peter Thomson  Australia 75-72-70-73=290 +2 275
T8 Peter Alliss  England 73-75-72-71=291 +3 190
Ken Bousfield  England 71-77-75-68=291
T10 Harold Henning  South Africa 68-74-75-76=293 +5 140
Syd Scott  England 76-75-71-71=293

Amateurs: White (+18), Christmas (+20)

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Palmer takes British crown". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 16 July 1961. p. 1B.
  2. ^ "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 75, 203–8. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  3. ^ "Player's controlled power an Open golf hint - Charles leading qualifier". The Times. 12 July 1961. p. 12.
  4. ^ "Palmer fires opening 71 in British Open tourney". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 10 July 1961. p. 3B.
  5. ^ "Trick-shooting Ezar fires 70". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 11 July 1961. p. 3B.
  6. ^ "Palmer trailing by one in British". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 14 July 1961. p. 15.
  7. ^ "British weather may halt open tourney". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 15 July 1961. p. 9.
  8. ^ Longhurst, Henry (24 July 1961). "Arnie gets the one he wanted". Sports Illustrated. p. 20.

External links

Preceded by Major Championships Succeeded by

53°37′19″N 3°01′59″W / 53.622°N 3.033°W / 53.622; -3.033

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