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1949 Open Championship

Coordinates: 51°16′26″N 1°22′01″E / 51.274°N 1.367°E / 51.274; 1.367
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1949 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates6–9 July 1949
LocationSandwich, England
Course(s)Royal St George's Golf Club
Statistics
Par72[1]
Length6,728 yards (6,152 m)[2]
Field96 players, 31 after cut[3]
Cut147 (+3)
Prize fund£1,500
Winner's share£300
Champion
South Africa Bobby Locke
283 (–5), playoff
← 1948
1950 →
Sandwich  is located in England
Sandwich 
Sandwich 
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Location in England
Sandwich is located in Kent
Sandwich
Sandwich
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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:

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 ½
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
South Africa Locke 4 4 3 4 4 3 4 3 4 33 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 4 4 34 67
Republic of Ireland 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
South Africa Locke 4 4 3 4 4 3 4 3 4 33 4 4 4 4 4 5 3 3 4 35 68
Republic of Ireland Bradshaw 6 5 3 4 5 3 4 3 3 36 4 3 4 5 5 5 3 4 4 37 73

References

  1. ^ a b c "Locke Wins British Open By 12-Stroke Margin". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 10 July 1949. p. 21. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "British Open starts today: Locke choice". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. 4 July 1949. p. 4, sec. 6.
  3. ^ a b c "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 89. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Machine-like golf by new Open champion". Glasgow Herald. 11 July 1949. p. 3.
  5. ^ "Locke, Bradshaw Tie For British Open With 283". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 9 July 1949. p. 9. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Open Golf Championship at Sandwich". The Times. 24 May 1949. p. 6.
  7. ^ "Overseas challenge "Open" evident". Glasgow Herald. 5 July 1949. p. 2.
  8. ^ a b "Bradshaw leads Open title qualifiers". Glasgow Herald. 6 July 1949. p. 6.
  9. ^ "The Open Championship". The Times. 4 July 1949. p. 6.
  10. ^ a b "Bulla, Hunter, Stranahan gain British berths". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. 6 July 1949. p. 4, sec. 3.
  11. ^ ""Open" prize money increased - First award now £300". Glasgow Herald. 21 January 1949. p. 2.
  12. ^ a b "Anglo-Scot leads "Open" field with 67". Glasgow Herald. 7 July 1949. p. 9.
  13. ^ "Locke's bid to win Open Championship". Glasgow Herald. 4 July 1949. p. 3.
  14. ^ "Golf - Open Championship - Adams in the lead". The Times. 7 July 1949. p. 6.
  15. ^ a b c "Only 31 qualify for last two round in "Open"". Glasgow Herald. 8 July 1949. p. 9.
  16. ^ "Golf - Open Championship - S.L. King in the lead". The Times. 8 July 1949. p. 6.
  17. ^ "Golf - A tie in the Open Championship - Bradshaw and Locke to replay". The Times. 9 July 1949. p. 6.
  18. ^ a b c "Locke and Bradshaw tie for "Open"". The Glasgow Herald. 9 July 1949. p. 2.
  19. ^ "Golf - Open Championship - Locke's faultless win". The Times. 11 July 1949. p. 6.

External links

Preceded by Major Championships Succeeded by

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

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