1924 U.S. Open (golf)

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1924 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 5–6, 1924
LocationBirmingham, Michigan
Course(s)Oakland Hills Country Club
South Course
Organized byUSGA
FormatStroke play − 72 holes
Statistics
Par72
Length6,874 yards (6,286 m)[1][2]
Field84
Cutnone
Winner's share$500
Champion
England Cyril Walker
297 (+9)
← 1923
1925 →
Oakland Hills Country Club is located in the United States
Oakland Hills Country Club
Oakland Hills Country Club
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Location in the United States
Oakland Hills Country Club is located in Michigan
Oakland Hills Country Club
Oakland Hills Country Club
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Location in Michigan

The 1924 U.S. Open was the 28th U.S. Open, held June 5–6 at Oakland Hills Country Club in Birmingham, Michigan, a suburb northwest of Detroit. Cyril Walker, a relatively unknown Englishman, won his only major title at the South Course, three strokes ahead of runner-up Bobby Jones, the defending champion.[3][4]

After the first two rounds of play on Thursday, Jones shared the lead with Bill Mehlhorn, with Walker a shot back.[1] Walker shot a third consecutive 74 in the third round to tie Jones after 54 holes, with Mehlhorn one back. Jones and Mehlhorn, playing ahead of Walker in the final round, both played poorly, each carding 78. Leading by three on the 15th, Walker made bogey but then responded with a birdie on 16. He parred the final two holes to secure the championship.

This was the high point of Walker's golf career. He never won another significant title, and it was his only top ten finish in the U.S. Open; his next best finish in a major was the semifinals of the PGA Championship in 1921. A heavy drinker, Walker wound up working as a caddy and a dishwasher; unable to afford a room, he died in a New Jersey jail cell of pneumonia in 1948 at age 56.[5][6][7]

This was the first of nine major championships held at the South Course through 2017; six U.S. Opens and three PGA Championships.

Course layout[]

Main article: Oakland Hills Country Club

South Course

Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Yards 436 490 198 418 407 353 384 450 237 3,403 450 403 552 142 461 412 384 191 476 3,471 6,874
Par 4 5 3 4 4 4 4 4 3 35 4 4 5 3 5 4 4 3 5 37 72

Source:[1]

Past champions in the field[]

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To par Finish
Bobby Jones (a)  United States 1923 74 73 75 78 300 +12 2
Walter Hagen  United States 1914, 1919 75 75 76 77 303 +15 T4
Chick Evans (a)  United States 1916 77 77 76 77 307 +19 T10
Gene Sarazen  United States 1922 74 80 80 79 313 +25 T17
Fred McLeod  Scotland 1908 81 76 80 86 323 +35 T40
George Sargent  England 1909 79 84 77 84 324 +36 43

Source:[4]

Round summaries[]

First round[]

Thursday, June 5, 1924 (morning)

Place Player Country Score To par
1 Bill Mehlhorn  United States 72 E
T2 Eddie Loos  United States 73 +1
Dave Robertson  United States
T4 Bobby Jones (a)  United States 74 +2
Gene Sarazen  United States
Herbert Lagerblade  United States
Cyril Walker  England
T8 Mike Brady  United States 75 +3
Johnny Golden  United States
Walter Hagen  United States
Willie Ogg  Scotland
 United States

Source:[1]

Second round[]

Thursday, June 5, 1924 (afternoon)

Place Player Country Score To par
T1 Bobby Jones (a)  United States 74-73=147 +3
Bill Mehlhorn  United States 72-75=147
3 Cyril Walker  England 74-74=148 +4
T4 Bobby Cruickshank  Scotland 77-72=149 +5
Dave Robertson  United States 73-76=149
T6 Walter Hagen  United States 75-75=150 +6
Macdonald Smith  Scotland
 United States[8]		 78-72=150
8 Abe Espinosa  United States 80-71=151 +7
T9 Mike Brady  United States 75-77=152 +8
Tom Kerrigan  United States 75-77=152

Source:[1]

Third round[]

Friday, June 6, 1924 (morning)

Place Player Country Score To par
T1 Bobby Jones (a)  United States 74-73-75=222 +6
Cyril Walker  England 74-74-74=222
3 Bill Mehlhorn  United States 72-75-76=223 +7
4 Bobby Cruickshank  Scotland 77-72-76=225 +9
T5 Walter Hagen  United States 75-75-76=226 +10
Dave Robertson  United States 73-76-77=226
7 Macdonald Smith  Scotland
 United States		 78-72-77=227 +11
T8 Abe Espinosa  United States 80-71-77=228 +12
Tommy Armour  Scotland
 United States		 77-76-75=228
T10 Peter O'Hara  United States 76-79-74=229 +13
Mike Brady  United States 75-77-77=229
Eddie Loos  United States 73-81-75=229

Source:[4]

Final round[]

Friday, June 6, 1924 (afternoon)

Place Player Country Score To par Money ($)
1 Cyril Walker  England 74-74-74-75=297 +9 500
2 Bobby Jones (a)  United States 74-73-75-78=300 +12 0
3 Bill Mehlhorn  United States 72-75-76-78=301 +13 300
T4 Bobby Cruickshank  Scotland 77-72-76-78=303 +15 150
Walter Hagen  United States 75-75-76-77=303
Macdonald Smith  Scotland
 United States		 78-72-77-76=303
T7 Abe Espinosa  United States 80-71-77-77=305 +17 85
Peter O'Hara  United States 76-79-74-76=305
9 Mike Brady  United States 75-77-77-77=306 +18 75
T10 Chick Evans (a)  United States 77-77-76-77=307 +19 0
Eddie Loos  United States 73-81-75-78=307 63
Dave Robertson  United States 73-76-77-81=307

Source:[4]

Amateurs: Jones (+12), Evans (+19), Guilford (+29), Sweet (+55).

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Davis, Joe (June 6, 1924). "Jones, Mehlhorn low with 147 in National Open". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 25.
  2. ^ "Jones divides National Open lead". Miami News. Associated Press. June 6, 1924. p. 8.
  3. ^ "Cyril Walker wrests National Open golf title from Jones". Miami News. Associated Press. June 7, 1924. p. 8.
  4. ^ a b c d Davis, Joe (June 7, 1924). "Walker wins National Open, Jones second". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 13.
  5. ^ "Cyril Walker dies; beat Bobby Jones". Toledo Blade. Ohio. United Press. August 7, 1948. p. 10.
  6. ^ "Cyril Walker a pocket-sized Ben Hogan of his golfing day". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. August 23, 1948. p. 8.
  7. ^ Carroll, Dick (July 2, 1955). "The tragedy of Cyril Walker". Montreal Gazette. p. 8.
  8. ^ According to his naturalization certificate (available at Ancestry.com) Smith became a U.S. citizen in 1923

External links[]

Coordinates: 42°32′38″N 83°16′37″W / 42.544°N 83.277°W / 42.544; -83.277

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