1940 U.S. Open (golf)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1940 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 6–9, 1940
LocationBeachwood, Ohio
Course(s)Canterbury Golf Club
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par72
Length6,894 yards (6,304 m)[1]
Field161 players, 66 after cut
Cut153 (+9)
Winner's share$1,000
Champion
United States Lawson Little
287 (−1), playoff
← 1939
1941 →
Canterbury  Golf Club  is located in the United States
Canterbury  Golf Club 
Canterbury 
Golf Club 
Location in the United States
Canterbury Golf Club is located in Ohio
Canterbury Golf Club
Canterbury
Golf Club
Location in Ohio

The 1940 U.S. Open was the 44th U.S. Open, June 6–9 at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio, a suburb east of Cleveland. Lawson Little defeated Gene Sarazen in an 18-hole playoff to win his only professional major.[2][3]

Little started the final round a stroke behind leader Frank Walsh and carded a 73 to finish at 287. Sarazen made two birdies on the back nine and did not make a bogey to also post 287 and force a playoff on Sunday.[4][5]

After five holes in the playoff, Little had a four-stroke advantage and was ahead by three at the turn. Sarazen made birdie at 11 and 14 to close the gap to one stroke with four holes to play, but could draw no closer. Little birdied the next two holes and they halved the final two holes. Little won by three, 70 to 73, and became the fifth player to win both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur.[3]

Six players were disqualified after the final round for starting their round too early to avoid a coming storm.[4] One of those players, Ed Oliver, actually tied Little and Sarazen, but his disqualification prevented his participation in the playoff.[5] Walter Hagen, in his final U.S. Open, was also disqualified for showing up late for his third round. Under current rules, Hagen would be penalised two strokes if he arrived within a grace period. Also under current rules, officials, with access to weather radar, reserve the right to accelerate the start of the final round and change its procedure (groups of three starting at the first and tenth tees, or a shotgun start).

The top eight finishers in the tournament were all past or future major champions, and are members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

This was the first of three majors at Canterbury. The U.S. Open returned six years later in 1946, won by Lloyd Mangrum in two playoff rounds. It was the first U.S. Open in five years, due to World War II. The PGA Championship was played at the course in 1973, won by Jack Nicklaus.

Course layout[]

Main article: Canterbury Golf Club
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Yards 430 369 176 440 410 477 200 412 553 3,467 367 170 374 483 403 371 588 230 441 3,427 6,894
Par 4 4 3 4 4 5 3 4 5 36 4 3 4 5 4 4 5 3 4 36 72

Source:[1]

Past champions in the field[]

Made the cut[]

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To par Finish
Gene Sarazen  United States 1922, 1932 71 74 70 72 287 −1 2
Ralph Guldahl  United States 1937, 1938 73 71 76 70 290 +2 T5
Byron Nelson  United States 1939 72 74 70 74 290 +2 T5
Tommy Armour  Scotland
 United States		 1927 73 74 75 71 293 +5 T12
Johnny Farrell  United States 1928 75 77 76 71 299 +11 28
Sam Parks, Jr.  United States 1935 69 74 79 78 300 +12 T29
Tony Manero  United States 1936 75 75 77 74 301 +13 T36

Source:[5]

Missed the cut[]

Player Country Year won R1 R2 Total To par
Olin Dutra  United States 1934 78 77 155 +11
Johnny Goodman  United States 1933 82 79 161 +17

Source:[6][7]

Round summaries[]

First round[]

Thursday, June 6, 1940

Place Player Country Score To par
1 Sam Snead  United States 67 −5
T2 Ed Oliver  United States 69 −3
Sam Parks, Jr.  United States
Horton Smith  United States
T5 Al Huske  United States 70 −2
Vic Ghezzi  United States
Ben Hogan  United States
T8 Bob Babbish (a)  United States 71 −1
Andy Gibson  Scotland
Duke Gibson  United States
Henry Kaiser  United States
Gene Sarazen  United States

Source:[8]

Second round[]

Friday, June 7, 1940

Place Player Country Score To par
T1 Lawson Little  United States 72-69=141 −3
Horton Smith  United States 69-72=141
Sam Snead  United States 67-74=141
4 Frank Walsh  United States 73-69=142 −2
T5 Ben Hogan  United States 70-73=143 −1
Sam Parks, Jr.  United States 69-74=213
T7 Leonard Dodson  United States 72-72=144 E
Vic Ghezzi  United States 70-74=144
Ralph Guldahl  United States 73-71=144
Dutch Harrison  United States 74-70=144

Source:[6][7]

Third round[]

Saturday, June 8, 1940 (morning)

Place Player Country Score To par
1 Frank Walsh  United States 73-69-71=213 −3
T2 Lawson Little  United States 72-69-73=214 −2
Sam Snead  United States 67-74-73=214
4 Gene Sarazen  United States 71-74-70=215 −1
T5 Lloyd Mangrum  United States 75-70-71=216 E
Jug McSpaden  United States 74-72-70=216
Byron Nelson  United States 72-74-70=216
T8 Ben Hogan  United States 70-73-74=217 +1
Henry Picard  United States 73-73-71=217
Craig Wood  United States 72-73-72=217

Source:[5]

Final round[]

Saturday, June 8, 1940 (afternoon)

Place Player Country Score To par Money ($)
T1 Lawson Little  United States 72-69-73-73=287 −1 Playoff
Gene Sarazen  United States 71-74-70-72=287
3 Horton Smith  United States 69-72-78-69=288 E 700
4 Craig Wood  United States 72-73-72-72=289 +1 600
T5 Ralph Guldahl  United States 73-71-76-70=290 +2 325
Ben Hogan  United States 70-73-74-73=290
Lloyd Mangrum  United States 75-70-71-74=290
Byron Nelson  United States 72-74-70-74=290
9 Dick Metz  United States 75-72-72-72=291 +3 175
T10 Ed Dudley  United States 73-75-71-73=292 +4 137
Frank Walsh  United States 73-69-71-79=292

Source:[4][5]

Playoff[]

Sunday, June 9, 1940

Place Player Country Score To par Money ($)
1 Lawson Little  United States 70 −2 1,000
2 Gene Sarazen  United States 73 +1 800

Scorecard[]

Hole  1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Par 4 4 3 4 4 5 3 4 5 4 3 4 5 4 4 5 3 4
United States Little E −1 −1 −1 −2 −2 −2 −2 −2 −2 −2 −1 −1 −1 −2 −3 −2 −2
United States Sarazen +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 E +1 +1 +1 +1 E E +1 E E E +1 +1

Cumulative playoff scores, relative to par

Eagle Birdie Bogey

Source:[1][3][9]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Ferguson, Harry (June 10, 1940). "Lawson Little beats Gene Sarazen by three strokes in national open playoff". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). United Press. p. 10.
  2. ^ "U.S. Open history: 1940". USGA. Archived from the original on 2012-05-11. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Bartlett, Charles (June 9, 1940). "Little defeats Sarazen for Open crown". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 21.
  4. ^ a b c Bartlett, Charles (June 9, 1940). "Sarazen's 287 ties Little for Open crown". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1, sec. 2.
  5. ^ a b c d e McLemore, Henry (June 9, 1940). "Little and Sarazen tie for National Open golf title". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). United Press. p. D1.
  6. ^ a b Bartlett, Charles (June 8, 1940). "Little, Smith tie Snead in Open with 141". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 19.
  7. ^ a b "National Open tourney scores". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). (second round). June 8, 1940. p. 6.
  8. ^ Bartlett, Charles (June 7, 1940). "Snead's record 67 leads National Open". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 29.
  9. ^ "Little wins Open golf playoff, 70-73". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 10, 1940. p. 15.

External links[]

Coordinates: 41°28′08″N 81°31′16″W / 41.469°N 81.521°W / 41.469; -81.521

Retrieved from ""