1952 U.S. Open (golf)

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1952 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 12–14, 1952
LocationDallas, Texas
Course(s)Northwood Club
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par70
Length6,764 yards (6,185 m)[1]
Field142 players, 53 after cut
Cut151 (+11)
Winner's share$4,000
Champion
United States Julius Boros
281 (+1)
← 1951
1953 →
Northwood Club is located in the United States
Northwood Club
Northwood Club
class=notpageimage|
Location in the United States

The 1952 U.S. Open was the 52nd U.S. Open, held June 12–14 at Northwood Club in Dallas, Texas. Julius Boros captured the first of his three major titles, four strokes ahead of runner-up Ed Oliver.[2][3]

Two-time defending champion Ben Hogan, raised in nearby Fort Worth, attempted to become the second to win three consecutive U.S. Opens, and with two rounds of 69 he had the 36-hole lead, two strokes ahead of George Fazio.[4] But consecutive rounds of 74 in the Saturday heat dropped Hogan back to third place, five strokes behind. Boros carded a third-round 68 to take a two-stroke lead, then shot a 71 for a 281 total and waited in the clubhouse to see if anyone would catch him, but none did. The closest was Oliver with a 72 to finish at 285, four behind Boros. Temperatures reached 98 °F (37 °C) under sunny skies on Saturday, with a gallery estimated at 15,000.[2][3][5]

Hogan was admittedly affected by the heat, and his final round included an out-of-bounds approach shot on the dogleg par-4 sixth hole and numerous three-putts. Boros successfully scrambled during both rounds on Saturday, chipping close and making lengthy putts. Hogan told Boros he was "a magician."[6]

It was Boros' first win on the PGA Tour at the age of 32; just three years earlier he reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur. Boros won 17 more times as a professional, including a second U.S. Open in 1963. Five years later he won the PGA Championship in 1968 at age 48, the oldest ever to win a major championship.

Hogan regained the title in 1953 for four U.S. Open wins in five attempts (he won his first in 1948 and did not enter in 1949 due to a near-fatal automobile accident). Through 2015, Willie Anderson remains the only winner of three consecutive U.S. Opens, with titles in 1903, 1904, and 1905. The only repeat winners since 1951 are Curtis Strange in 1989 and Brooks Koepka in 2018.

The PGA Championship in 1952 was played the following week in Louisville, Kentucky. Boros was not eligible as he had been a pro less than five years, but received a special invitation from the PGA of America. He withdrew before his start time of the stroke-play qualifier on Wednesday after dissension from other players.[7][8]

Boros' wife had died the previous September during the birth of their only child, son Jay.[2][5]

Past champions in the field[]

Made the cut[]

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To par Finish
Ben Hogan  United States 1948, 1950, 1951 69 69 74 74 286 +5 3
Lew Worsham  United States 1947 72 71 74 75 292 +12 T7
Lloyd Mangrum  United States 1946 75 74 72 72 293 +13 T10
Cary Middlecoff  United States 1949 75 74 75 74 298 +18 T24
Gene Sarazen  United States 1922, 1932 76 74 75 75 300 +20 T33

Missed the cut[]

Player Country Year won R1 R2 Total To par
Lawson Little  United States 1940 79 77 156 +16
Tony Manero  United States 1936 WD

Source:[9]

Round summaries[]

First round[]

Thursday, June 12, 1952

Place Player Country Score To par
1 Al Brosch  United States 68 −2
2 Ben Hogan  United States 69 −1
T3 Sam Snead  United States 70 E
Dick Metz  United States
Horton Smith  United States
T6  United States 71 +1
Julius Boros  United States
 United States
 United States
 United States
George Fazio  United States
Dutch Harrison  United States
Ted Kroll  United States
 United States
Ed Oliver  United States
Harry Todd  United States

Second round[]

Friday, June 13, 1952

Place Player Country Score To par
1 Ben Hogan  United States 69-69=138 −2
2 George Fazio  United States 71-69=140 E
3 Johnny Bulla  United States 73-68=141 +1
4 Julius Boros  United States 71-71=142 +2
T5 Ed Oliver  United States 71-72=143 +3
Horton Smith  United States 70-73=143
Lew Worsham  United States 72-71=143
T8  United States 71-73=144 +4
Dick Metz  United States 70-74=144
T10  United States 72-73=145 +5
Sam Snead  United States 70-75=145
 United States 72-73=145

Source:[10]

Third round[]

Saturday, June 14, 1952 (morning)

Place Player Country Score To par
1 Julius Boros  United States 71-71-68=210 E
2 Ben Hogan  United States 69-69-74=212 +2
3 Ed Oliver  United States 71-72-70=213 +3
4 Johnny Bulla  United States 73-68-73=214 +4
5 George Fazio  United States 71-69-75=215 +5
T6  United States 71-73-73=217 +7
Lew Worsham  United States 72-71-74=217
T8 Tommy Bolt  United States 72-76-71=219 +9
Horton Smith  United States 70-73-76=219
Bo Wininger  United States 78-72-69=219

Final round[]

Saturday, June 14, 1952 (afternoon)

Place Player Country Score To par Money ($)
1 Julius Boros  United States 71-71-68-71=281 +1 4,000
2 Ed Oliver  United States 71-72-70-72=285 +5 2,500
3 Ben Hogan  United States 69-69-74-74=286 +6 1,000
4 Johnny Bulla  United States 73-68-73-73=287 +7 800
5 George Fazio  United States 71-69-75-75=290 +10 600
6 Dick Metz  United States 70-74-76-71=291 +11 500
T7 Tommy Bolt  United States 72-76-71-73=292 +12 350
Ted Kroll  United States 71-75-76-70=292
Lew Worsham  United States 72-71-74-75=292
T10 Lloyd Mangrum  United States 75-74-72-72=293 +13 200
Sam Snead  United States 70-75-76-72=293
Earl Stewart  United States 76-75-70-72=293

Source:[6][11]

References[]

  1. ^ Einstein, Charles (June 12, 1952). "Hogan 'man to beat' as U.S. Open meet starts today". Milwaukee Sentinel. INS. p. 3-part 2.
  2. ^ a b c "Boros wins Open with 281; Oliver 2nd". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. June 15, 1952. p. 1B.
  3. ^ a b Fraley, Oscar (June 15, 1952). "Boros cops Open title, Hogan 3rd". Eugene-Register-Guard. United Press. p. 13.
  4. ^ "Hogan's 138 takes Open lead". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 14, 1952. p. 10.
  5. ^ a b "Confident Boros wins Open title". Spokane Daily Chronicle. United Press. June 16, 1952. p. 13.
  6. ^ a b "Boros rally shatters Hogan's golf dynasty". Palm Beach Post. United Press. June 15, 1952. p. 19.
  7. ^ "Unknown leads qualifiers in PGA". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 19, 1952. p. 15.
  8. ^ "Boros out of PGA meet, Harmon fires sparking 68". Palm Beach Post. United Press. June 19, 1952. p. 14.
  9. ^ "First round Open scores". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 13, 1952. p. 23.
  10. ^ "National Open qualifiers". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 14, 1952. p. 10.
  11. ^ "How they finished". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. June 15, 1952. p. 1B.

External links[]

Coordinates: 32°55′55″N 96°47′33″W / 32.932°N 96.7925°W / 32.932; -96.7925

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