1947 Open Championship

1947 Open Championship
Front cover of the 1947 Open Programme
Tournament information
Dates2–4 July 1947
LocationHoylake, England
Course(s)Royal Liverpool Golf Club
Organized byThe R&A
Statistics
Par68[1][2]
Length6,978 yards (6,381 m)[1]
Field100, 40 after cut
Cut156 (+20)
Prize fund£1,000
$4,000
Winner's share£150
$600
Champion
Northern Ireland Fred Daly
293 (+21)
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Hoylake is located in England
Hoylake
Hoylake
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Location in England
Hoylake is located in Merseyside
Hoylake
Hoylake
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Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, Merseyside, west of Liverpool, England

The 1947 Open Championship was the 76th Open Championship, held 2–4 July at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England. Fred Daly became the first Irish winner of the Open Championship, one stroke ahead of runners-up Reg Horne and amateur Frank Stranahan.[3][4][5] It was Daly's only major title.

Qualifying took place on 30 June and 1 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes at Hoylake and 18 holes at Arrowe Park.[6] The number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 100, and ties for 100th place would not qualify.[7] Norman Von Nida led the qualifiers for the second successive year, scoring 139; the qualifying score was 155 and 100 players advanced.[8][9] Only five Americans entered the qualifier, and none were former champions.[1]

Par was set at 68 for the championship, which was the course record at the time. The course was regularly par 72 at 7,048 yards (6,445 m); all four par-5 holes were shortened slightly and made into par-4 holes.[1]

The total prize money was £1000, with a winner's share of £150, £100 for second, £75 for third, £50 for fourth, £25 for fifth, and £15 for each of the next 35 players. The £1000 was completed with a £15 prize for winning the qualification event and four £15 prizes for the lowest score in each round. Where an amateur finished in a place where there was a cash prize that money was donated to the P.G.A. Benevolent Fund.[7] The prize money distribution meant that, with a maximum of forty players making the cut, all professionals making the cut received prize money.

Henry Cotton and Laurie Ayton, Jnr shared the first round lead on Wednesday,[10][11] but in the second round both fell back with rounds of 78 and 80, respectively.[2] After 36 holes, Daly led at 143 (+7), four shots ahead of Cotton and Sam King.[12][13] The maximum number of players making the cut after 36 holes was again set at 40, and ties for 40th place did not make the cut.[7]

Daly had a poor third round on Friday morning, shooting 78 to fall into a tie for the lead with Cotton, Arthur Lees, and Norman Von Nida. There were a further nine players within three-strokes of the lead. Horne, who began two back, made the first move with a 35 on the front-nine. He took a pair of 5s at the 16th and 17th holes, however, and at the 18th his putt for a three lipped out and finished at 294. Daly began the round with a 38 (+4) on the front, but he recovered on the back and holed a birdie putt on the 18th to post 293. Cotton made the turn in 36 and needed another 36 on the back to tie Daly, but in the blustery wind this proved too difficult and he finished at 297. That left Stranahan as the last player on the course able to tie Daly. He reached the 17th needing to play the final two holes in seven strokes, but a three-putt led to a five and saw him needing an improbable two on the last. He gave it a good shot, with his approach stopping less than a foot (0.3 m) from the hole.[3]

  1. ^ a b c d "Set par of 68 for British Open". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. 30 June 1947. p. 9.
  2. ^ a b "Cotton, King tie for lead". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. 3 July 1947. p. 2, part 2.
  3. ^ a b "Daly first Irishman to win Open". The Herald. Glasgow. 5 July 1947. p. 5.
  4. ^ "Stranahan's bid for title fails". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. 5 July 1947. p. 1, sec. 2.
  5. ^ "Stranahan misses title". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. 5 July 1947. p. 4, part 2.
  6. ^ "Hopes of British win in Open Championship". The Herald. Glasgow. 30 June 1947. p. 7.
  7. ^ a b c ""Open" golf conditions". The Herald. Glasgow. 13 March 1947. p. 6.
  8. ^ "Ominous overseas threat in golf "Open"". The Herald. Glasgow. 2 July 1947. p. 6.
  9. ^ "Open Championship qualifiers". The Times. 2 July 1947. p. 2.
  10. ^ "Britain's early blows for Open golf title". The Herald. Glasgow. 3 July 1947. p. 6.
  11. ^ "Yanks falter in British Open". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. 3 July 1947. p. 13.
  12. ^ "Irishman breaks through in golf "Open"". The Herald. Glasgow. 4 July 1947. p. 6.
  13. ^ "Tempers, scores high in England". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. 3 July 1947. p. 8.