1937 Open Championship

The 1937 Open Championship was the 72nd Open Championship, held 7–9 July at Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Scotland. Henry Cotton won the second of his three Open titles, two strokes ahead of runner-up Reg Whitcombe.[3][4] The Ryder Cup was held in late June at Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club in North West England,[5][6][7] and all the members of the victorious American team played in the championship, creating a star-studded field, similar to four years earlier in 1933.

1937 Open Championship

Tournament information
Dates	7–9 July 1937
Location	Carnoustie, Scotland
Course(s)	Carnoustie Golf Links Medal Course[1]
Statistics
Par	72
Length	7,200 yards (6,584 m)[1]
Field	141 players, 47 after cut[2]
Cut	153 (+9)
Prize fund	£500
Winner's share	£100
Champion
Henry Cotton
290 (+2)

Carnoustie

Location in Scotland

Carnoustie

Location in Angus, Scotland

Qualifying took place on 5–6 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes on the Medal Course (the championship course) and 18 holes on the Burnside Course.[8][9] The number of qualifiers was increased to the top 140 and ties, having previously been the top 100 and ties. Two-time Masters champion Horton Smith led the qualifiers on 138;[10] the qualifying score was 157 and 141 players advanced, and all the American Ryder Cup players qualified comfortably.[11][12]

In the opening round on Wednesday, Ed Dudley took the lead with a 70.[13] Reg Whitcombe led after the first two rounds at two-under 142,[14] with his brother Charles and Dudley two behind on 144, and Cotton was tied for fourth at 146.[15] Only the leading forty players and ties made the 36-hole cut,[16] which was at 153 (+9) and 47 advanced. Previously the top sixty and ties made the cut.[17]

The final two rounds on Friday were played in a steady, cold rain.[3] Whitcombe maintained his lead with a third-round 74, two shots ahead of his brother, while Cotton moved up to three behind. The weather proved to be Whitcombe's downfall in the final round; on the 7th tee, his club slipped out of his hands as he was swinging and the ball traveled only 40 yards (37 m). He ended up taking a six and finished with a 76 and 292 total. Cotton did not seem affected by the conditions and arrived at the 18th needing only a six to lead. His approach shot found a greenside bunker, but he was able to get down in five to post a 290 total. Only Charles Whitcombe could catch Cotton, but his 76 and 294 finished four strokes behind in fourth place.[3]

The American contingent included Byron Nelson and Sam Snead, both of whom were making their Open Championship debuts. Nelson finished fifth but played the Open just once more, returning in 1955. Snead tied for eleventh and played in four more, winning his next in 1946 at St. Andrews. The non-playing captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, four-time Open champion Walter Hagen, tied for 26th place in his final Open appearance at age 44.

In his last Open Championship as an amateur, nineteen-year-old Bobby Locke was the only amateur to make the cut and tied for seventeenth. As a professional, he won four times (1949, 1950, 1952, 1957).

Course

Medal (Championship) Course

Hole	Name	Yards	Par		Hole	Name	Yards	Par
1	Cup	401	4		10	South America	453	4
2	Gulley	442	4		11	Dyke	368	4
3	Jockie's Burn	346	4		12	Southward Ho	467	4
4	Hillocks	430	4		13	Whins	168	3
5	Brae	388	4		14	Spectacles	473	5
6	Long ^	567	5		15	Lucky Slap	457	4
7	Plantation	389	4		16	Barry Burn	250	3
8	Short	161	3		17	Island	454	4
9	Railway	483	4		18	Home	503	5
Out		3,607	36		In		3,593	36
Source:[1]					Total		7,200	72

^ The 6th hole was renamed Hogan's Alley in 2003

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Player	Country	Year(s) won	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total	To par	Finish
Henry Cotton	England	1934	74	72	73	71	290	+2	1
Alf Padgham	England	1936	72	74	76	76	298	+10	T7
Denny Shute	United States	1933	73	73	76	80	302	+14	14
Arthur Havers	England	1923	77	75	76	76	308	+20	T17
Walter Hagen	United States	1922, 1924, 1928, 1929	76	72	80	81	309	+21	T26

Source:[2][3][4]

Missed the cut

Player	Country	Year won	R1	R2	Total	To par
Gene Sarazen	United States	1932	81	76	157	+13
Alf Perry	England	1935	83	76	159	+15
George Duncan	Scotland	1920	90	76	166	+22
Ted Ray	Jersey	1912	87	88	175	+31

Source:[2][15][16]

Did not advance past qualifying rounds (Monday & Tuesday):

• James Braid (1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910) 161, Sandy Herd (1902) 167.[11]

Did not enter:

• Tommy Armour (1931), Bobby Jones (1926, 1927, 1930), Jim Barnes (1925).[11]

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 7 July 1937

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Ed Dudley	United States	70	−2
T2	Bill Branch	England	72	E
	Willie McMinn	Scotland
	Alf Padgham	England
	Reg Whitcombe	England
T6	Douglas Cairncross	Scotland	73	+1
	Fred Robertson	Scotland
	Denny Shute	United States
	Jack Taylor	England
	Charles Whitcombe	England

Source:[13]

Second round

Thursday, 8 July 1937

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Reg Whitcombe	England	72-70=142	−2
T2	Ed Dudley	United States	70-74=144	E
	Charles Whitcombe	England	73-71=144
T4	Henry Cotton	England	74-72=146	+2
	Alf Padgham	England	72-74=146
	Denny Shute	United States	73-73=146
7	Bill Branch	England	72-75=147	+3
T8	Walter Hagen	United States	76-72=148	+4
	Arthur Lacey	England	75-73=148
	Bobby Locke (a)	South Africa	74-74=148
	Dai Rees	Wales	75-73=148
	Fred Robertson	Scotland	73-75=148
	Horton Smith	United States	77-71=148

Source:[15][16]

Third round

Friday, 9 July 1937 (morning)

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Reg Whitcombe	England	72-70-74=216	E
2	Charles Whitcombe	England	73-71-74=218	+2
3	Henry Cotton	England	74-72-73=219	+3
4	Bill Branch	England	72-75-73=220	+4
5	Charles Lacey	United States	76-75-70=221	+5
T6	Ed Dudley	United States	70-74-78=222	+6
	Bill Laidlaw	Scotland	77-72-73=222
	Byron Nelson	United States	75-76-71=222
	Alf Padgham	England	72-74-76=222
	Denny Shute	United States	73-73-76=222

Source:[2][3][4]

Final round

Friday, 9 July 1937 (afternoon)

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par	Money (£)
1	Henry Cotton	England	74-72-73-71=290	+2	100
2	Reg Whitcombe	England	72-70-74-76=292	+4	75
3	Charles Lacey	United States	76-75-70-72=293	+5	50
4	Charles Whitcombe	England	73-71-74-76=294	+6	30
5	Byron Nelson	United States	75-76-71-74=296	+8	25
6	Ed Dudley	United States	70-74-78-75=297	+9	20
T7	Arthur Lacey	England	75-73-75-75=298	+10	16
	Bill Laidlaw	Scotland	77-72-73-76=298
	Alf Padgham	England	72-74-76-76=298
10	Horton Smith	United States	77-71-79-72=299	+11	10

Source:[2][3][4]
Amateur: Locke (+16)

References

1. "Carnoustie cards". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 5 July 1937. p. 19.
2. "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 96. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
3. "Cotton's brilliant victory". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 10 July 1937. p. 6.
4. "Cotton wins Open in violent storm with total of 290". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 10 July 1937. p. 15.
5. "Yankees win Ryder Cup from Britons". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. 30 June 1937. p. 30.
6. "U.S. golfers down British, 8-4, to win Ryder Cup tourney". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 1 July 1937. p. 12.
7. "First victory on British soil". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 1 July 1937. p. 11.
8. "To-day's notable pairings". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 5 July 1937. p. 19.
9. "First day of Open Championship". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 6 July 1937. p. 2.
10. "H. Smith leader in British Open". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. 6 July 1937. p. 29.
11. "Americans dominate Open qualifying golf". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 7 July 1937. p. 23.
12. "Golf - Open Championship". The Times. London. 7 July 1937. p. 7.
13. "Carnoustie scene changes". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 8 July 1937. p. 3.
14. "Golf - Open Championship". The Times. London. 9 July 1937. p. 7.
15. "British Open lead goes to home-bred with score of 142". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 9 July 1937. p. 15.
16. "Britain takes the lead". Glasgow Herald. (Scotland). 9 July 1937. p. 5.
17. "Golf - The Championships". The Times. 3 February 1937. p. 6.

External links

• 72nd Open - Carnoustie 1937 (Official site)
• About.com – 1937 Open Championship