1950 U.S. Open (golf)
Tournament information | |
---|---|
Dates | June 8–11, 1950 |
Location | Ardmore, Pennsylvania |
Course(s) |
Merion Golf Club, East Course |
Organized by | USGA |
Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
Statistics | |
Par | 70 |
Length | 6,694 yards (6,121 m)[1] |
Field | 150 players, 52 after cut |
Cut | 149 (+9) |
Prize fund | $15,000[2] |
Winner's share | $4,000 |
Champion | |
Ben Hogan | |
287 (+7), playoff | |
«1949 1951» |
The 1950 U.S. Open was the 50th U.S. Open, held June 8–11 at the East Course of Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia. In what became known as the "Miracle at Merion," 1948 champion Ben Hogan won the second of his four U.S. Open titles in an 18-hole playoff over Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio, just 16 months after being severely injured in an automobile accident.[3] It was the fourth of Hogan's nine major titles.[4]
Lee Mackey established a new tournament record by shooting a 64 in the first round, but followed that up with an 81 and finished in 25th place. His score of 64 would not be bettered in any other major championship until Johnny Miller closed with a 63 at the 1973 U.S. Open. Tommy Armour, three-time major champion and winner in 1927, played in his final major and missed the cut.
This was the second U.S. Open played at Merion's East Course, which previously hosted sixteen years earlier in 1934, won by Olin Dutra. Opened in 1912, the course was the site of the U.S. Amateur in 1916, 1924, and 1930; the first was the debut of Bobby Jones at age 14 (quarterfinalist) and the latter two he won. The 1930 victory was the fourth and final leg of his grand slam.
Hogan made his U.S. Open debut at Merion in 1934 at age 21. He shot 79 (+9) twice[5] and missed the 36-hole cut by three strokes. Hogan made his first cut at the U.S. Open 1939 and did not miss another; his last was in 1967 at age 54.
Course
East Course
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yards | 360 | 555 | 195 | 595 | 425 | 435 | 360 | 367 | 185 | 3,477 | 335 | 378 | 400 | 133 | 443 | 395 | 445 | 230 | 458 | 3,217 | 6,694 |
Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 34 | 70 |
Source:[6]
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 | 72 | 69 | 72 | 74 | 287 | +7 | 1 |
Lloyd Mangrum | United States | 1946 | 72 | 70 | 69 | 76 | 287 | +7 | 2 |
Cary Middlecoff | United States | 1949 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 79 | 292 | +12 | T10 |
Gene Sarazen | United States | 1922, 1932 | 72 | 72 | 82 | 76 | 302 | +22 | T35 |
Missed the cut
Player | Country | Year won | R1 | R2 | Total | To par |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tommy Armour | United States | 1927 | 75 | 75 | 150 | +10 |
Tony Manero | United States | 1936 | 77 | 75 | 152 | +12 |
Lawson Little | United States | 1940 | 79 | 74 | 153 | +13 |
Craig Wood | United States | 1941 | 77 | 76 | 153 | +13 |
Billy Burke | United States | 1931 | 78 | 79 | 157 | +17 |
Lew Worsham | United States | 1947 | 82 | 76 | 158 | +18 |
Johnny Farrell | United States | 1928 | 79 | 81 | 160 | +20 |
Final round
Saturday, June 10, 1950
Mangrum began the final round in the afternoon with a two-stroke lead over Hogan. Fazio was the first to post 287 (+7) after an even-par 70. Mangrum struggled early in his round, carding six bogeys on the first seven holes and shot 76 (+6), which also left him at 287. Hogan had a chance to win the tournament but missed a short putt for par at 15 and then bogeyed the par-3 17th. In a three-way tie for the lead going to the difficult 18th, Hogan hit one of his most famous shots, a 1-iron approach to 40 feet (12 m).[8] He two-putted for par to get into the three-way Sunday playoff.[9]
Place | Player | Country | Score | To par | Money ($) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
T1 | Ben Hogan | United States | 72-69-72-74=287 | +7 | Playoff |
Lloyd Mangrum | United States | 72-70-69-76=287 | |||
George Fazio | United States | 73-72-72-70=287 | |||
4 | Dutch Harrison | United States | 72-67-73-76=288 | +8 | 800 |
T5 | Jim Ferrier | Australia | 71-69-74-75=289 | +9 | 500 |
Joe Kirkwood, Jr. | United States | 71-74-74-70=289 | |||
Henry Ransom | United States | 72-71-73-73=289 | |||
8 | Bill Nary | United States | 73-70-74-73=290 | +10 | 350 |
9 | Julius Boros | United States | 68-72-77-74=291 | +11 | 300 |
T10 | Cary Middlecoff | United States | 71-71-71-79=292 | +12 | 225 |
Johnny Palmer | United States | 73-70-70-79=292 |
Scorecard
Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par
Source:[6]
Playoff
Sunday, June 11, 1950
The three players were within one stroke of each other as late as the 13th hole. Fazio bogied four of the last five holes to fall out of contention, while Hogan led Mangrum by a single stroke through 15. As Mangrum prepared to putt on the 16th, he picked up his ball to remove a bug that had landed on it, a violation of the rules. Assessed a two-stroke penalty, Mangrum made a double-bogey 6 which allowed Hogan to cruise to a four-stroke victory.[1]
Place | Player | Country | Score | To par | Money ($) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ben Hogan | United States | 36-33=69 | −1 | 4,000 |
2 | Lloyd Mangrum | United States | 36-37=73 | +3 | 2,500 |
3 | George Fazio | United States | 37-38=75 | +5 | 1,000 |
- This was the final three-way playoff at the U.S. Open that determined a third place finisher; at the next in 1963, non-winners tied for second.
Scorecard
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
Hogan | E | E | E | E | E | E | −1 | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | −1 | −1 |
Mangrum | E | −1 | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | +1 | E | +1 | +1 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | +3 |
Fazio | +1 | E | E | E | E | +1 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +4 | +4 | +5 |
Source:[1]
References
- 1 2 3 "Hogan shoots 69, one under, to win Open golf". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 12, 1950. p. 19. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
- ↑ "U.S. Open history: 1950". USGA. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
- ↑ Trostel, Michael (May 28, 2013). "Looking Back...1950 U.S. Open at Merion". USGA. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
- ↑ "Defining Moment". Golf Digest. June 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
- ↑ Cavagnaro, Bob (June 9, 1934). "Bobby Cruickshank has three-stroke lead as 64 golfers battle for Open title". Youngstown Vindicator. Associated Press. p. 6.
- 1 2 3 "1950 U.S. Open news, cards, pairings, scores" (PDF). Trenham Golf History. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
- ↑ "National Open tourney scores". Youngtown Vindicator. Associated Press. June 10, 1950. p. 7.
- ↑ Balicki, Ron (September 11, 2009). "Remembering the 1-iron at Merion". Golfweek. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
- ↑ Talbot, Gayle (June 11, 1950). "Hogan, Mangrum, Fazio tie; Ben's legs give out". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. p. 1-B.
External links
- 1950 U.S. Open
- USGA Championship Database
- USOpen.com – 1950
- Trenham Golf History – 1950 U.S. Open
Coordinates: 40°00′04″N 75°18′43″W / 40.001°N 75.312°W