1957 Open Championship

1957 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates 3–5 July 1957
Location St Andrews, Scotland
Course(s) Old Course at St Andrews
Statistics
Par 72
Length 6,936 yards (6,342 m)
Field 96 players, 46 after cut[1]
Cut 148 (+4)
Prize fund 3,750
$10,500
Winner's share ₤1,000
$2,800
Champion
South Africa Bobby Locke
279 (–9)
«1956
1958»
St Andrews
Location in Scotland

The 1957 Open Championship was the 86th Open Championship, played 3–5 July at the Old Course at St Andrews in St Andrews, Scotland. Bobby Locke, age 39, won his fourth and final Open title, three strokes ahead of runner-up Peter Thomson, who had won the three previous titles.[2][3]

The 1957 Open was originally scheduled for Muirfield.[4] However the "Suez Crisis" in late 1956 led to serious fuel shortages in Britain and rationing of petrol. In early 1957, the R&A decided that St Andrews, being served by a railway line, would be an easier place for players and spectators to get to than Muirfield, and so the Championship was moved there.[5] Petrol rationing ended in May 1957 but it was then too late to switch back to the original venue. St Andrews had hosted the Open just two years earlier. Muirfield was allocated the 1959 Championship instead.

Qualifying took place on 1–2 July. Entries played 18 holes on the Old Course and 18 holes on the New Course. With an entry of 295 compared to the record 360 entries the previous year qualifying was in pairs rather than the three-balls used in 1956.[6] The number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 100. Ties for 100th place would not qualify. The qualifying score was 149 and 96 players qualified. Bernard Hunt and Bobby Locke led the qualifiers on 137.[7] The maximum number of players making the cut after 36 holes was set at 50. Ties for 50th place did not make the cut.

There were 15 American entries, many of them amateurs[6] but only four were in the field of 96: professionals Cary Middlecoff and Frank Stranahan finished in the top twenty and the two amateurs missed the cut.[8]

During the first round on Wednesday, competitors playing behind Middlecoff demonstratively complained of his slow play. They officially protested to the R&A, which sided with Middlecoff, who had completed his 18-hole round with Antonio Cerdá in three hours and 18 minutes.[9]

This was the first Open Championship in which the leaders after 36 holes went off last for the final 36 holes. Previously a random draw had been used.[10] Flory Van Donck and Eric Brown, the leading two players after 36 holes were paired together in the final group for the final two rounds.[11]

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To par Finish
Bobby Locke  South Africa 1949, 1950, 1952 69 72 68 70 279 –9 1
Peter Thomson  Australia 1954, 1955, 1956 73 69 70 70 282 –6 2
Henry Cotton  England 1934, 1937, 1948 74 72 69 72 287 –1 T9
Max Faulkner  England 1951 74 70 71 72 287 –1 T9

Missed the cut

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 Total To par
Dick Burton  England 1939 77 72 149 +5
Fred Daly  Northern Ireland 1947 80 74 154 +10

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 3 July 1957

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Laurie Ayton, Jnr Scotland67–5
Eric Brown Scotland
3Bruce Crampton Australia68–4
T4Jimmy Hitchcock England69–3
Bobby Locke South Africa
Keith MacDonald England
Norman Sutton England
T8Roberto De Vicenzo Argentina70–2
Norman Drew Northern Ireland
Robin Galloway (a)  Scotland

Second round

Thursday, 4 July 1957

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Eric Brown Scotland67-72=139–5
2Flory Van Donck Belgium72-68=140–4
T3Bruce Crampton Australia68-73=141–3
Bobby Locke South Africa69-72=141
T5Antonio Cerdá Argentina71-71=142–2
John Fallon Scotland75-67=142
Peter Thomson Australia73-69=142
T8Laurie Ayton, Jnr Scotland67-76=143–1
Jimmy Hitchcock England69-74=143
Keith MacDonald England69-74=143
Cary Middlecoff United States72-71=143
John Panton Scotland71-72=143
Dickson Smith (a)  Scotland71-72=143

Amateurs: Smith (–1), Galloway (+2), Joe Carr (+6), Shepperson (+7), Sinclair (+7), Butler (+8), Texier (+8), Will (+8), Lawrie (+9), Andrews (+10), Allan (+12), Reid (+12), Keck (+21).

Third round

Friday, 5 July 1957 - (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Bobby Locke South Africa69-72-68=209–7
T2Eric Brown Scotland67-72-73=212–4
Peter Thomson Australia73-69-70=212
T4Tom Haliburton Scotland72-73-68=213–3
Ángel Miguel Spain72-72-69=213
T6Antonio Cerdá Argentina71-71-72=214–2
Flory Van Donck Belgium72-68-74=214
T8Henry Cotton England74-72-69=215–1
John Fallon Scotland75-67-73=215
Max Faulkner England73-70-71=215
Dickson Smith (a) Scotland71-72-72=215

Final round

Friday, 5 July 1957 - (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney ()
1 Bobby Locke  South Africa 69-72-68-70=279 –9 1,000
2 Peter Thomson  Australia 73-69-70-70=282 –6 500
3 Eric Brown  Scotland 67-72-73-71=283 –5 350
4 Ángel Miguel  Spain 72-72-69-72=285 –3 200
T5 Tom Haliburton  Scotland 72-73-68-73=286 –2 108
Dickson Smith (a)  Scotland 71-72-72-71=286
Dave Thomas  Wales 72-74-70-70=286 108
Flory Van Donck  Belgium 72-68-74-72=286
T9 Antonio Cerdá  Argentina 71-71-72-73=287 –1 58
Henry Cotton  England 74-72-69-72=287
Max Faulkner  England 74-70-71-72=287

Amateurs: Smith (–2), Galloway (+12).

References

  1. "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 79. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  2. "Bobby Locke wins his 4th British Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 6 July 1957. p. 11.
  3. Longhurst, Henry (15 July 1957). "The Butler's day". Sports Illustrated. p. 14.
  4. "1957 golf events in Scotland - "Open" at Muirfield". The Glasgow Herald. 5 January 1956. p. 2.
  5. "Change of courses for important events - "Open" switched to St. Andrews". The Glasgow Herald. 19 January 1957. p. 9.
  6. 1 2 "Draw for the Open golf Championship - Forty players from overseas". The Times. 13 June 1957. p. 3.
  7. "Locke and Hunt lead qualifiers for Open golf Championship - field of 96 to contest title". The Glasgow Herald. 3 July 1957. p. 4.
  8. "Middlecoff fires 71 for 143 in British Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 5 July 1957. p. 15.
  9. "Middlecoff cards 72 in British Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 4 July 1957. p. 39.
  10. "Draw for the Open Golf Championship". The Times. 13 June 1957. p. 3.
  11. "Prospect of close Finish in Open Golf Championship - To-day's Starting Times". The Glasgow Herald. 5 July 1957. p. 4.

External links

Preceded by
1957 U.S. Open
Major Championships Succeeded by
1957 PGA Championship

Coordinates: 56°20′36″N 2°48′10″W / 56.3433°N 2.8028°W / 56.3433; -2.8028

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