1920 Open Championship

The 1920 Open Championship was the 55th Open Championship, held 30 June to 1 July at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club in Deal, England. George Duncan erased a 13-stroke deficit after 36 holes to win his only major title, two strokes ahead of runner-up Sandy Herd, the 1902 champion.[3][4][5]

1920 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates30 June – 1 July 1920
LocationDeal, England
Course(s)Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club
Statistics
Length6,653 yards (6,084 m)[1]
Field82 players[2]
Cutnone
Prize fund£200
Winner's share£75
Champion
Scotland George Duncan
303
← 1914
1921 →
Deal  is located in England
Deal 
Deal 
Deal is located in Kent
Deal
Deal
Location in Kent. England

Royal Cinque Ports had been planned as the location for the Open Championship in 1915, but in early in that year it was decided that there would be no championships during the remainder of World War I; the next Open Championship after the war would be held at Royal Cinque Ports.[6] Although the war was over in November 1918, it was decided that there would be no championship in 1919.[7] During the war, six of the greens were involved in a scheme to build a rifle range. This raised fears about the state of the course, but in late 1919 it was decided that there would be no difficulty in getting the course ready for the 1920 championship.[8]

Qualification for the professionals took place the week before on 23 and 24 June at Burhill and Saint George's Hill in Surrey; the leading 72 players and ties qualified.[9][10] Abe Mitchell led the field at 139; three tied on the qualifying score of 159 and 74 professionals advanced.[10][11] The amateurs qualified separately, playing 36 holes on 23 June at Sandwich. Eight places were allotted to the amateurs with Cyril Tolley, the Amateur Champion, given an automatic entry.[12] Prize money was increased sixty per cent to £200 with a winner's share of £75; the winner also received a gold medal valued at £25.

Herd and Ted Ray, the 1912 winner, shared the first round lead at 72 on Wednesday morning. Both faltered in the afternoon's second round while Abe Mitchell shot a 73 for a 147 to open up a six-stroke lead over Herd and Jim Barnes. Ray was eight back, Len Holland eleven behind, while Duncan was thirteen back after consecutive rounds of 80 for 160.[13]

Duncan played himself back into contention with a 71 in the third round on Thursday morning. Mitchell began that round with three bogeys, made a seven at the 5th hole, and finished with an 84. After 54 holes, Holland was at 229 and led by one over Herd and Barnes, with Mitchell, Duncan, and Syd Wingate one behind in fourth. Duncan carded a final round 72 for 303, while Holland and Barnes both shot 79 for a 308 and 309, respectively. Mitchell rebounded with a 76 which left him at 307. Only Herd could match Duncan's score, but he found trouble on the 16th and settled for 305, two strokes back of Duncan.

Six-time and defending champion Harry Vardon, age 50, finished at 318, 15 strokes back in a tie for 14th place.

Two future champions from the United States, Walter Hagen and Scottish-born Tommy Armour, both made their Open Championship debuts this year and both finished at 329, 26 strokes back in a tie for 53rd. Armour was an amateur at the time.

This was the second and final Open Championship held at Royal Cinque Ports, which also hosted in 1909. Further Open Championships at Royal Cinque Ports were planned for 1938 and 1949. In both cases the course was flooded during the previous winter prior and the venue was moved to Royal St George's. Thus, only one of the four Opens planned for Royal Cinque Ports actually took place in the year originally intended. Near the English Channel, the course is directly south of Royal St George's, which became the sole Open venue in southern England in the course rota. An exception was in 1932, when Prince's Golf Club hosted its only Open, won by Gene Sarazen. All three courses are adjacent, with Prince's the furthest north.

Course

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Hole Yards     Hole Yards
1 330 10 367
2 376 11 441
3 476 12 471
4 150 13 431
5 475 14 195
6 282 15 417
7 383 16 483
8 136 17 372
9 454 18 414
Out 3,062 In 3,591
Source:[1] Total 6,653

Round summaries

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First round

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Wednesday, 30 June 1920 (morning)

Place Player Score
T1   Sandy Herd 72
  Ted Ray
3   Abe Mitchell 74
T4   James Bradbeer 76
  Reg Wilson
T6   Charles Corlett 77
  Arthur Day
  Tom Williamson
T9   Eric Bannister 78
  Charles Hope (a)
  Arthur Monk
  J.H. Taylor
  Josh Taylor
  Phil Taylor
  Harry Vardon

Source:[13]

Second round

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Wednesday, 30 June 1920 (afternoon)

Place Player Score
1   Abe Mitchell 74-73=147
T2   Jim Barnes 79-74=153
  Sandy Herd 72-81=153
T4   Ted Ray 72-83=155
  Syd Wingate 81-74=155
6   J.H. Taylor 78-79=157
T7   Arthur Havers 80-78=158
  Len Holland 80-78=158
  Reg Wilson 76-82=158
T10   James Braid 79-80=159
  Charles Corlett 77-82=159
  Douglas Grant (a) 83-76=159
  Charles Hope (a) 78-81=159
  Josh Taylor 78-81=159
  Harry Vardon 78-81=159

Source:[13]

Third round

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Thursday, 1 July 1920 (morning)

Place Player Score
1   Len Holland 80-78-71=229
T2   Jim Barnes 79-74-77=230
  Sandy Herd 72-81-77=230
T4   George Duncan 80-80-71=231
  Abe Mitchell 74-73-84=231
  Syd Wingate 81-74-76=231
7   Ted Ray 72-83-78=233
8   William Horne 80-81-73=234
T9   George Buckle 80-80-77=237
  Archie Compston 79-83-75=237

Source:[3][4]

Final round

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Thursday, 1 July 1920 (afternoon)

Place Player Score Money (£)
1   George Duncan 80-80-71-72=303 75
2   Sandy Herd 72-81-77-75=305 40
3   Ted Ray 72-83-78-73=306 25
4   Abe Mitchell 74-73-84-76=307 15
5   Len Holland 80-78-71-79=308 10
6   Jim Barnes 79-74-77-79=309
T7   Arthur Havers 80-78-81-74=313 7
10s
  Syd Wingate 81-74-76-82=313
T9   George Buckle 80-80-77-78=315 3
6s 8d
  Archie Compston 79-83-75-78=315
  William Horne 80-81-73-81=315

Source:[14]

Amateurs: Hunter (322), Grant (324), Harris (325), Hope (326),
                 Tolley (326), Armour (329), Scott (331), Bretherton (335).

References

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  1. ^ a b "Golf - the Open Championship favourites". Glasgow Herald. 30 June 1920. p. 11.
  2. ^ "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 119. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Golf championship - Duncan's great victory". Glasgow Herald. 2 July 1920. p. 12.
  4. ^ a b "British golf title to Duncan with 303; Jim Barnes has 308". Chicago Daily Tribune. 2 July 1920. p. 14.
  5. ^ "Duncan captures British Open golf championship". Milwaukee Journal. 2 July 1920. p. 32. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  6. ^ "The Golf Championship - Official announcement". The Times. 14 April 1915. p. 16.
  7. ^ "The Open Golf Championship". The Times. 18 February 1919. p. 16.
  8. ^ "The Open Championship". The Times. 2 December 1919. p. 6.
  9. ^ "The Open Championship". Glasgow Herald. 24 June 1920. p. 13.
  10. ^ a b "The Open Championship - result of qualifying rounds". Glasgow Herald. 25 June 1920. p. 11.
  11. ^ "The Open Championship - Mitchell leads by 6 points". The Times. 25 June 1920. p. 8.
  12. ^ "Amazing Golf - Abe Mitchell's score of 68". The Times. 24 June 1920. p. 24.
  13. ^ a b c "Mitchell leads, Barnes second, in golf play". Chicago Daily Tribune. 1 July 1920. p. 16.
  14. ^ "Duncan Golf Champion - The Returns". The Times. 2 July 1920. p. 14.
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51°14′22″N 1°23′47″E / 51.2395°N 1.3965°E / 51.2395; 1.3965