1934 Open Championship

The 1934 Open Championship was the 69th Open Championship, held 27–29 June at Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, England. Henry Cotton dominated the championship, leading wire-to-wire on his way to a five-stroke win and his first of three Open titles.[3][4][5]

1934 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates27–29 June 1934
LocationSandwich, England
Course(s)Royal St George's Golf Club
Statistics
Length6,776 yards (6,196 m)[1]
Field101 players, 69 after cut[2]
Cut153
Prize fund£500
Winner's share£100
Champion
England Henry Cotton
283
← 1933
1935 →
Sandwich  is located in England
Sandwich 
Sandwich 
Sandwich is located in Kent
Sandwich
Sandwich
Location in Kent. England

Qualifying took place on 25–26 June, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes at St. George's and 18 holes at Royal Cinque Ports,[6] and the top 100 and ties qualified. George Gadd led the qualifiers on 140; Cotton scored a course record 66 in the first round at Royal St George's and 75 at Royal Cinque Ports to be a shot behind on 141. He was joined on 141 by Jimmy Adams and Percy Alliss. The qualifying score was 152 and 101 players advanced.[7][8]

Cotton opened with 67 on Wednesday to take a three-shot lead over Fred Taggart.[1][9][10] Cotton then shot an Open-record 65 in the second round to open up a nine-shot lead over Alf Padgham, while two strokes further back in third were Joe Kirkwood, Denny Shute, and Charles Whitcombe.[11][12][13] The top 60 and ties would make the cut and qualify for the final 36 holes; it was at 153 (and better) and 69 advanced.[14]

Conditions were tougher on Friday with a stiff breeze blowing. Cotton scored a third round of 72 in the morning and extended his lead to ten shots over Kirkwood.[5] Scottish amateur Jack McLean had seven threes in his outward nine of 31 and finished with a third round 69, the best third round score.[15] Despite his comfortable lead, Cotton suffered from nerves and began to feel the pressure in the final round that afternoon. He made the turn in 40, then dropped three shots on the next three holes. With Sid Brews scoring 71, Cotton needed a last round of 83 to win. Suddenly it appeared as if his victory was in jeopardy. He managed to get up-and-down on the 13th and steadied himself on his way to a 79 and 283, five strokes ahead of runner-up Brews.[5][15] His total tied the championship record set by Gene Sarazen two years earlier.

Cotton was the first resident Briton to win the Open Championship since Arthur Havers in 1923. The previous ten had been won by American-born players or residents (Englishman Jim Barnes (1925)). Cotton's win was part of a long period of sustained excellence in the tournament. From 1930 through 1952, he finished in the top-10 in all but one of the Opens he played in. In all, he played in twenty Opens between 1927 and 1958, winning three and finishing in the top-10 in seventeen.

Cotton received the Ryle Memorial Medal, awarded to members of the British P.G.A. winning the Open Championship. He was the first recipient since Arthur Havers in 1923. Living in Belgium, Cotton was not eligible for the Tooting Bec Cup awarded to the British P.G.A. member living in Great Britain scoring the lowest round in the Open Championship. It was won by Bill Davies for his second round of 68.[16]

Round summaries

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First round

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Wednesday, 27 June 1934

Place Player Score
1   Henry Cotton 67
2   Fred Taggart 70
T3   Marcel Dallemagne 71
  Cecil Denny
  Bert Hodson
  Bill Laidlaw
  Alf Padgham
  Denny Shute
  Charles Whitcombe
T10   Gordon Good 72
  Paddy Mahon
  Bill Twine
  Frank Weston
  Ernest Whitcombe

Source:[1][10]

Second round

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Thursday, 28 June 1934

Place Player Score
1   Henry Cotton 67-65=132
2   Alf Padgham 71-70=141
T3   Joe Kirkwood Sr. 74-69=143
  Denny Shute 71-72=143
  Charles Whitcombe 71-72=143
T6   Marcel Dallemagne 71-73=144
  Bill Davies 76-68=144
  Willie Nolan 73-71=144
T9   Cecil Denny 71-74=145
  Bert Hodson 71-74=145

Source:[11][13]

Third round

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Friday, 29 June 1934 (morning)

Place Player Score
1   Henry Cotton 67-65-72=204
2   Joe Kirkwood Sr. 74-69-71=214
3   Marcel Dallemagne 71-73-71=215
4   Alf Padgham 71-70-75=216
T5   Sid Brews 76-71-70=217
  Bill Davies 76-68-73=217
  Charles Whitcombe 71-72-74=217
T8   Percy Alliss 73-75-71=219
  Bert Hodson 71-74-74=219
  Willie Nolan 73-71-75=219
  Charlie Ward 76-71-72=219

Source:[2][17]

Final round

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Friday, 29 June 1934 (afternoon)

Place Player Score Money (£)
1   Henry Cotton 67-65-72-79=283 100
2   Sid Brews 76-71-70-71=288 75
3   Alf Padgham 71-70-75-74=290 50
T4   Marcel Dallemagne 71-73-71-77=292 25
  Joe Kirkwood Sr. 74-69-71-78=292
  Macdonald Smith 77-71-72-72=292
T7   Bert Hodson 71-74-74-76=295 17
10s
  Charles Whitcombe 71-72-74-78=295
T9   Percy Alliss 73-75-71-77=296 12
10s
  Ernest Whitcombe 72-77-73-74=296

Source:[2][17]

Amateurs: McLean (300), Thompson (307), Flaherty (308), Hartley (308),
                 Garnett (311), Storey (311), Ricardo (313).

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Cotton "Open" golf lead". Glasgow Herald. 28 June 1934. p. 11.
  2. ^ a b c "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 101. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  3. ^ "Cotton falters but wins British Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. p. 15.
  4. ^ "Cotton wins British Open by 5 strokes". Chicago Daily Tribune. 30 June 1934. p. 15.
  5. ^ a b c "After eleven years". Glasgow Herald. 30 June 1934. p. 11.
  6. ^ "British Open golf championship". Glasgow Herald. 25 June 1934. p. 20.
  7. ^ "Open golf title". Glasgow Herald. 27 June 1934. p. 13.
  8. ^ "Golf - Open Championship - The qualifying rounds". The Times. 27 June 1934. p. 6.
  9. ^ "Golf - Open Championship begun - Cotton's lead of three strokes". The Times. 28 June 1934. p. 6.
  10. ^ a b "Score of 67 give Cotton British lead". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 28 June 1934. p. 15.
  11. ^ a b "Cotton's astonishing golf". Glasgow Herald. 29 June 1934. p. 11.
  12. ^ "Golf - Cotton's lead at Sandwich - An aggregate of 132 for two rounds". The Times. 29 June 1934. p. 6.
  13. ^ a b "Cotton increases British Open lead". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Universal Service special cable. 29 June 1934. p. 19.
  14. ^ "Cotton shoots 65' leads British Open with 132". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. 29 June 1934. p. 31.
  15. ^ a b "Golf - Cotton's victory at Sandwich - British golfers lead the field". The Times. 30 June 1934. p. 6.
  16. ^ "Golf - Awards for Cotton and Davies". The Times. 2 August 1934. p. 4.
  17. ^ a b "Full scores and aggregates". Glasgow Herald. 30 June 1934. p. 12.
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51°16′26″N 1°22′01″E / 51.274°N 1.367°E / 51.274; 1.367