1950 Open Championship

The 1950 Open Championship was the 79th Open Championship, held 5–7 July at Troon Golf Club in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Defending champion Bobby Locke of South Africa won the second of his four Open titles, two strokes ahead of runner-up Roberto De Vicenzo of Argentina.[1][7] His total of 279 was a record for the Open Championship, beating the previous best of 283. It was the second Open Championship at Troon, which had previously hosted the Championship in 1923; it became "Royal Troon" in 1978.[8]

1950 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates5–7 July 1950
LocationTroon, South Ayrshire, Scotland
Course(s)Troon Golf Club
Old Course
Statistics
Par70[1]
Length6,583 yards (6,019 m)[2][3]
Field93 players,[4] 35 after cut[5][6]
Cut148
Prize fund£1,500
Winner's share£300
Champion
Bobby Locke
279 (−1)
Troon Golf Club
Location in Scotland
Troon Golf Club
Location in South Ayrshire, Scotland

Qualifying took place on 3–4 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes on the Old Course at Troon and 18 holes on the Lochgreen municipal course.[2][9] Johnny Bulla led the scoring at 140 with Norman Von Nida next on 141.[10] The field for the Open proper was limited to a maximum of 100 participants and did not include ties. The qualifying score was 153 and 93 players advanced to the first round on Wednesday.[4]

Arthur Lees led after the first round with 68, a shot ahead of playing partner Eddie Whitcombe and Locke.[11][12] Dai Rees was the 36-hole leader at 139, followed by Bill Branch (140) and Locke (141).[5][6] Lees and Whitcombe both slipped back after Thursday rounds of 76, and Locke scored 72 after a six at the short fifth hole.[13] The maximum number of players making the cut after 36 holes was again set at 40. Ties for 40th place at 149 did not make the cut and only 35 players advanced to the final two rounds.[5][6][14]

After the third round on Friday morning, Locke, Rees, and De Vicenzo were tied for the lead at 211, Branch dropping back after a 78. In the final round that afternoon, De Vicenzo was out in 33 and at the par-3 8th hole (the "Postage Stamp"), he put his tee shot into one of its penalizing bunkers. Finding it to be "plugged" he declared it unplayable and returned to the teeing ground. From there he put his second attempt "stone dead" and holed the short putt. The rules had recently been changed so that there was no penalty stroke for returning to the tee, and he ended up with a par. Coming home he dropped a shot at the tenth, two more at the twelfth and another at the thirteenth, but a good finish gave him a 70 and the clubhouse lead on 281. Locke was also out in 33 and finished with a round of 68 to lead De Vicenzo by two. Rees was the remaining challenger for the championship and he too was out in 33. However, he had a six at the tenth hole and finished with 71 to tie for third place. On a day of low scoring, Eric Moore was out in 32 and finished with 68; Fred Daly and Frank Stranahan both scored 66.[15]

Course
Main article: Troon Golf Club

Old Course

HoleNameYardsParHoleNameYardsPar
1Seal355410Sandhills4364
2Black Rock372411The Railway3264
3Gyaws378412The Fox3854
4Dunure443413Burmah4004
5Greenan180314Alton1703
6Turnberry580515Crosbie4504
7Tel-el-Kebir368416Well5665
8Postage Stamp120317Rabbit2233
9The Monk427418Craigend4104
Out3,21735In3,36635
Source:[2][3]Total6,58370

Opens from 1962 through 1989 played the 11th hole as a par-5;
4th hole was lengthened and a par-5 since 1962.

Past champions in the field

Made the cut
PlayerCountryYear wonR1R2R3R4TotalTo parFinish
Bobby Locke South Africa194969727068279−11
Fred Daly Northern Ireland194775726966282+2T3
Alf Padgham England193677717469291+11T20
Alf Perry England193573747675298+18T33

Source:[1][5][7]

Missed the cut
PlayerCountryYear wonR1R2TotalTo par
Reg Whitcombe England19387772149+9
Dick Burton England19397378151+11

Source:[5][6]

Did not enter:

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 5 July 1950

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Arthur Lees England68−2
T2Bobby Locke South Africa69−1
Eddie Whitcombe England
4Sam King England70E
T5Bill Branch England71+1
Fred Bullock England
Dai Rees Wales
Norman Sutton England
Hector Thomson Scotland
T10Fred Allott England72+2
David Blair (a) Scotland
George Boomer England
Roberto De Vicenzo Argentina
Max Faulkner England
John Fallon Scotland
James Wilson (a) England

Source:[11][16]

Second round

Thursday, 6 July 1950

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Dai Rees Wales71-68=139−1
2Bill Branch England71-69=140E
3Bobby Locke South Africa69-72=141+1
T4Fred Bullock England71-71=142+2
Max Faulkner England72-70=142
Eric Moore South Africa74-68=142
T7Fred Allott England72-71=143+3
Johnny Bulla United States73-70=143
Roberto De Vicenzo Argentina72-71=143
Hector Thomson Scotland71-72=143

Source:[5][6]

Third round

Friday, 7 July 1950 (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Roberto De Vicenzo Argentina72-71-68=211+1
Bobby Locke South Africa69-72-70=211
Dai Rees Wales71-68-72=211
T4Max Faulkner England72-70-70=212+2
Arthur Lees England68-76-68=212
T6Fred Bullock England71-71-71=213+3
Sam King England70-75-68=213
8Johnny Bulla United States73-70-71=214+4
9Eric Moore South Africa74-68-73=215+5
T10Fred Daly Northern Ireland75-72-69=216+6
Hector Thomson Scotland71-72-73=216
Flory Van Donck Belgium73-71-72=216

Source:[1][7]

Final round

Friday, 7 July 1950 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney (£)
1Bobby Locke South Africa69-72-70-68=279−1300
2Roberto De Vicenzo Argentina72-71-68-70=281+1200
T3Fred Daly Northern Ireland75-72-69-66=282+287
Dai Rees Wales71-68-72-71=282
T5Max Faulkner England72-70-70-71=283+335
Eric Moore South Africa74-68-73-68=283
T7Fred Bullock England71-71-71-71=284+420
Arthur Lees England68-76-68-72=284
T9Sam King England70-75-68-73=286+6
Flory Van Donck Belgium73-71-72-70=286
Frank Stranahan (a) United States77-70-73-66=2860

Source:[1][7]
Amateurs: Stranahan (+6), McHale (+10), Blair (+15), Wilson (+19)

References
  1. "Bobby Locke wins British Open with record 279". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 8 July 1950. p. 11.
  2. "Old Troon test for golfers". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. 3 July 1950. p. 5.
  3. "Rees leads British Open golf at 36 holes; Bulla near top". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 7 July 1950. p. 15.
  4. "Overseas strength among Open qualifiers". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. 7 July 1950. p. 7.
  5. "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 86, 203. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  6. "Rees leads 35 qualifiers for last day of Open". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. 7 July 1950. p. 7.
  7. "Locke retains Open Championship". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. 8 July 1950. p. 5.
  8. "Now it's Royal Troon". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. 5 June 1978. p. 16.
  9. ""Open" begins with records on both courses". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. 4 July 1950. p. 6.
  10. "British trials led by Bulla". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. 5 July 1950. p. 5, sec. 3.
  11. "Old Course wins first round in Open". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. 6 July 1950. p. 7.
  12. "Golf - A. Lees in the lead at Troon". The Times. 6 July 1950. p. 4.
  13. "Golf - Exciting play at Troon". The Times. 7 July 1950. p. 2.
  14. "Golf - Open Championship qualifiers". The Times. London. 5 July 1950. p. 4.
  15. "Golf - Locke champion again - A record aggregate". The Times. London. 8 July 1950. p. 4.
  16. "Art Lee takes British Open golf lead with 68". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Associated Press. 6 July 1950. p. 15.
Preceded by
1950 PGA Championship		 Major Championships Succeeded by
1951 Masters Tournament

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