1948 Open Championship

The 1948 Open Championship was the 77th Open Championship, held 30 June to 2 July at Muirfield in Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland. Henry Cotton, age 41, won his third and final Open title, five strokes ahead of runner-up and defending champion Fred Daly.[2][3]

1948 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates30 June – 2 July 1948
LocationGullane, East Lothian, Scotland
Course(s)Muirfield
Statistics
Par71
Field97 players, 36 after cut[1]
Cut148 (+6)
Prize fund£1,000
$4,000
Winner's share£150
$600[2]
Champion
England Henry Cotton
284 (E)
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Muirfield is located in Scotland
Muirfield
Muirfield
Muirfield is located in East Lothian
Muirfield
Muirfield
Location in East Lothian, Scotland

Qualifying took place on 28–29 June, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes at Muirfield and 18 holes at the number 1 course Gullane. The number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 100, and ties for 100th place would not qualify.[4] Henry Cotton led on 138; the qualifying score was 152 and 97 players advanced.[5][6] Cotton had led the qualification in 1935, the previous time the Open had been held at Muirfield.

Charlie Ward, Sam King, and Flory Van Donck shot 69 to share the first round lead.[7] Cotton opened with a 71, then led by four strokes after a 66 in the second round,[8] one off his own tournament record set in 1934. While scoring conditions in the first two rounds were ideal, with five other rounds of sub-70 in the second, the change in weather on the final day caused scores to soar. The maximum number of players making the cut after 36 holes was again set at 40, and ties for 40th place were not included. The cut was at 148 (+6) and 36 players advanced.[8]

Over the final two rounds, the lowest round was 70. Cotton carded rounds of 75-72 to set a clubhouse lead of 284 that no one came close to matching. Fred Daly came closest with a 289, five shots behind.[2][3]

Roberto De Vicenzo made his Open Championship debut and finished in third place. Over the next two years he followed with another third and a runner-up finish. He won the title nineteen years later, in 1967.

Round summaries

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First round

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Wednesday, 30 June 1948

Place Player Score To par
T1   Sam King 69 −2
  Flory Van Donck
  Charlie Ward
T4   Roberto De Vicenzo 70 −1
  Frank Jowle
T6   Henry Cotton 71 E
  Reg Horne
  Norman Von Nida
T10   Fred Daly 72 +1
  Arthur Lacey
  Lawson Little
  Walter Lyle
  Norman Sutton

Source:[7]

Second round

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Thursday, 1 July 1948

Place Player Score To par
1   Henry Cotton 71-66=137 −5
T2   Sam King 69-72=141 −1
  Charlie Ward 69-72=141
T4   Arthur Lees 73-69=142 E
  Flory Van Donck 69-73=142
T6   Fred Daly 72-71=143 +1
  Roberto De Vicenzo 70-73=143
  Alf Padgham 73-70=143
  Norman Von Nida 71-72=143
T10   Dick Burton 74-70=144 +2
  Jack Hargreaves 76-68=144
  Dai Rees 73-71=144
  Reg Whitcombe 77-67=144

Source:[8]

Third round

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Friday, 2 July 1948 (morning)

Place Player Score To par
1   Henry Cotton 71-66-75=212 −1
1   Alf Padgham 73-70-71=214 +1
T3   Roberto De Vicenzo 70-73-72=215 +2
  Sam King 69-72-74=215
  Arthur Lees 73-69-73=215
  Flory Van Donck 69-73-73=215
T7   Fred Daly 72-71-73=216 +3
  Charlie Ward 69-72-75=216
  Alan Waters 75-71-70=216
10   Jack Hargreaves 76-68-73=217 +4

Source:[2][3]

Final round

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Friday, 2 July 1948 (afternoon)

Place Player Score To par Money (£)
1   Henry Cotton 71-66-75-72=284 E 150
2   Fred Daly 72-71-73-73=289 +5 100
T3   Roberto De Vicenzo 70-73-72-75=290 +6    41 ¼
  Jack Hargreaves 76-68-73-73=290
  Norman Von Nida 71-72-76-71=290
  Charlie Ward 69-72-75-74=290
T7   Johnny Bulla 74-72-73-72=291 +7 15
  Sam King 69-72-74-76=291
  Alf Padgham 73-70-71-77=291
  Flory Van Donck 69-73-73-76=291

Source:[2][3]

References

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  1. ^ "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 90. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Cotton captures third British Open golf title". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 3 July 1948. p. 11. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d "Cotton's third Open Championship". Glasgow Herald. 3 July 1948. p. 3.
  4. ^ "Golf – The Open Championship". The Times. 15 June 1948. p. 6.
  5. ^ "Cotton leads qualifiers in Open". Glasgow Herald. 30 June 1948. p. 3.
  6. ^ "Golf – Open Championship qualifiers". The Times. 30 June 1948. p. 2.
  7. ^ a b "Greens baffle "Open" golfers". Glasgow Herald. 1 July 1948. p. 6.
  8. ^ a b c "Cotton's "royal" round to lead in "Open"". Glasgow Herald. 2 July 1948. p. 6.
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56°02′31″N 2°49′16″W / 56.042°N 2.821°W / 56.042; -2.821