1954 Open Championship

January 2024 August 2013 1954 Open Championship 7–9 July 1954 Southport, England Royal Birkdale Golf Club 73 6867 ydhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bSogAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4GoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4944%2C5563805 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Thomson wins British Open with 283 Associated Press 10 July 1954 11 97 players, 50 after cuthttp://www.theopen.com/~/media/The%20Open/Information/Media_Guide.ashx The Open Championship Media Guide 2011 82 13 October 2013 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120418224641/http://www.theopen.com/~/media/The%20Open/Information/Media_Guide.ashx 18 April 2012 151 (+5) £3,500 £750 AUS Peter Thomson 283 (−9) 1953 1955 UK England 1 Southport 53.622 -3.033 Location in England 5 230 United Kingdom Merseyside Royal Birkdale Golf Club 53.622 -3.033 Location in Southport, Merseyside,north of Liverpool, England 5 200 The 1954 Open Championship was the 90th Open Championship, played 7–9 July at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Peter Thomson, age 23, won the first of his five Open titles by one stroke over runners-up Bobby Locke, Dai Rees, and Syd Scott.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ij1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VlkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6310%2C1088608 Glasgow Herald P.W. Thomson wins the "Open" 10 July 1954 5 This was the first time the championship was held at Royal Birkdale.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hT1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VlkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4232%2C417216 Glasgow Herald Condition of course in Locke's favor 5 July 1954 4 The total prize money was increased forty per cent, from £2,500 to £3,500. The winner received £750 with £500 for second, £350 for third, £200 for fourth, £150 for fifth, £100 for sixth, £75 for seventh and eighth, £50 for ninth and tenth, £30 for next 15 places and then £25 each for the next 25 players. The £3,500 was completed with a £25 prize for winning the qualification event and four £25 prizes for the lowest score in each round. The Times 18 December 1953 11 Open prize money again increased – Incentive to Americans Qualifying took place on 5–6 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes on the Championship course and 18 holes at Hillside Golf Club.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hj1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VlkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2372%2C549830 Glasgow Herald Irishman's record round at Hillside 6 July 1954 4https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hz1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VlkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2345%2C682172 Glasgow Herald E.C. Brown fails to qualify in Open 7 July 1954 4 The number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 100, and ties for 100th place would not qualify. On Monday, John McGonigle set a new course record of 65 on the Hillside course. Norman Von Nida led the qualifiers on 137, four ahead of the rest. and McGonigle shot 80 at Royal Birkdale for 145;http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1954/07/07/page/34/article/von-nidas-137-takes-medal-in-british-open Chicago Daily Tribune Associated Press Von Nida's 137 takes medal in British Open 7 July 1954 2, sec. 3 the qualifying score was 151 and 97 players advanced. After a long voyage from America, Toney Penna and Jim Turnesa were amongst the group of sixteen on 151 who narrowly qualified. The Times 7 July 1953 11 Harman lowers course record in qualifying round – Open golf survivors get down to real business to-day Sam King and Bill Spence established a new course record at 69 in the opening round on Wednesday.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iD1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VlkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4204%2C869210 Glasgow Herald Middle-aged players lead Open title play 8 July 1954 9 http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1954/07/08/page/86/article/2-britons-69s-lead-sarazen-gets-75-in-open Chicago Daily Tribune Associated Press 2 Britons 69s lead; Sarazen gets 75 in Open 8 July 1954 2, sec. 6 It lasted just one day as Syd Scott bettered it in on Thursday with a 67, but Spence retained the lead after 36 holes at 141, one ahead of Antonio Cerdá, with Scott, Dai Rees, Thomson, and King one stroke back in a tie for third.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iT1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VlkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2352%2C924018 Glasgow Herald Five strokes cover first twenty at Birkdale 9 July 1954 4http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1954/07/09/page/39/article/two-u-s-pros-3-shots-behind-british-leader Chicago Daily Tribune Associated Press Two U.S. pros 3 shots behind British leader 9 July 1954 3, sec. 4 A maximum of 50 players could make the cut after 36 holes, but ties for 50th place were not included. It was at 151 (+5) and fifty players advanced to the final two rounds. Scott continued his hot play in the third round, scoring a 69. Thomson and Rees also carded 69 and joined him at the top of the leaderboard going into the final round. Scott shot a 72 over the last 18-holes, posting a clubhouse lead of 284. Rees also posted 284 after missing a putt at the 18th. Thomson missed a short putt at the 12th, but managed to get up-and-down from a bunker at 16. He went to the 17th needing a par and a bogey on his last two holes to become the new clubhouse leader. He got the par, but at 18 he found trouble in a bunker. He again managed a superb recovery, and while he missed his first putt he easily tapped in for a round of 71 and a 283 total.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HMxVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5LwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3356,2637026&dq=peter+thomson+birkdale+283&hl=en Three Opens his new ambition The Sydney Morning Herald Peter Thomson 12 July 1954 9 5 April 2013 Bobby Locke had a chance to tie Thomson with a 3 at the last, but his birdie putt came up just short making Thomson the winner of the championship. This win was the first in a run of three consecutive Open Championship titles by Thomson, becoming the first player since Bob Ferguson from 1880–82 to win three straight Opens. Altogether he would win three of the next four Opens and add another win in 1965, which was also held at Royal Birkdale. Thomson was the first Australian to win the Open Championship, and the youngest champion since Bobby Jones. Three-time Masters champion Jimmy Demaret made his only Open Championship appearance this year and tied for tenth place. Defending champion Ben Hogan did not compete; his victory in 1953 at Carnoustie was his only Open Championship. Course layout Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotalYards5204274162123154681584344183,3683903684652025173815201864703,4996,867Par544345344364453545343773 Round summaries First round Wednesday, 7 July 1954 PlacePlayerScoreTo parT1 ENG Sam King69−4 ENG Bill Spence3 ENG Norman Sutton70−3T4 ARG Antonio Cerdá71−2 ENG George Howard ENG John JacobsT7 FRA 1794 Jean-Baptiste Ado72−1 ENG Peter Alliss IRL Harry Bradshaw ENG Fred Bullock ITA Ugo Grappasonni ENG Robert Halsall ENG Eric Lester WAL 1953 Dai Rees AUS Bill Shankland AUS Peter Thomson AUS Peter Toogood (a) USA 1912 Jim Turnesa Source: Second round Thursday, 8 July 1954 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 ENG Bill Spence69-72=141−52 ARG Antonio Cerdá71-71=142−4T3 ARG Sam King69-74=143−3 WAL 1953 Dai Rees72-71=143 AUS Peter Thomson72-71=143 ENG Syd Scott76-67=143T7 IRL Harry Bradshaw72-72=144−2 USA 1912 Jimmy Demaret73-71=144 WAL 1953 John Jacobs71-73=144 AUS Bill Shankland72-72=144 ENG Jim Turnesa72-72=144 Source: Amateurs: Toogood (+1), Stranahan (+2), Stockdale (+6), Timms (+6),Bachli (+7), Brews (+8), Coogan (+8), Shephard (+8), Wroe (+10),Wolstenholme (+11), Heard (+12), Stevens (+19). Third round Friday, 9 July 1954 (morning) PlacePlayerScoreTo parT1 WAL 1953 Dai Rees72-71-69=212−7 ENG Syd Scott76-67-69=212 AUS Peter Thomson72-71-69=2124 ZAF 1928 Bobby Locke74-71-69=214−5T5 ARG Antonio Cerdá71-71-73=215−4 ENG Bill Spence69-72-74=215 USA 1912 Jim Turnesa72-72-71=215T8 SCO Jimmy Adams73-75-69=217−2 ENG Peter Alliss72-74-71=217 IRL Harry Bradshaw72-72-73=217 ENG Sam King69-74-74=217 Source: Final round Friday, 9 July 1954 (afternoon) PlacePlayerScoreTo ParMoney (£)1 AUS Peter Thomson 72-71-69-71=283 −9 750T2 SAF 1928 Bobby Locke 74-71-69-70=284 −8 350 WAL 1953 Dai Rees 72-71-69-72=284 ENG Syd Scott 76-67-69-72=284T5 SCO Jimmy Adams 73-75-69-69=286 −6 108 ARG Antonio Cerdá 71-71-73-71=286 USA 1912 Jim Turnesa 72-72-71-71=286T8 ENG Peter Alliss 72-74-71-70=287 −5 62 ENG Sam King 69-74-74-70=287T10 USA 1912 Jimmy Demaret 73-71-74-71=289 −3 40 BEL Flory Van Donck 77-71-70-71=289 Source: Amateurs: Toogood (−1), Stranahan (+3). References External links Royal Birkdale 1954 (Official site) 1954 53.622 -3.033 type:event title Category:The Open Championship Category:Golf tournaments in England Open Championship Open Championship Open Championship Category:Sport in Southport Category:1950s in Lancashire