1923 Open Championship
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 14–15 June 1923 |
| Location | Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland |
| Course(s) |
Troon Golf Club Old Course |
| Statistics | |
| Par | 73[1] |
| Field | 88 players[2] |
| Cut | none |
| Prize fund | £225 |
| Winner's share | £75 |
| Champion | |
 Arthur Havers | |
| 295 (+3) | |
The 1923 Open Championship was the 58th Open Championship, held 14–15 June at Troon Golf Club in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Arthur Havers holed a bunker shot on the 72nd hole to win his only major title, one stroke ahead of defending champion Walter Hagen,[3] who won the following year.
Havers opened with three consecutive even-par rounds of 73 and carried a two-stroke lead over Hagen into the final round on Friday afternoon.[1] Hagen threatened the lead throughout the round, and when Havers found a bunker on his approach shot at the 18th it appeared as if the door was open for Hagen. Havers, however, chipped in from the bunker to post a 76 and 295 (+3) total. Hagen found the same bunker and needed to hole out to force a 36-hole playoff on Saturday, but his shot narrowly missed and he finished a shot behind Havers. Macdonald Smith finished a stroke behind Hagen in third place.[4]
The tournament at Troon was played in near-gale force conditions. An incident that occurred during the qualifying rounds best illustrates how windy conditions were. Aubrey Boomer hit a shot from a bunker, only to have the ball get blown back by the wind and land in his jacket pocket.
After his win here, Havers made a tour of the United States and defeated both Bobby Jones and Gene Sarazen in match play contests.
This was the first Open Championship played at Troon, which was granted its "Royal" accolade in 1978. It replaced nearby Prestwick as the primary Open venue in southwestern Scotland. Prestwick hosted its 24th and final Open in 1925.
Final leaderboard
Friday, 15 June 1923
| Place | Player | Country | Score | To par |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur Havers | England | 73-73-73-76=295 | +3 |
| 2 | Walter Hagen |  United States | 76-71-74-75=296 | +4 |
| 3 | Macdonald Smith |  Scotland United States | 80-73-69-75=297 | +5 |
| 4 | Joe Kirkwood |  Australia | 72-79-69-78=298 | +6 |
| 5 | Tom Fernie |  United Kingdom | 73-78-74-75=300 | +8 |
| T6 | George Duncan | Scotland | 79-75-74-74=302 | +10 |
| Charles Whitcombe | England | 70-76-74-82=302 | ||
| T8 | Herbert Jolly |  Guernsey | 79-75-75-74=303 | +11 |
| James McKenzie | United Kingdom | 76-78-74-75=303 | ||
| Abe Mitchell | England | 77-77-72-77=303 | ||
| William Watt | United Kingdom | 76-77-72-78=303 |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 McNutt, Patterson (15 June 1923). "Havers leads British Open golf tourney with 219 for 54 holes". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. p. 42. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ↑ "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 114. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ↑ McNutt, Patterson (16 June 1923). "Hagen, U.S. golfer, loses British Open crown to A.G. Havers". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. p. 6. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
- ↑ "Hagen is eliminated in British Open tourney". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. 15 June 1923. p. 12. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
External links
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Coordinates: 55°31′55″N 4°39′00″W / 55.532°N 4.65°W