1901 U.S. Open (golf)
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | July 13–16, 1901 |
| Location | South Hamilton, Massachusetts |
| Course(s) | Myopia Hunt Club |
| Statistics | |
| Length | 6,130 yards |
| Field | 54 |
| Winner's share | $200 |
| Champion | |
 Willie Anderson | |
| 331 | |
|
«1900 1902» | |
The 1901 U.S. Open was the seventh U.S. Open. The golf tournament was held July 13–16, 1901, at Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Willie Anderson won his first of four U.S. Open titles in a playoff over Alex Smith.[1]
Both Willie Anderson and Alex Smith posted a 331 total, the highest winning score in U.S. Open history, with Smith narrowly missing a putt at the 18th to win the championship. The playoff, the first in U.S. Open history, was pushed back to Monday because Sunday was reserved for member play. When play resumed, Smith jumped out to a three-stroke lead at the turn and led by five with just fives holes to play. He then shot 5-7-5-4 over the next four holes, while Anderson recorded all 4s to even up the match. At the 18th Anderson found the green in two while Smith's approach landed in the rough. Anderson two-putted for his 4, while Smith chipped to 4-feet and had a chance to tie, but his putt stayed out. Anderson finished with an 85, a stroke better than Smith.[2]
Smith's brother Willie, the 1899 U.S. Open champion, finished in 3rd place, two-shots out of the playoff. Myopia club pro John Jones finished in 12th during regulation play, then caddied for Anderson during the playoff. For the only time in U.S. Open history no player managed to break 80 in any round.
Anderson would go on to win a record 4 U.S. Open titles, including three consecutive from 1903 to 1905. He remains the only golfer to win three straight Opens, and his mark of 4 titles has been matched only by Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus.
Final leaderboard
| # | Player | Country | Score | Winnings ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Willie Anderson | Scotland | 84-83-83-81=331 | 200 |
| 2 | Alex Smith | Scotland | 82-82-87-80=331 | 150 |
| 3 | Willie Smith | Scotland | 84-86-82-81=333 | 125 |
| 4 | Stewart Gardner | Scotland | 86-82-81-85=334 | 100 |
| T5 | Laurie Auchterlonie | Scotland | 81-85-86-83=335 | 75 |
| Bernard Nicholls |  England | 84-85-83-83=335 | ||
| 7 | David Brown | Scotland | 86-83-83-84=336 | 50 |
| 8 | Alex Campbell | Scotland | 84-91-82-82=339 | 25 |
| T9 | George Low | Scotland | 82-89-85-85=341 | 0 |
| Jack Park | Scotland | 87-84-85-85=341 |
Anderson (85) defeated Smith (86) in an 18-hole playoff.
References
- ↑ "Alec Smith Beaten in Open Championship Match". New York Daily Tribune. June 18, 1901. p. 9. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Alexander Smith and Willie Anderson Tied for the Open Championship at 331". New York Tribune. June 16, 1901. p. 9. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
External links
Coordinates: 42°36′36″N 70°51′31″W / 42.61000°N 70.85861°W