1946 U.S. Open (golf)

1946 U.S. Open
Tournament information
Dates June 12–16, 1946
Location Beachwood, Ohio
Course(s) Canterbury Golf Club
Organized by USGA
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Statistics
Par 72
Length 6,921 yards (6,329 m)[1]
Field 168 players, 62 after cut
Cut 151 (+7)
Prize fund $8,000[2]
Winner's share $1,833 [3]
Champion
United States Lloyd Mangrum
284 (–4), playoff
«1941
1947»
Canterbury
Golf Club
Location in United States
Canterbury
Golf Club
Location in Ohio

The 1946 U.S. Open was the 46th U.S. Open, held June 12–16 at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio, a suburb east of Cleveland. In the first U.S. Open since 1941, Lloyd Mangrum, a World War II veteran and recipient of two Purple Hearts, defeated Byron Nelson and Vic Ghezzi in 36 playoff holes to win his only major title.

Nelson possibly cost himself the championship in the third round when his caddie accidentally kicked his ball and he was assessed a stroke penalty.[4] Two months after the championship, Nelson announced his retirement from the tour at age 34, though he continued to play at the Masters through 1966. He also played twice again at the U.S. Open (1949 and 1955), and once at the British Open in 1955.

The purse was $8,000 and the winner's share was $1,500.[2] The three participants received a playoff bonus of $333 each.[3]

This was the last playoff at the U.S. Open that ended in a tie without sudden-death. The next dozen 18-hole full round playoffs determined a winner without the need for extra holes. The first time sudden-death was used for the 91st hole was in 1990, Hale Irwin's third title. It was needed again in 1994 and 2008.

This was the second U.S. Open at Canterbury in six years; the 1940 edition was won by Lawson Little. It later hosted the PGA Championship in 1973, won by Jack Nicklaus.

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Player Country Year won R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To par Finish
Byron Nelson United States 1939 71 71 69 73 284 –4 T2
Lawson Little United States 1940 72 69 76 71 288 E T10
Billy Burke  United States 1931 76 75 76 75 302 +14 T45

Source:[5]

Missed the cut

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 Total To par
Gene Sarazen  United States 1922, 1932 79 73 152 +8
Tommy Armour  Scotland
 United States
1927 78 75 153 +9
Johnny Farrell  United States 1928 78 75 153 +9
Tony Manero  United States 1936 76 77 153 +9
Sam Parks, Jr.  United States 1935 79 74 153 +9
Craig Wood  United States 1941 78 75 153 +9
Ralph Guldahl United States 1937, 1938 78 79 157 +13
Johnny Goodman (a)  United States 1933 83 79 162 +18
Willie Macfarlane  Scotland 1925 76 WD

Source:[6]

Final round

Saturday, June 15, 1946

Nelson began the final round with the lead over Mangrum and Ghezzi. Ghezzi was the first to finish and carded a 72 and a 284 total. Nelson and Mangrum were playing together, and Nelson had a two-stroke advantage with three holes remaining. But after bogeys at his final two holes, combined with two pars by Mangrum, Nelson fell back into a tie and forced a three-way playoff.[7]

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney ($)
T1 Lloyd Mangrum  United States 74-70-68-72=284 –4 Playoff
Vic Ghezzi  United States 71-69-72-72=284
Byron Nelson  United States 71-71-69-73=284
T4 Herman Barron  United States 72-72-72-69=285 –3 550
Ben Hogan  United States 72-68-73-72=285
T6 Jimmy Demaret  United States 71-74-73-68=286 –2 350
Ed Oliver  United States 71-71-74-70=286
T8 Chick Harbert  United States 72-78-67-70=287 –1 225
Dick Metz  United States 76-70-72-69=287
T10 Dutch Harrison  United States 75-71-72-70=288 E 175
Lawson Little  United States 72-69-76-71=288

Source:[5]

Playoff

Sunday, June 16, 1946

All three players shot even-par 72 during the first 18 holes on Sunday morning, which forced another 18-hole playoff in the afternoon, as there was no sudden-death playoff at the time. At the 9th, Mangrum nearly shot himself out of contention with an out of bounds tee shot, but a 70-foot (21 m) putt for bogey allowed him to minimize the damage. Nelson and Ghezzi were tied at the turn, with Mangrum two back. But Mangrum then collected two birdies, while Nelson bogeyed 13 and Ghezzi recorded bogeys at 14 and 15. Mangrum took a two-stroke lead with a birdie at 16, and despite a bogey-bogey finish, his 72 was good enough to hold off Nelson and Ghezzi by a stroke.[1]

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney ($)
1 Lloyd Mangrum  United States 72-72=144 E1,833
T2 Byron Nelson  United States 72-73=145 +11,208
Vic Ghezzi  United States 72-73=145

Scorecards

Morning round

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par443445345 434544534
United States Mangrum EE–1E–1–1–2–2–2–2–2–3–2–1–1–1EE
United States NelsonE–1–1–1–1EEEE+1+1+1EEEEEE
United States Ghezzi EE–1–1–2–2–1–1–2–2–2–1–2–2–1EEE

Afternoon round

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par443445345 434544534
United States Mangrum –1EEE–1–1–1–1EEE+1EE–1–2–1E
United States NelsonEEEEE–1–2–2–2–2–1–1EEEE+1+1
United States Ghezzi EEEEE–1–1–1–2–2–1–2–2–1EEE+1

Source:[3][1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sixty, Billy (June 17, 1946). "Mangrum wins 'Open' title in play-off in heavy storm". Milwaukee Journal. p. 4-L.
  2. 1 2 "U.S. Open history: 1946". USGA. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Cavagnaro, Bob (June 17, 1946). "Lloyd Mangrum captures national open; beats Nelson, Ghezzi in 36-hole playoff". Youngstown Vindicator. Associated Press. p. 10.
  4. Fraley, Oscar (June 16, 1946). "Nelson, Mangrum, Ghezzi tie for National Open title". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. United Press. p. 10.
  5. 1 2 Bartlett, Charles (June 16, 1946). "Nelson plays off today for Open title". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
  6. "National Open golf scores". Chicago Daily Tribune. June 15, 1946. p. 18.
  7. Sixty, Billy (June 16, 1946). "Nelson, Mangrum and Ghezzi tie in U.S. Open". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1-sec. III.

External links

Coordinates: 41°28′08″N 81°31′16″W / 41.469°N 81.521°W / 41.469; -81.521

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