The Open in Time - 1930

Ahead of The 150th Open at St Andrews in July 2022, our ‘Open in Time’ series is highlighting the remarkable journey of golf’s original Championship.

In our latest article, we take a look at some of the standout events that occurred in 1930, a year that saw Bobby Jones claim Open glory at Royal Liverpool.

---

The first FIFA World Cup and The 65th Open

One major sporting event began in 1930 as the first FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay, with the host nation going on to secure glory.

Yet while football’s biggest international event was all new, The Open was already 70 years old and its 65th edition took place just a few weeks before the inaugural World Cup.

It would prove to be an historic Championship as the great Bobby Jones won The Open for the third time on his way to an unprecedented calendar-year Grand Slam.

Jones had already won The Amateur Championship at St Andrews three weeks prior to lifting the Claret Jug. He became only the second man, after John Ball in 1890, to win The Amateur and The Open in the same year.

Subsequent victories at the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur Championship enabled Jones to complete a truly stunning feat. Incredibly, he then retired from competitive golf at the age of 28, only returning to feature annually in his own tournament at Augusta National.

Disney’s world begins to emerge

Another major development in 1930 saw the debut of the Mickey Mouse comic strips, written by Walt Disney.

At that time, Walt Disney Productions - as the company was then known - was a leader in the American animation industry. However, much like The Open, Disney experienced huge growth in the decades that followed.

The modern-day Walt Disney Company is a vast multinational mass media conglomerate that includes divisions in film, television, theme parks, video games and music.

When The 65th Open took place, few could have possibly foreseen just how big the Championship and Disney would each become.

A Hollywood icon is born

Twenty days before Jones lifted the Claret Jug, a Hollywood star of the future was born in San Francisco.

Clinton Eastwood Jr would soon become known to millions as Clint as he enjoyed a glittering career in television and film, winning countless awards and starring in iconic productions such as Dirty Harry, Every Which Way But Loose, Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby.

The latter two films each brought Eastwood two Academy Awards in 1992 and 2004 respectively, the years in which Nick Faldo and Todd Hamilton lifted the Claret Jug.

---

Everything has led to this. To have a chance of being at St Andrews for The 150th Open, enter the ticket ballot today.

Alternatively, you can purchase Origins Hospitality for The 150th Open and guarantee your place at what promises to be a truly memorable sporting occasion.