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1922 / Royal St George's
Walter Hagen claimed the first of his four Open titles at Royal St George’s in 1922, although George Duncan, the Champion two years earlier at neighbouring Deal, almost caught him with a late charge.
It was the second time in a row the Claret Jug had been won by an American but the first time by a US-born player. St Andrews-born Jock Hutchison won at the Old Course in 1921 and defending his title was leading after 54 holes.
Hagen had held the halfway lead after rounds of 76 and 73 but had a 79 in the third round, when the scoring was mostly very high except for a brilliant 72 by Charles Whitcombe. Hagen closed with a 72 to post a total of 300, which was thought unbeatable.
Telegrams were sent to newspaper offices along those lines. Luckily for the press men, nobody did beat him but two came close.
Cornish-born American Jim Barnes had a 5 at the last to finish on 301 after a 73, while Duncan, who was thought out of if after an 81 in the third round, made a brilliant late surge.
A 2 at the 16th and a 4 at the 17th left the Scot needing a 4 at the last to tie. But his approach rolled down into the dip to the left of the green and he chipped weakly and took a 5. He had closed with a 69 but one short of Hagen.
Duncan’s Hollow is now the name of the area where his approach ended up.Hutchison finished in fourth place and Whitcombe, one of three golfing brothers, was fifth and a 53-year-old JH Taylor sixth. It was a fourth major title for the flamboyant Hagen, after two US Open wins and victory in the 1920 PGA Championship.
Name
Finish
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
Par
Charles WHITCOMBE
5
77
79
72
75
303
-
Jean GASSIAT
7
75
78
74
79
306
-
T. WALTON
8
75
78
77
77
307
-
Percy ALLISS
10
75
78
78
77
308
-
Charles JOHNS
11
78
76
80
75
309
-
Len HOLLAND
12
79
81
74
76
310
-
George GADD
12
76
81
76
77
310
-
Ernest WHITCOMBE
12
77
78
77
78
310
-
F.C. JEWELL
12
75
80
78
77
310
-
Dick WHEILDON
17
80
80
76
75
311
-
Aubrey BOOMER
17
75
80
76
80
311
-
Abe MITCHELL
19
79
79
78
76
312
-
Hon. Michael SCOTT
20
77
83
79
74
313
-
Joe KIRKWOOD
20
79
76
80
78
313
-
Herbert OSBORNE
20
80
81
76
76
313
-
William SMITH
23
81
78
74
81
314
-
W. PURSEY
23
77
81
80
76
314
-
Willie HUNTER
23
77
81
75
81
314
-
Tom KING JR
23
83
78
78
75
314
-
Archie COMPSTON
27
81
79
75
80
315
-
Tom WILLIAMSON
28
83
77
75
81
316
-
Gus FAULKNER
28
74
81
80
81
316
-
W.M. WATT
28
82
78
79
77
316
-
Arthur MONK
28
80
78
78
80
316
-
James MCKENZIE
32
78
81
80
78
317
-
Harry BALL
32
78
82
77
80
317
-
Roger WETHERED
32
76
78
83
80
317
-
Fred LEACH
36
82
79
79
78
318
-
Reginald WILSON
36
75
84
82
77
318
-
Angel DE LA TORRE
38
83
80
81
75
319
-
Arthur BUTCHART
38
83
74
85
77
319
-
Andrew KAY
38
82
81
78
78
319
-
Claude GRAY
38
76
82
80
81
319
-
Robert HARRIS
38
80
83
74
82
319
-
Cyril TOLLEY
43
87
80
78
75
320
-
Thomas RENOUF
43
85
78
77
80
320
-
Albert HALLAM
43
83
83
77
77
320
-
C.H. CORLETT
46
81
82
78
80
321
-
Hugh WILLIAMSON
46
80
82
83
76
321
-
William OKE
49
91
80
77
74
322
-
Charles MCILVENNY
49
80
82
77
83
322
-
George KIRBY
51
84
81
80
78
323
-
Peter RAINFORD
51
79
86
81
77
323
-
William TWINE
53
80
81
83
80
324
-
G.R. BUCKLE
53
76
85
81
82
324
-
Tom FERNIE
53
81
80
81
82
324
-
Sid BREWS
53
81
83
80
80
324
-
James MARTIN
57
82
83
81
79
325
-
Alfred MILES
57
75
86
81
83
325
-
Roy DONALD
59
85
80
80
81
326
-
Rowland JONES
60
81
90
81
75
327
-
Angus HAMBRO
61
84
82
83
79
328
-
E.F. CARTER
61
81
84
79
84
328
-
John FERNIE
61
81
88
80
79
328
-
Mark SEYMOUR
61
78
88
82
80
328
-
E.H.W. SCOTT
65
87
77
83
82
329
-
Percy WYATT
66
81
83
85
81
330
-
J. CHEAL
66
87
80
82
81
330
-
Jack B. ROSS
66
80
84
82
84
330
-
E.N. LAYTON
69
85
84
84
78
331
-
W.L. RITCHIE
70
80
85
83
84
332
-
H.C. KINCH
71
80
89
86
78
333
-
E. GOODBAN
71
84
82
86
81
333
-
Harry AMOS
73
89
85
83
78
335
-
Fred JARMAN
74
86
84
86
82
338
-
C.H. REITH
75
84
87
84
84
339
-
C.W. THOMSON
76
82
90
84
84
340
-
Walter BOURNE
77
81
89
86
86
342
-
James BATLEY
Wd
87
81
-
-
-
M/C