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Hagan

1924 / Royal Liverpool

Walter Hagen won a second Open title, to go with his two US Opens, at Hoylake in 1924. Two years earlier at Sandwich he had posted a score that no one could beat. This time the American was the one chasing.

Hagen and Ernest Whitcombe were sharing the lead after 54 holes. Whitcombe, the eldest of the three golfing brothers from Burnham in Somerset, went out in 43 but then played the back nine in 35 for a 78 to finish on 302. Playing about an hour behind Whitcombe, Hagen was the only man left who could catch him.

He took 41 over the front nine, including 6s at the first, third and eighth holes. News of Whitcombe’s total reached Hagen when he was on the 12th tee and he now knew that he had to play the final seven holes in level fours to win.

Hagen lived dangerously on the route home. He sliced his second shot at the 12th and went into a bunker at the short 13th but on both occasions he recovered with a pitch and a putt. He reached the 18th green needing to hole a six-foot putt to win.

Without hesitation, he hit it into the hole to finish with a 77 and total of 301, one better than Whitcombe. It was the Englishman’s best ever result in The Open.

MacDonald Smith was third for the second year running, two shots further back, alongside Frank Ball. Cyril Tolley, the former Amateur Champion, had led with an opening 73 but fell back with an 82 in the second round.

Asked if he knew his putt at the last was for the victory, and if so why he took it so casually, Hagen replied: “Sure, I knew. But no man ever beat me in a play-off.” Not true, but worth believing anyway.

Name
Finish
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
Par
Walter HAGEN
Champion Golfer
1
77
73
74
77
301
-
Ernest WHITCOMBE
2
77
70
77
78
302
-
Frank BALL
3
78
75
74
77
304
-
Macdonald SMITH
3
76
74
77
77
304
-
J.H. TAYLOR
5
75
74
79
79
307
-
Aubrey BOOMER
6
75
78
76
79
308
-
Len HOLLAND
6
74
78
78
78
308
-
George DUNCAN
6
74
79
74
81
308
-
Jim BARNES
9
78
77
79
75
309
-
George GADD
9
79
75
78
77
309
-
P.F. WESTON
9
76
77
77
79
309
-
J. SHERLOCK
9
76
75
78
80
309
-
Sandy HERD
13
76
79
76
79
310
-
Tom WILLIAMSON
13
79
76
80
75
310
-
Gilbert NICHOLLS
13
75
78
79
78
310
-
Charles JOHNS
16
77
77
78
81
313
-
J.W. GAUDIN
16
79
78
80
76
313
-
Albert S. TINGEY JR
18
82
81
76
75
314
-
Cyril TOLLEY
18
73
82
80
79
314
-
James BRAID
18
80
80
78
76
314
-
Archie COMPSTON
21
79
81
76
79
315
-
B.S. WEASTELL
21
76
82
78
79
315
-
William ROBERTSON
23
84
75
77
80
316
-
Arthur BUTCHART
23
82
75
77
82
316
-
Fred LEACH
23
78
74
86
78
316
-
Fred ROBSON
23
83
80
77
76
316
-
Rowland JONES
23
80
73
82
81
316
-
Syd WINGATE
23
79
79
82
76
316
-
Arthur HAVERS
29
79
77
86
75
317
-
Mark SEYMOUR
29
74
81
80
82
317
-
Herbert OSBORNE
31
80
81
82
75
318
-
Albert HALLAM
32
76
83
80
80
319
-
J. RIMMER
32
79
82
79
79
319
-
Charles PARSONS
32
80
77
83
79
319
-
Ted RAY
32
80
80
79
80
319
-
Harry BALL
32
81
78
79
81
319
-
Peter ROBERTSON
37
79
79
82
81
321
-
H. CRAPPER
37
86
82
76
77
321
-
William TWINE
37
80
79
86
76
321
-
T. WALTON
40
77
86
82
77
322
-
Gene SARAZEN
41
83
75
84
81
323
-
R. BOTCAZOU
41
80
83
78
82
323
-
William SUTTON
41
85
76
80
82
323
-
Fred JARMAN
41
84
78
78
83
323
-
James ADWICK
45
79
82
83
80
324
-
David SUTHERLAND
45
79
80
85
80
324
-
William BUTTON
45
80
80
83
81
324
-
Jack ROWE
48
78
83
83
81
325
-
A. SIMPSON
48
82
78
80
85
325
-
George KIRBY
48
80
77
83
85
325
-
William MCMINN
48
80
88
79
78
325
-
George CHARMAN
48
81
85
81
78
325
-
Edward DOUGLAS
53
84
78
82
82
326
-
William H. DAVIES
53
83
83
80
80
326
-
J. ALSAGURIN
55
82
86
77
82
327
-
Thomas BARBER
55
78
85
84
80
327
-
William SMITH
55
80
82
82
83
327
-
Arthur YOUNG
55
82
79
87
79
327
-
Jack SEAGER
59
79
84
82
83
328
-
W.L. HOPE
59
87
78
81
82
328
-
Charles WALLIS
59
80
85
81
82
328
-
J.A. HASSALL
59
78
84
84
82
328
-
S. ROBINSON
63
85
81
82
81
329
-
Harry SUTTON
64
81
79
83
87
330
-
Philip RODGERS
65
82
81
86
82
331
-
Albert SEYMOUR
65
85
78
84
84
331
-
John THOMPSON
65
88
78
78
87
331
-
M.S. WALKER
68
81
81
82
88
332
-
E.C. ANDERSON
69
84
82
85
82
333
-
Jerry BOND
69
87
84
83
79
333
-
H. WALKER
69
81
87
81
84
333
-
Percy WYATT
72
86
84
83
81
334
-
Sidney BALL
73
84
78
87
86
335
-
John HARRISON
74
86
88
81
85
340
-
W.G. GIMBER
75
86
85
87
87
345
-
G.R. BUCKLE
Wd
78
87
85
-
-
-
Cedric SAYNER
Wd
83
78
81
-
-
-
J. GRANT
Wd
78
84
81
-
-
-
J.J. TAYLOR
Wd
89
81
-
-
-
M/C
Harry CAWSEY
Wd
84
83
-
-
-
M/C
Charles WHITCOMBE
DQ
81
78
-
-
-
M/C
Arnaud MASSY
Wd
78
87
-
-
-
M/C
Roger WETHERED
Wd
82
85
-
-
-
M/C
Abe MITCHELL
Wd
81
77
-
-
-
M/C
P.J. LOCKYER
NR
-
-
-
-
-
M/C
C.H. CORLETT
NR
-
-
-
-
-
M/C

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