1938 U.S. Open (golf)

The 1938 U.S. Open was the 42nd U.S. Open, held June 9–11 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Englewood, Colorado, a suburb south of Denver. Defending champion Ralph Guldahl won his second straight U.S. Open title, six strokes ahead of runner-up Dick Metz.[3][4] It was the second of Guldahl's three major titles.

1938 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 9–11, 1938
LocationEnglewood, Colorado
Course(s)Cherry Hills Country Club
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play − 72 holes
Statistics
Par71
Length6,888 yards (6,298 m)[1]
Field160 players, 60 after cut
Cut155 (+13)
Prize fund$6,000[2]
Winner's share$1,000
Champion
Ralph Guldahl
284 (E)
Cherry Hills Country Club
Location in the United States

Metz owned a four-stroke lead over Guldahl after Saturday morning's third round, but Metz struggled in the afternoon and shot a 79 (+8) to finish at 290 (+6). Guldahl began his round with two birdies in his first six holes on his way to a 69 (−2) and an even-par 284 total, six strokes ahead of Metz.[5] His six-shot victory was the largest since Jim Barnes won by nine strokes in 1921. Guldahl became the fourth player to successfully defend at the U.S. Open, joining Willie Anderson, John McDermott, and Bobby Jones. There have only been three since: Ben Hogan in 1951, Curtis Strange in 1989 and Brooks Koepka in 2018.

In the second round, Ray Ainsley set a dubious record by shooting a 19 on the par-4 16th hole.[2] Ainsley's ball landed in a creek, and instead of taking a drop he continued to play the ball out. He shot 96 (+25) for the round and missed the cut.

This was the first U.S. Open played in the western United States. The U.S. Open returned in 1960 and 1978, and the PGA Championship was played here in 1941 and 1985. The average elevation of the course exceeds 5,300 feet (1,620 m) above sea level.

This was the first U.S. Open in which the players were limited to a maximum of 14 clubs; the USGA rule (4-4) went into effect in January 1938.[6][7] Guldahl won the title the previous year with 19 clubs in his bag.[8]

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2R3R4TotalTo parFinish
Ralph Guldahl United States193774707169284E1
Gene Sarazen United States1922, 193274747573296+1210
Olin Dutra United States193474717777299+15T16
Tommy Armour Scotland
 United States
192778717480303+1923
Willie Macfarlane Scotland192579737878308+24T32
Tony Manero United States193674808178313+2948
Billy Burke United States1931757978WD

Source:[9][10]

Missed the cut

PlayerCountryYear wonR1R2TotalTo par
Sam Parks, Jr. United States19358577162+20

Source:[9]

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, June 9, 1938

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Jimmy Hines United States70−1
Henry Picard United States
3John Rogers United States71E
4Emery Zimmerman United States72+1
T5Dick Metz United States73+2
Willie Hunter Scotland
 United States
T7Ted Adams (a) United States74+3
Dick Chapman (a) United States
Olin Dutra United States
Alex Follmer United States
Jim Foulis United States
Ralph Guldahl United States
Alvin Krueger United States
Levi Lynch United States
Tony Manero United States
Johnny Revolta United States
Gene Sarazen United States
Wilford Wehrle (a) United States

Source:[11]

Second round

Friday, June 10, 1938

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Henry Picard United States70-70=140−2
2Dick Metz United States73-68=141−1
T3Jug McSpaden United States76-67=143+1
Emery Zimmerman United States72-71=143
5Ralph Guldahl United States74-70=144+2
T6Harry Cooper England
 United States
76-69=145+3
Olin Dutra United States74-71=145
Jimmy Hines United States70-75=145
Willie Hunter Scotland
 United States
73-72=145
10Johnny Revolta United States74-72=146+4

Source:[12]

Third round

Saturday, June 11, 1938 (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Dick Metz United States73-68-70=211−2
2Jimmy Hines United States70-75-69=214+1
3Ralph Guldahl United States74-70-71=215+2
4Emery Zimmerman United States72-71-73=216+3
T5Jug McSpaden United States76-67-74=217+4
Henry Picard United States70-70-77=217
T7John Rogers United States71-76-73=220+7
Denny Shute United States77-71-72=220
T9Harry Cooper England
 United States
76-69-76=221+8
George Von Elm United States78-72-71=221

Source:[9]

Final round

Saturday, June 11, 1938 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney ($)
1Ralph Guldahl United States74-70-71-69=284E1,000
2Dick Metz United States73-68-70-79=290+6800
T3Harry Cooper England
 United States
76-69-76-71=292+8650
Toney Penna Italy
 United States
78-72-74-68=292
T5Byron Nelson United States77-71-74-72=294+10412
Emery Zimmerman United States72-71-73-78=294
T7Frank Moore United States79-73-72-71=295+11216
Henry Picard United States70-70-77-78=295
Paul Runyan United States78-71-72-74=295
10Gene Sarazen United States74-74-75-73=296+12106

Source:[9]

References

  1. Kilgallen, James L. (June 9, 1938). "Golfers start Cherry Hills rounds today". Miami Daily News. INS. p. 1-B.
  2. "U.S. Open history: 1938". USGA. Archived from the original on July 6, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
  3. "Guldahl retains U.S. Open golf crown". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. June 13, 1938. p. 14.
  4. Petrie, Kerr N. (June 12, 1938). "Metz second by six shots to Ralph's 284". Miami Daily News. (New York Herald Tribune). p. 1-C.
  5. McLemore, Henry (June 12, 1938). "Ralph Guldahl retains national open golf championship". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. p. 10.
  6. "Golfers limited to 14 clubs in competition". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). United Press. January 1, 1937. p. 14.
  7. "Tournament golfers limited to 14 clubs". Tuscaloosa News. (Alabama). Associated Press. January 1, 1937. p. 7.
  8. "Uses 19 clubs". Milwaukee Journal. June 13, 1937. p. 1, sports.
  9. Bartlett, Charles (June 11, 1938). "Picard leads National Open; scores 140". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 17.
  10. Bartlett, Charles (June 12, 1938). "Guldahl's 284 wins National Open title". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
  11. Bartlett, Charles (June 10, 1938). "Picard and Hines tie for National Open golf lead". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 25.
  12. Bartlett, Charles (June 11, 1938). "Picard leads National Open; scores 140". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 17.

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