1955 Open Championship

The 1955 Open Championship was the 84th Open Championship, played 6–8 July at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland. Peter Thomson won the second of three consecutive Open titles, two strokes ahead of runner-up John Fallon.[3][4][5] Thomson won a total of five Claret Jugs, the last in 1965.

1955 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates6–8 July 1955
LocationSt Andrews, Scotland
Course(s)Old Course at St Andrews
Statistics
Par72[1]
Length6,936 yards (6,342 m)[1]
Field94 players, 49 after cut[2]
Cut148 (+4)
Prize fund£3,750
$10,500
Winner's share£1,000
$2,800
Champion
Australia Peter Thomson
281 (−7)
St Andrews  is located in Scotland
St Andrews 
St Andrews 
Location in Scotland
St Andrews  is located in Fife
St Andrews 
St Andrews 
Location in Fife, Scotland

Qualifying took place on 4–5 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes on the Old Course and 18 holes on the New Course. The number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 100, and ties for 100th place did not qualify. On Monday, Frank Jowle scored 63 on the New Course,[6] and after a 72 on the Old Course the next day he led the qualifiers at 135, a shot ahead of Laurie Ayton.[7][8] The qualifying score was 148 and 94 players advanced to the first round on Wednesday.[7]

Three shot 69 in the opening round on Wednesday;[2][9] after the second round on Thursday, three shared the 36-hole lead at 139: Eric Brown, Dennis Smalldon, and Thomson, with Fallon a stroke back in fourth. The maximum number of players making the cut was set at fifty, and ties for 50th place were not included. Five Americans were in the field of 94, three professionals and two amateurs.[10][11] All five made the cut,[12] and the top U.S. finisher was Ed Furgol in a tie for 19th place.[3][4][5] Byron Nelson, whose only previous appearance at The Open was a fifth-place finish in 1937, tied for 32nd. The two amateurs finished in the top thirty.

Previously the 17th hole (the "Road Hole") was a par 5; for this Open it became a par 4, which reduced the course par from 73 to 72.[1]

The winner's share was increased from £750 to £1,000, while the others were unchanged, bringing the total purse to £3,750.[13]

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 6 July 1955

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
T1Scotland Eric Brown69−3
Wales Dai Rees
England Syd Scott
T4England Henry Cotton70−2
England Cecil Denny
England Bernard Hunt
England Frank Jowle
Republic of Ireland Jimmy Martin
Wales Dennis Smalldon
T10Scotland John Anderson71−1
Argentina Romualdo Barbieri
England Ken Bousfield
United States Ed Furgol
England Robert Halsall
England John Jacobs
Republic of Ireland Christy O'Connor Snr
England Norman Sutton
Australia Peter Thomson
Belgium Flory Van Donck
England Harry Weetman

Source:[2][9]

Second round

Thursday, 7 July 1955

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
T1Scotland Eric Brown69-70=139−5
Wales Dennis Smalldon70-69=139
Australia Peter Thomson71-68=139
4Scotland John Fallon73-67=140−4
T5England Bernard Hunt70-71=141−3
England John Jacobs71-70=141
England Frank Jowle70-71=141
T8Argentina Romualdo Barbieri71-71=142−2
Republic of Ireland Harry Bradshaw72-70=142
England Henry Cotton70-72=142
Republic of Ireland Jimmy Martin70-72=142
England Harry Weetman71-71=142

Source:[2][10][11][12]
Amateurs: Bucher (+2), Conrad (+4), McHale (+4), Lawrie (+5), Carr (+9), Murray (+11), Orr (+13), Robertson (+15)

Third round

Friday, 8 July 1955 (morning)

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1Australia Peter Thomson71-68-70=209−7
2England Frank Jowle70-71-69=210−6
T3Scotland Eric Brown69-70-73=212−4
England John Jacobs71-70-71=212
England Harry Weetman71-71-70=212
T6Scotland John Fallon73-67-73=213−3
South Africa Bobby Locke74-69-70=213
8Belgium Flory Van Donck71-72-71=214−2
T9Argentina Romualdo Barbieri71-71-73=215−1
Republic of Ireland Harry Bradshaw72-70-73=215
Argentina Antonio Cerdá73-71-71=215
England Bernard Hunt70-71-74=215

Source:[2][3][4][5]

Final round

Friday, 8 July 1955 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (£)
1Australia Peter Thomson71-68-70-72=281−71,000
2Scotland John Fallon73-67-73-70=283−5500
3England Frank Jowle70-71-69-74=284−4350
4South Africa Bobby Locke74-69-70-72=285−3200
T5England Ken Bousfield71-75-70-70=286−290
Argentina Antonio Cerdá73-71-71-71=286
England Bernard Hunt70-71-74-71=286
Belgium Flory Van Donck71-72-71-72=286
England Harry Weetman71-71-70-74=286
T10Argentina Romualdo Barbieri71-71-73-72=287−140
Republic of Ireland Christy O'Connor Snr71-75-70-71=287

Source:[2][3][4][5]
Amateurs: Conrad (+5), McHale (+7), Bucher (+23).

References
  1. "Three tied for lead in British Open golf". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Associated Press. 8 July 1955. p. 19.
  2. "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 81. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  3. "P.W. Thomson's second victory". Glasgow Herald. 9 July 1955. p. 5.
  4. "Thomson edges Fallon by two strokes in British Open". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 9 July 1955. p. 9.
  5. "Thomson's 281 keeps British Open crown". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. 9 July 1955. p. 4, sec. 3.
  6. "Lowest score ever returned in Open golf championship". Glasgow Herald. 5 July 1955. p. 4.
  7. "Ninety-four qualifiers for "Open"". Glasgow Herald. 6 July 1955. p. 4.
  8. "Thomson goes easily and efficiently on - Chance of retaining his Open Golf Championship". The Times. 6 July 1955. p. 4.
  9. "Only three players beat 70 in first round". Glasgow Herald. 7 July 1955. p. 2.
  10. "Holder shares halfway lead in Open title golf". Glasgow Herald. 8 July 1955. p. 4.
  11. "Thomson, Brown, Smalldon lead British Open with 139". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 8 July 1955. p. 19.
  12. "Thomson's 68 ties for lead in British Open". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. 8 July 1955. p. 3, sec. 3.
  13. "Larger prize for "Open"". Glasgow Herald. 24 December 1954. p. 7.

56.343°N 2.803°W / 56.343; -2.803

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