1926 U.S. Open (golf)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

1926 U.S. Open

The 30th U.S. Open was played July 8–10 at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. It was a 72-hole stroke-play event on a par-72 course about 6,736 yards long. 148 players started, 63 made the cut at 159 (+15); the prize fund was $2,000, with the winner’s share of $500.

Amateur Bobby Jones, who had just won the British Open, won his second U.S. Open by one stroke over Joe Turnesa. Jones finished at 293 (+5) with rounds of 70, 79, 71, and 73. Turnesa led after the third round but bogeyed five times in the last six holes of the final stretch, finishing at 294. Jones needed only a par on the final hole to tie and force a playoff; he blasted a 310-yard drive and followed with a 15-foot eagle chance, but two-putted for birdie to seal the win.

Bill Mehlhorn led early with two 68s but finished in a four-way tie for third after fading on Saturday.

Jones became the first to win the U.S. Open and the British Open in the same year, a feat he repeated in 1930. Other players to win both Opens in the same year include Sarazen (1932), Hogan (1953), Trevino (1971), Watson (1982), and Tiger Woods (2000).

This was the Open’s first three-day format since 1919: two rounds on Thursday and Friday with a 36-hole cut, and the final two rounds on Saturday. The format remained through 1964, with some exceptions.

Scioto was a young course; its club pro George Sargent (1909 U.S. Open champion) did not compete. It later hosted the Ryder Cup (1931) and the PGA Championship (1950. It is also where Jack Nicklaus learned to play as a youth under Jack Grout.