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1934 U.S. Open (golf)

Coordinates: 40°00′04″N 75°18′43″W / 40.001°N 75.312°W / 40.001; -75.312
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1934 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 7–9, 1934
LocationArdmore, Pennsylvania
Course(s)Merion Golf Club
East Course
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play − 72 holes
Statistics
Par70[1]
Length6,694 yards (6,121 m)[2]
Field146 players, 65 after cut
Cut155 (+15)
Prize fund$5,000
Winner's share$1,000
Champion
United States Olin Dutra
293 (+13)
← 1933
1935 →
Merion GC  is located in the United States
Merion GC 
Merion GC 
Merion GC  is located in Pennsylvania
Merion GC 
Merion GC 

The 1934 U.S. Open was the 38th U.S. Open, held June 7–9 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia. Olin Dutra won his only U.S. Open, a stroke ahead of runner-up Gene Sarazen on the East Course. Dutra overcame an eight-stroke deficit after 36 holes to win his second major title; he won the PGA Championship in 1932.[3]

Bobby Cruickshank opened the tournament with a pair of 71s, and had a three-stroke lead over Sarazen at the midway point.[4] Sarazen carded a 73 in the third round to take a one-shot lead over Cruickshank. In the final round on Saturday afternoon, both Cruickshank and Sarazen were overcome by Dutra, who took the lead after birdies at 10 and 15. Sarazen took a triple bogey on the 11th while Cruickshank bogeyed 5 of the final 7 holes. Despite a pair of bogeys to finish the round, Dutra's 72 (+2) and total of 293 (+13) was enough to secure the victory.[1]

Dutra's win was all the more impressive after he fell ill before the tournament and was laid up for three days in his hotel room. He lost fifteen pounds (7 kg)[5] and could not practice for ten days. He was about to withdraw until his brother Mortie, who finished in 28th place, convinced him to play on. His 36-hole comeback from eight shots down was the largest in U.S. Open history until Arnold Palmer equaled it in 1960. From California, Dutra was the first U.S. Open champion born in the western United States.

Former caddies in Texas at the same course in Fort Worth, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson played in their first major championship, and both missed the cut, shooting 158 and 162, respectively.[6] Lawson Little finished as low amateur in 25th place; he won the title six years later in 1940 as a professional.

Merion Golf Club was affiliated with the Merion Cricket Club until 1941. This was the first U.S. Open at Merion, which hosted its fifth in 2013, all on the East Course.

Course

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East Course

Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Yards 360 555 195 595 425 435 360 367 185 3,477 335 378 400 133 443 395 445 230 458 3,217 6,694
Par 4 5 3 5 4 4 4 4 3 36 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 4 34 70

Source:[2][7]

Round summaries

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First round

[edit]

Thursday, June 7, 1934

Place Player Score To par
T1 United States Wiffy Cox 71 +1
Scotland Bobby Cruickshank
England Charles Lacey
4 United States Gene Sarazen 73 +3
T5 United States Rodney Bliss 74 +4
United States Henry Ciuci
United States Mortie Dutra
United States Willie Goggin
United States Paul Runyan
United States Jimmy Thomson
United States Horton Smith
United States George Von Elm

Source:[8]

Second round

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Friday, June 8, 1934

Place Player Score To par
1 Scotland Bobby Cruickshank 71-71=142 +2
2 United States Gene Sarazen 73-72=145 +5
3 United States Wiffy Cox 71-75=146 +6
T4 United States Leo Diegel 76-71=147 +7
United States Rodney Bliss 74-73=147
United States Billy Burke 76-71=147
United States Horton Smith 74-73=147
T8 United States Henry Ciuci 74-74=148 +8
Australia Joe Kirkwood 75-73=148
United States Macdonald Smith 75-73=148

Source:[6]

Third round

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Saturday, June 9, 1934 (morning)

Place Player Score To par
1 United States Gene Sarazen 73-72-73=218 +8
2 Scotland Bobby Cruickshank 71-71-77=219 +9
3 United States Wiffy Cox 71-75-74=220 +10
T4 United States Olin Dutra 76-74-71=221 +11
United States Ralph Guldahl 78-73-70=221
T6 United States Harry Cooper 76-74-74=224 +14
United States Billy Burke 76-71-77=224
T8 United States Leo Diegel 76-71-78=225 +15
United States Johnny Golden 75-76-74=225
T10 United States Al Espinosa 76-74-76=226 +16
Australia Joe Kirkwood 75-73-78=226
United States Butch Krueger 76-75-75=226
United States Johnny Revolta 76-73-77=226
United States Macdonald Smith 75-73-78=226

Source:[9]

Final round

[edit]

Saturday, June 9, 1934 (afternoon)

Place Player Score To par Money ($)
1 United States Olin Dutra 76-74-71-72=293 +13 1,000
2 United States Gene Sarazen 73-72-73-76=294 +14 750
T3 United States Harry Cooper 76-74-74-71=295 +15 400
United States Wiffy Cox 71-75-74-75=295
Scotland Bobby Cruickshank 71-71-77-76=295
T6 United States Billy Burke 76-71-77-72=296 +16 300
United States Macdonald Smith 75-73-78-70=296
T8 United States Tom Creavy 79-76-78-66=299 +19 116
United States Ralph Guldahl 78-73-70-78=299
United States Jimmy Hines 80-70-77-72=299
United States Johnny Revolta 76-73-77-73=299

Source:[9][10]

Scorecard

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Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Par 4 5 3 5 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 4
United States Dutra +11 +11 +11 +11 +11 +12 +12 +12 +13 +12 +12 +12 +12 +12 +11 +11 +12 +13
United States Sarazen +8 +8 +9 +9 +9 +9 +9 +10 +10 +10 +13 +13 +12 +13 +13 +13 +13 +14
Scotland Cruickshank +9 +9 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +10 +11 +11 +12 +13 +14 +14 +15
United States Cox +10 +10 +9 +10 +10 +11 +12 +12 +12 +12 +12 +14 +14 +14 +14 +14 +14 +15

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par

Birdie Bogey Double bogey Triple bogey+

Source:[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Gould, Alan (June 10, 1934). "Olin Dutra's 293 wins National Open in sensational finish". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. p. D1. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Thirty-eighth National Open Golf Championship" (PDF). Trenham Golf History. Official Program. 1934. p. 35. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  3. ^ Bartlett, Charles (June 10, 1934). "Olin Dutra's 293 takes U.S. Open golf title". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 21.
  4. ^ Bartlett, Charles (June 9, 1934). "Cruickshank leads National Open golf with 142". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 17.
  5. ^ Cavagnaro, Bob (June 10, 1934). "Dutra wanted to stay home". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. p. D4.
  6. ^ a b "National Open scores". Chicago Daily Tribune. June 9, 1934. p. 18.
  7. ^ "154 start play in U.S. Open golf tourney today". Chicago Daily Tribune. June 7, 1934.
  8. ^ Bartlett, Charles (June 8, 1934). "Three tie at 71 for National Open golf lead". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 27.
  9. ^ a b "National Open scores". Chicago Sunday Tribune. June 10, 1934. p. 6, part 2.
  10. ^ "National Open results". Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. June 10, 1934. p. 9. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
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40°00′04″N 75°18′43″W / 40.001°N 75.312°W / 40.001; -75.312