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
Peter Thomson
281 (−7)
St Andrews 
Location in Scotland
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
T1 Eric Brown69−3
Dai Rees
Syd Scott
T4 Henry Cotton70−2
Cecil Denny
Bernard Hunt
Frank Jowle
Ian Martin
Dennis Smalldon
T10 John Anderson71−1
Romualdo Barbieri
Ken Bousfield
Ed Furgol
Robert Halsall
John Jacobs
Christy O'Connor Snr
Norman Sutton
Peter Thomson
Flory Van Donck
Harry Weetman

Source:[2][9]

Second round

Thursday, 7 July 1955

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
T1 Eric Brown69-70=139−5
Dennis Smalldon70-69=139
Peter Thomson71-68=139
4 John Fallon73-67=140−4
T5 Bernard Hunt70-71=141−3
John Jacobs71-70=141
Frank Jowle70-71=141
T8 Romualdo Barbieri71-71=142−2
Harry Bradshaw72-70=142
Henry Cotton70-72=142
Ian Martin70-72=142
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
1 Peter Thomson71-68-70=209−7
2 Frank Jowle70-71-69=210−6
T3 Eric Brown69-70-73=212−4
John Jacobs71-70-71=212
Harry Weetman71-71-70=212
T6 John Fallon73-67-73=213−3
Bobby Locke74-69-70=213
8 Flory Van Donck71-72-71=214−2
T9 Romualdo Barbieri71-71-73=215−1
Harry Bradshaw72-70-73=215
Antonio Cerdá73-71-71=215
Bernard Hunt70-71-74=215

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

Final round

Friday, 8 July 1955 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (£)
1 Peter Thomson71-68-70-72=281−71,000
2 John Fallon73-67-73-70=283−5500
3 Frank Jowle70-71-69-74=284−4350
4 Bobby Locke74-69-70-72=285−3200
T5 Ken Bousfield71-75-70-70=286−290
Antonio Cerdá73-71-71-71=286
Bernard Hunt70-71-74-71=286
Flory Van Donck71-72-71-72=286
Harry Weetman71-71-70-74=286
T10 Romualdo Barbieri71-71-73-72=287−140
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". The Herald. Glasgow. 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". The Herald. Glasgow. 5 July 1955. p. 4.
  7. "Ninety-four qualifiers for "Open"". The Herald. Glasgow. 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". The Herald. Glasgow. 7 July 1955. p. 2.
  10. "Holder shares halfway lead in Open title golf". The Herald. Glasgow. 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"". The Herald. Glasgow. 24 December 1954. p. 7.

56.343°N 2.803°W / 56.343; -2.803

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