1938 U.S. Open (golf)

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)
Field160 players, 60 after cut
Cut155 (+13)
Prize fund$6,000
Winner's share$1,000
Champion
Ralph Guldahl
284 (E)
← 1937
1939 →
Cherry Hills Country Club
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Location in the United States

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. It was the second of Guldahl's three major titles.

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. 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. 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. Guldahl won the title the previous year with 19 clubs in his bag.

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, June 9, 1938

Place Player Score To par
T1 Jimmy Hines 70 −1
Henry Picard
3 John Rogers 71 E
4 Emery Zimmerman 72 +1
T5 Dick Metz 73 +2
Willie Hunter
T7 Ted Adams (a) 74 +3
Dick Chapman (a)
Olin Dutra
Alex Follmer
Jim Foulis
Ralph Guldahl
Alvin Krueger
Levi Lynch
Tony Manero
Johnny Revolta
Gene Sarazen
Wilford Wehrle (a)

Source:

Second round

Friday, June 10, 1938

Place Player Score To par
1 Henry Picard 70-70=140 −2
2 Dick Metz 73-68=141 −1
T3 Jug McSpaden 76-67=143 +1
Emery Zimmerman 72-71=143
5 Ralph Guldahl 74-70=144 +2
T6 Harry Cooper 76-69=145 +3
Olin Dutra 74-71=145
Jimmy Hines 70-75=145
Willie Hunter 73-72=145
10 Johnny Revolta 74-72=146 +4

Source:

Third round

Saturday, June 11, 1938 (morning)

Place Player Score To par
1 Dick Metz 73-68-70=211 −2
2 Jimmy Hines 70-75-69=214 +1
3 Ralph Guldahl 74-70-71=215 +2
4 Emery Zimmerman 72-71-73=216 +3
T5 Jug McSpaden 76-67-74=217 +4
Henry Picard 70-70-77=217
T7 John Rogers 71-76-73=220 +7
Denny Shute 77-71-72=220
T9 Harry Cooper 76-69-76=221 +8
George Von Elm 78-72-71=221

Source:

Final round

Saturday, June 11, 1938 (afternoon)

Place Player Score To par Money ($)
1 Ralph Guldahl 74-70-71-69=284 E 1,000
2 Dick Metz 73-68-70-79=290 +6 800
T3 Harry Cooper 76-69-76-71=292 +8 650
Toney Penna 78-72-74-68=292
T5 Byron Nelson 77-71-74-72=294 +10 412
Emery Zimmerman 72-71-73-78=294
T7 Frank Moore 79-73-72-71=295 +11 216
Henry Picard 70-70-77-78=295
Paul Runyan 78-71-72-74=295
10 Gene Sarazen 74-74-75-73=296 +12 106

Source:

References

  1. ^ Kilgallen, James L. (June 9, 1938). "Golfers start Cherry Hills rounds today". Miami Daily News. INS. p. 1-B.
  2. ^ a b "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 10, 1938). "Picard and Hines tie for National Open golf lead". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 25.
  10. ^ Bartlett, Charles (June 11, 1938). "Picard leads National Open; scores 140". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 17.
  11. ^ a b Bartlett, Charles (June 11, 1938). "Picard leads National Open; scores 140". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 17.

39°38′35″N 104°57′47″W / 39.643°N 104.963°W / 39.643; -104.963