The 1927 Open Championship was the 62nd Open Championship, held 13–15 July at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland. Amateur Bobby Jones successfully defended the title with a dominating six-stroke victory, the second of his three victories at the Open Championship.
The regional qualification that had been used in 1926 was abandoned and the previous system of local qualifying just before the Open was reintroduced. Qualifying was held 11–12 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes on the Old Course and 18 holes on the New Course, and the top 100 and ties qualified. In heavy rain early that flooded the bunkers, Jones shot 76 on Monday at the Old and 71 on Tuesday at the New Course for 147, three strokes behind the low qualifier. Amateur Cyril Tolley led the field with 144; the qualifying score was 160 and 108 players advanced.
Prize money was increased £50 to £250, although the winner's share remained at £75.
Jones, age 25, returned to St Andrews to make amends for his first experience on the course; six years earlier in 1921, he walked off the Old Course in frustration during the third round. He shot 68 (−5) in the first round on Wednesday, three clear of the rest of the field, and after a second round 72 was at 140 (−6), two shots ahead of Bert Hodson and four clear of Joe Kirkwood Sr. To make the cut, players had to be within fourteen strokes of the leader after 36 holes; it was at 154 (+8) and 54 advanced.
On Friday, Hodson ballooned to 81 (+8) in the third round and Jones closed with 73-72 for 285, a new championship record. Aubrey Boomer and Fred Robson tied for second place, six shots back.
Future three-time champion Henry Cotton, age 20, made his Open debut and finished in ninth place. Five-time champion J.H. Taylor made his last cut in the Open at the age of 56.
Round summaries First round Wednesday, 13 July 1927 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Bobby Jones (a) 68 −5 2 Len Nettlefold (a) 71 −2 T3 Tom Dobson 72 −1 Bert Hodson Joe Kirkwood Sr. Dan Murray Eustace Storey (a) William Torrance (a) T9 Henry Cotton 73 E Don Curtis Tom King Jr. Mark Seymour Source:
Second round Thursday, 14 July 1927 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Bobby Jones (a) 68-72=140 −6 2 Bert Hodson 72-70=142−4 3 Joe Kirkwood Sr. 72-72=144−2 4 Henry Cotton 73-72=145 −1 T5 Aubrey Boomer 76-70=146 E George Buckle 77-69=146T7 Percy Alliss 73-74=147 +1 Tom Dobson 72-75=147 Tom King Jr. 73-74=147 Ernest Whitcombe 74-73=147 Source:
Third round Friday, 15 July 1927 (morning) PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Bobby Jones (a) 68-72-73=213 −6 2 Fred Robson 76-72-69=217 −2 T3 Aubrey Boomer 76-70-73=219 E Joe Kirkwood Sr. 72-72-75=219 T5 Percy Alliss 73-74-73=220 +1 Ernest Whitcombe 74-73-73=220T7 Len Holland 75-75-71=221 +2 Charles Whitcombe 74-76-71=221 9 Henry Cotton 73-72-77=222 +3 T10 George Buckle 77-69-77=223 +4 Bert Hodson 72-70-81=223 Philip Rodgers 76-73-74=223 Tom Stevens 76-73-74=223 Source:
Final round Friday, 15 July 1927 (afternoon) PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (£)1 Bobby Jones (a) 68-72-73-72=285 −7 0T2 Aubrey Boomer 76-70-73-72=291 −1 6210s Fred Robson 76-72-69-74=291T4 Joe Kirkwood Sr. 72-72-75-74=293 +1 20 Ernest Whitcombe 74-73-73-73=2936 Charles Whitcombe 74-76-71-75=296 +4 15T7 Arthur Havers 80-74-73-70=297 +5 10 Bert Hodson 72-70-81-74=2979 Henry Cotton 73-72-77-76=298 +6 T10 Percy Alliss 73-74-73-80=300 +8 8 Sandy Herd 76-75-78-71=300 Philip Perkins (a) 76-78-70-76=300 0 Philip Rodgers 76-73-74-77=300 8 William Torrance (a) 72-80-74-74=300 0 Roland Vickers 75-75-77-73=300 8 Tom Williamson 75-76-78-71=300 Source:
Amateurs: Jones (−7), Perkins (+8), Torrance (+8), Tweddell (+14),Harris (+15), Tolley (+15), de Montmorency (+17), Nettlefold (+26).
References
External links St Andrews 1927 (Official site)