The 1939 Open Championship was the 74th Open Championship, held 5–7 July at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland. Dick Burton won his only major title, two strokes ahead of runner-up Johnny Bulla. The purse was £500 with a winner's share of £100. It was the last Open played for seven years, due to World War II.

Qualifying took place on 3–4 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes on the Old Course and 18 holes on the New Course. As in the previous year, the number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 130, and ties for 130th place did not qualify. For the first time a prize of £20 was awarded to the professional with the lowest qualifying score. Amateur Jimmy Bruen led the qualifiers on 138 with Henry Cotton next on 142; the qualifying score was 156 and 129 players advanced.

Despite taking an eight at the 14th hole, Bobby Locke opened the championship on Wednesday with a round of 70 (−3), tying Burton for the lead. In the second round on Thursday, Locke again found trouble on 14, and after a ball out of bounds fell out of the lead. The maximum number of players making the cut after 36 holes was increased from 40 to 44, and ties for 44th place did not make the cut. Eleven players tied for 35th place, so only 34 players made the cut.

John Fallon was the surprise leader after 54 holes by two shots, but he could not cope with the strong winds and fell back to 3rd place with a final round 79 (+6). Bulla, the only American to make the 36-hole cut, began the final round on Friday afternoon four strokes behind Fallon. At the second hole, he hooked his drive over the parallel 17th fairway and into a railway yard; he finished with a round of even-par 73 and established a clubhouse lead of at even par 292. Burton, setting out just as Bulla was finishing, needed a 72 to win the title and came to the 18th needing a par four. He hit a drive over , pitched to , then holed the birdie putt for a win.

The previous three Opens at St Andrews had been won by Americans; Burton was the first Briton to win the Open at the Old Course since 1910, won by James Braid of Scotland. Since Burton's 1939 win, the sole British winner at St Andrews was Nick Faldo of England in 1990. Burton enlisted in the Royal Air Force shortly after his win.

This was the last Open for seven years, until 1946; World War II started in September 1939 and the championship was canceled through 1945. Birkdale Golf Club was scheduled as the venue for the 1940 championship, its first, but did not host until 1954.

Course

HoleNameYardsPar HoleNameYardsPar1Burn3744 10Tenth ^31442Dyke411411High (In)17033Cartgate (Out)367412Heathery (In)31644Ginger Beer424413Hole O'Cross (In)42245Hole O'Cross (Out)576514Long56456Heathery (Out)377415Cartgate (In)42447High (Out)354416Corner of the Dyke38048Short163317Road46659End359418Tom Morris3814Out3,40536In3,43737Source: Total6,84273 ^ The 10th hole was posthumously named for Bobby Jones in 1972

Round summaries First round Wednesday, 5 July 1939 PlacePlayerScoreTo parT1 Dick Burton 70 −3 Harry Busson Max Faulkner Bobby LockeT5 Bill Davies 71 −2 John Fallon Alf Perry Martin Pose Dai Rees Reg Whitcombe Source:

Second round Thursday, 6 July 1939 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Dick Burton 70-72=142 −42 Martin Pose 71-72=143 −33 John Fallon 71-73=144 −2T4 Harry Busson 70-75=145 −1 Syd Easterbrook 74-71=145 Bobby Locke 70-75=145 Alf Perry 71-74=145 Dai Rees 71-74=145 Bill Shankland 72-73=145T10 Henry Cotton 74-72=146 E Max Faulkner 70-76=146 Sam King 74-72=146 Reg Whitcombe 71-75=146 Source:

Third round Friday, 7 July 1939 (morning) PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 John Fallon 71-73-71=215 −42 Bill Shankland 72-73-72=217 −23 Alf Perry 71-74-73=218 −1T4 Johnny Bulla 77-71-71=219 E Dick Burton 70-72-77=219 Martin Pose 71-72-76=219T7 Dai Rees 71-74-75=220 +1 Reg Whitcombe 71-75-74=220T9 Sam King 74-72-75=221 +2 Bobby Locke 70-75-76=221 Source:

Final round Friday, 7 July 1939 (afternoon) PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (£)1 Dick Burton 70-72-77-71=290 −2 1002 Johnny Bulla 77-71-71-73=292 E 75T3 John Fallon 71-73-71-79=294 +2 29 Sam King 74-72-75-73=294 Alf Perry 71-74-73-76=294 Bill Shankland 72-73-72-77=294 Reg Whitcombe 71-75-74-74=2948 Martin Pose 71-72-76-76=295 +3 15T9 Percy Alliss 75-73-74-74=296 +4 1113s 4d Bob Kenyon 73-75-74-74=296 Bobby Locke 70-75-76-75=296 Source:

Amateurs: Bruen (+5), Kyle (+8), Crowley (+10), Dowie (+16), Sweeny (+16)

References

External links St Andrews 1939 (Official site)