The 1947 Open Championship was the 76th Open Championship, held 2–4 July at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England. Fred Daly became the first Irish winner of the Open Championship, one stroke ahead of runners-up Reg Horne and amateur Frank Stranahan. It was Daly's only major title.

Qualifying took place on 30 June and 1 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes at Hoylake and 18 holes at Arrowe Park. The number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 100, and ties for 100th place would not qualify. Norman Von Nida led the qualifiers for the second successive year, scoring 139; the qualifying score was 155 and 100 players advanced. Only five Americans entered the qualifier, and none were former champions.

Par was set at 68 for the championship, which was the course record at the time. The course was regularly par 72 at ; all four par-5 holes were shortened slightly and made into par-4 holes.

The total prize money was £1000, with a winner's share of £150, £100 for second, £75 for third, £50 for fourth, £25 for fifth, and £15 for each of the next 35 players. The £1000 was completed with a £15 prize for winning the qualification event and four £15 prizes for the lowest score in each round. Where an amateur finished in a place where there was a cash prize that money was donated to the P.G.A. Benevolent Fund. The prize money distribution meant that, with a maximum of forty players making the cut, all professionals making the cut received prize money.

Henry Cotton and Laurie Ayton, Jnr shared the first round lead on Wednesday, but in the second round both fell back with rounds of 78 and 80, respectively. After 36 holes, Daly led at 143 (+7), four shots ahead of Cotton and Sam King. The maximum number of players making the cut after 36 holes was again set at 40, and ties for 40th place did not make the cut.

Daly had a poor third round on Friday morning, shooting 78 to fall into a tie for the lead with Cotton, Arthur Lees, and Norman Von Nida. There were a further nine players within three-strokes of the lead. Horne, who began two back, made the first move with a 35 on the front-nine. He took a pair of 5s at the 16th and 17th holes, however, and at the 18th his putt for a three lipped out and finished at 294. Daly began the round with a 38 (+4) on the front, but he recovered on the back and holed a birdie putt on the 18th to post 293. Cotton made the turn in 36 and needed another 36 on the back to tie Daly, but in the blustery wind this proved too difficult and he finished at 297. That left Stranahan as the last player on the course able to tie Daly. He reached the 17th needing to play the final two holes in seven strokes, but a three-putt led to a five and saw him needing an improbable two on the last. He gave it a good shot, with his approach stopping less than a foot (0.3 m) from the hole.

Round summaries First round Wednesday, 2 July 1947 PlacePlayerScoreTo parT1 Laurie Ayton, Jnr 69 +1 Henry Cotton 3 Frank Stranahan (a) 71 +3T4 Jimmy Adams 73 +5 John Burton Fred Daly Flory Van Donck T8 William Anderson 74 +6 Fred Bullock Norman Von Nida Source:

Second round Thursday, 3 July 1947 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Fred Daly 73-70=143 +7T2 Henry Cotton 69-78=147 +11 Sam King 75-72=1474 Dick Burton 77-71=148 +12T5 Laurie Ayton, Jnr 69-80=149 +13 Arthur Lees 75-74=149 Charlie Ward 76-73=149 Flory Van Donck 73-76=149T10 Alf Padgham 75-75=150 +14 Bill Shankland 76-74=150 Frank Stranahan (a) 71-79=150 Norman Von Nida 74-76=150 Source:

Third round Friday, 4 July 1947 (morning) PlacePlayerScoreTo parT1 Henry Cotton 69-78-74=221 +15 Fred Daly 73-70-78=221 Arthur Lees 75-74-72=221 Norman Von Nida 74-76-71=2215 Frank Stranahan (a) 71-79-72=222 +16 T6 Laurie Ayton, Jnr 69-80-74=223 +17 Reg Horne 77-74-72=223 Alf Perry 76-77-70=223 Reg Whitcombe 75-77-71=223 T10 Jimmy Adams 73-80-71=224 +18 Sam King 75-72-77=224 Alf Padgham 75-75-74=224 Dai Rees 77-74-73=224 Source:

Final round Friday, 4 July 1947 (afternoon) PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (£)1 Fred Daly 73-70-78-72=293 +21 150T2 Reg Horne 77-74-72-71=294 +22 87 ½ Frank Stranahan (a) 71-79-72-72=294 –4 Bill Shankland 76-74-75-70=295 +23 505 Dick Burton 77-71-77-71=296 +24 25T6 Johnny Bulla 80-72-74-71=297 +25 15 Henry Cotton 69-78-74-76=297 Sam King 75-72-77-73=297 Arthur Lees 75-74-72-76=297 Norman Von Nida 74-76-71-76=297 Charlie Ward 76-73-76-72=297 (a) denotes amateur Source:

References

External links Royal Liverpool 1947 (Official site) Official Programme