1961_Open_Championship Knowpia

1961 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates	12–15 July 1961
Location	Southport, England
Course(s)	Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Statistics
Par	72
Length	6,844 yards (6,258 m)
Field	108 players, 48 after cut
Cut	153 (+9)
Prize fund	£8,500; $23,800
Winner's share	£1,400; $3,920
Champion
	Arnold Palmer
	284 (−4)
	← 1960 1962 →

The 1961 Open Championship was the 90th Open Championship, played 12–15 July at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Arnold Palmer won the first of two consecutive Open Championships, one stroke ahead of Dai Rees.^[1] It was the second Open for Palmer, the runner-up in his first in 1960, and the fourth of his seven major titles. He was the first American to win the Claret Jug since Ben Hogan in 1953. This was the second Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, which hosted in 1954.

Southport

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Location in England

Qualifying took place on 10–11 July. Entries played 18 holes on the Championship course and 18 holes at Hillside Golf Club. The number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 120. Ties for 120th place would not qualify. The qualifying score was 151 and 108 players qualified. There were 22 players on 152. Bob Charles led the qualifiers on 136, two ahead of Gary Player.^[3]^[4]^[5] A maximum of 50 players could make the cut after 36 holes. Ties for 50th place did not make the cut.

Gale-force winds caused scores to soar during the second round on Thursday,^[6] followed by heavy rains which washed out both rounds on Friday.^[7] Cancellation was a possibility, but the weather cooperated enough to play the third and fourth rounds in showers on Saturday.^[1]^[8]

1959 Open champion and reigning Masters champion Gary Player withdrew early in the third round due to a stomach ailment.^[1]

Course layout edit

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
Yards	520	427	416	212	315	468	158	434	418	3,368	390	368	452	202	517	381	510	186	470	3,476	6,844
Par	5	4	4	3	4	5	3	4	4	36	4	4	4	3	5	4	5	3	4	36	72

Round summaries edit

First round edit

Wednesday, 12 July 1961

Place	Player	Score	To par
T1	Harold Henning	68	−4
	Kel Nagle
	Dai Rees
T4	Jean Garaïalde	69	−3
	Norman Johnson
	David Miller
T7	Alan Brookes	70	−2
	Neil Coles
	Sam King
	John MacDonald
	Arnold Palmer
	Lionel Platts

Second round edit

Thursday, 13 July 1961

Place	Player	Score	To par
T1	Harold Henning	68-74=142	−2
T1	Dai Rees	68-74=142	−2
T3	Kel Nagle	68-75=143	−1
T3	Arnold Palmer	70-73=143	−1
T5	Neil Coles	70-77=147	+3
	Sam King	70-77=147
	Ramón Sota	71-76=147
	Peter Thomson	75-72=147
T9	Peter Alliss	73-75=148	+4
	Ken Bousfield	71-77=148
	Harry Bradshaw	73-75=148
	Peter Butler	72-76=148
	Eric Lester	71-77=148
	David Miller	69-79=148
	Christy O'Connor Snr	71-77=148
	Dave Thomas	71-77=148
	Brian Wilkes	72-76=148

Amateurs: Christmas (+6), White (+6), Chapman (+11), Bonallack (+15), Carr (+17), Reece (+18), Pearson (+25)

Third round edit

Saturday, 15 July 1961 - (morning)

Place	Player	Score	To par
1	Arnold Palmer	70-73-69=212	−4
2	Dai Rees	68-74-71=213	−3
3	Christy O'Connor Snr	71-77-67=215	−1
4	Neil Coles	70-77-69=216	E
T5	Harold Henning	68-74-75=217	+1
T5	Peter Thomson	75-72-70=217	+1
7	Kel Nagle	68-75-75=218	+2
T8	Eric Brown	73-76-70=219	+3
	Norman Johnson	69-80-70=219
	Ramón Sota	71-76-72=219

Final round edit

Saturday, 15 July 1961 - (afternoon)

Place	Player	Score	To par	Money (£)
1	Arnold Palmer	70-73-69-72=284	−4	1,400
2	Dai Rees	68-74-71-72=285	−3	1,000
T3	Neil Coles	70-77-69-72=288	E	710
T3	Christy O'Connor Snr	71-77-67-73=288	E	710
T5	Eric Brown	73-76-70-70=289	+1	400
T5	Kel Nagle	68-75-75-71=289	+1	400
7	Peter Thomson	75-72-70-73=290	+2	275
T8	Peter Alliss	73-75-72-71=291	+3	190
T8	Ken Bousfield	71-77-75-68=291	+3	190
T10	Harold Henning	68-74-75-76=293	+5	140
T10	Syd Scott	76-75-71-71=293	+5	140

Amateurs: White (+18), Christmas (+20)

References edit

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Palmer takes British crown". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 16 July 1961. p. 1B.
^ "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 75, 203–8. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
^ "Player's controlled power an Open golf hint - Charles leading qualifier". The Times. 12 July 1961. p. 12.
^ "Palmer fires opening 71 in British Open tourney". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 10 July 1961. p. 3B.
^ "Trick-shooting Ezar fires 70". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 11 July 1961. p. 3B.
^ "Palmer trailing by one in British". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 14 July 1961. p. 15.
^ "British weather may halt open tourney". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 15 July 1961. p. 9.
^ Longhurst, Henry (24 July 1961). "Arnie gets the one he wanted". Sports Illustrated. p. 20. Archived from the original on 12 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.