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1911 U.S. Open

Tournament information
Dates	June 23–26, 1911
Location	Wheaton, Illinois
Course(s)	Chicago Golf Club
Organized by	USGA
Format	Stroke play − 72 holes
Statistics
Par	76
Length	6,606 yards (6,041 m)
Field	72, 60 after cut
Cut	168 (+16)
Winner's share	$300
Champion
John McDermott
307 (+3), playoff
← 19101912 →

The 1911 U.S. Open was the 17th U.S. Open, held June 23–26 at Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago. Nineteen-year-old John McDermott became the first American-born champion by defeating Mike Brady and George Simpson in an 18-hole playoff.

Two past champions, Alec Ross and Fred McLeod, shared the 36-hole lead on Friday evening at 149 (−3), with McDermott, Brady, and Simpson four shots back at 153, in a five-way tie for fourth.

Ross struggled on a rainy Saturday with 81-82 for 312 (+8) and fell into a tie for ninth. McLeod had a three-stroke lead after 54 holes, but finished with 83 for 308. Simpson posted 79-75 for 307, while Brady tied Simpson with a final round 75. McDermott made a birdie on the final hole for 79 to join Simpson and Brady, forcing a three-way playoff. Sunday was an idle day.

In the playoff on Monday afternoon, McDermott led Brady by four after the turn, with Simpson one more back. Brady then played the next four holes in one-under par while McDermott made three consecutive bogeys, evening up the contest with four holes remaining. McDermott took the lead at the 15th after Brady missed a four-footer (1.2 m) for par, then sealed the championship with an approach to the par-5 18th that settled ten feet (3 m) from the hole. He two-putted for birdie and 80, two strokes ahead of Brady and five clear of Simpson at 85.

At 19, McDermott became the youngest U.S. Open champion, a mark that still stands, and was also its first American-born champion. He successfully defended his title the following year, but by 1914 he began suffering from mental illness and his career was essentially over at age 23.

The Open Championship in England was held June 26−30 at Sandwich.

This was the first U.S. Open since the death of four-time champion Willie Anderson (1901, 1903, 1904, 1905); he had played in the previous fourteen editions and died the previous October at age 31.

Course

Round summaries

First round

Friday, June 23, 1911 (morning)

Place	Player	Score	To par
T1	Herbert Barker	75	−1
	Alec Ross
T3	Mike Brady	76	E
	George Sargent
	George Simpson
T6	Fred McLeod	77	+1
	Tom McNamara
	Harry Turple
T9	James Donaldson	78	+2
	Otto Hackbarth
	Albert Seckel (a)
	Alex Smith

Source:

Second round

Friday, June 23, 1911 (afternoon)

Place	Player	Score	To par
T1	Fred McLeod	77-72=149	−3
	Alec Ross	74-75=149
3	Otto Hackbarth	78-74=152	E
T4	Mike Brady	76-77=153	+1
	John McDermott	81-72=153
	George Sargent	76-77=153
	George Simpson	76-77=153
	Harry Turpie	77-76=153
T9	Gilbert Nicholls	76-78=154	+2
	Alex Smith	78-76=154

Source:

Third round

Saturday, June 24, 1911 (morning)

Place	Player	Score	To par
1	Fred McLeod	77-72-76=225	−3
T2	John McDermott	81-72-75=228	E
	Gilbert Nicholls	76-78-74=228
T4	Alex Campbell	81-77-72=230	+2
	Jock Hutchison	80-77-73=230
	Alec Ross	74-75-81=230
T7	Mike Brady	76-77-79=232	+4
	George Simpson	76-77-79=232
T9	Herbert Barker	75-81-77=233	+5
	Peter Robertson	79-76-78=233

Source:

Final round

Saturday, June 24, 1911 (afternoon)

Place	Player	Score	To par	Money ($)
T1	John McDermott	81-72-75-79=307	+3	Playoff
	Mike Brady	76-77-79-75=307
	George Simpson	76-77-79-75=307
4	Fred McLeod	77-72-76-83=308	+4	80
T5	Jock Hutchison	80-77-73-79=309	+5	65
	Gilbert Nicholls	76-78-74-81=309
T7	Herbert Barker	75-81-77-78=311	+7	45
	George Sargent	76-77-84-74=311
T9	Peter Robertson	79-76-78-79=312	+8	25
	Alec Ross	74-75-81-82=312

Source:

Amateurs: Seckel (+9), Sawyer (+15), Phelps (+16), Gardner (+17), Egan (+17), Watson (+17),
                 Ames (+22), Sellers (+31), Devol (+37).

Playoff

Monday, June 26, 1911

Place	Player	Score	To par	Money ($)
1	John McDermott	39-41=80	+4	300
2	Mike Brady	43-39=82	+6	150
3	George Simpson	44-41=85	+9	100

Source:

Scorecard

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Par	5	4	4	4	4	5	4	4	3	4	5	4	5	4	4	4	4	5
McDermott	+1	+1	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+3	+4	+4	+5	+5	+5	+5	+4
Brady	−1	+1	+2	+2	+3	+4	+5	+5	+6	+5	+5	+4	+5	+5	+6	+6	+6	+6
Simpson	E	+1	+3	+4	+5	+6	+6	+6	+7	+8	+7	+7	+8	+8	+9	+10	+10	+10

Source:

References

1. ^ Davis, J.G. (June 27, 1911). "M'Dermott wins Open golf title". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 12.
2. ^ Davis, J.G. (June 24, 1911). "Ross and M'Leod lead for honors". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 15.
3. ^ Davis, J.G. (June 25, 1911). "Triple tie for Open golf title". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1, sec. 3.
4. ^ Davis, J.G. (June 26, 1911). "Play for title on links today". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 12.

External links

• USGA Championship Database

41°50′56″N 88°06′54″W / 41.849°N 88.115°W / 41.849; -88.115

• U.S. Open (golf)
• Golf tournaments in Illinois
• Wheaton, Illinois
• 1911 in golf
• 1911 in American sports
• 1911 in Illinois
• June 1911 sports events