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1923 U.S. Open

Tournament information
Dates	July 13–15, 1923
Location	Inwood, New York
Course(s)	Inwood Country Club
Organized by	USGA
Format	Stroke play − 72 holes
Statistics
Par	72
Length	6,632 yards (6,064 m)
Field	77
Cut	none
Winner's share	($500)
Champion
Bobby Jones (a)
296 (+8), playoff
← 19221924 →

The 1923 U.S. Open was the 27th U.S. Open, held July 13–15 at Inwood Country Club in Inwood, New York, a suburb east of New York City on Long Island. Amateur golf legend Bobby Jones, age 21, captured his first career major championship, defeating Bobby Cruickshank by two strokes in an 18-hole Sunday playoff.

Qualifying directly preceded the tournament proper, which was held on Friday and Saturday, 36 holes per day, with no cut.

Jones held a three-stroke lead through 54 holes, but struggled throughout the final round on Saturday afternoon. He bogeyed the first, hit his tee shot out of bounds at the par-3 seventh for a double bogey, hit his second shot on 16 into the parking lot, and then added another bogey at 17. Still with the lead heading to the 18th, Jones made a double-bogey for a round of 76 (+4) and 296 (+8) total. Cruickshank, playing behind Jones, made double bogey at 16 and had to birdie the last to tie Jones; he hit his approach shot to five feet (1.5 m) and made the putt.

During the 18-hole playoff on Sunday, Jones and Cruickshank only halved three of the first 17 holes, but they were all square heading to the 18th. After both players drove into the rough, Cruickshank elected to lay up short of the green, but Jones went for it and hit a 2-iron to 8 feet (2.4 m). After Cruickshank put his third shot into a bunker and fourth to 15 feet (4.6 m), Jones two-putted for the championship.

This was the first of Jones' four U.S. Open titles, a record shared with three others: Willie Anderson, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus. It was also the first of four playoffs Jones was involved in, winning twice.

Course layout

Source:

Round summaries

First round

Friday, July 13, 1923 (morning)

Place	Player	Score	To par
1	Jock Hutchison	70	−2
2	Bobby Jones (a)	71	−1
3	Fred Canausa	72	E
T4	Bill Creavy	73	+1
	Bobby Cruickshank
	Bill Mehlhorn
T7	Mike Brady	74	+2
	Jack Burke Sr.
	Cyril Hughes
	Willie Ogg
	Al Watrous

Source:

Second round

Friday, July 13, 1923 (afternoon)

Place	Player	Score	To par
1	Jock Hutchison	70-72=142	−2
2	Bobby Jones (a)	71-73=144	E
3	Bobby Cruickshank	73-72=145	+1
T4	Jack Forrester	75-73=148	+4
	Francis Gallett	76-72=148
6	Al Watrous	74-75=149	+5
T7	Cyril Hughes	74-76=150	+6
	Willie Ogg	74-76=150
T9	Jack Burke Sr.	74-78=152	+8
	Walter Hagen	77-75=152
	Bill Mehlhorn	73-79=152

Source:

Third round

Saturday, July 14, 1923 (morning)

Place	Player	Score	To par
1	Bobby Jones (a)	71-73-76=220	+4
2	Bobby Cruickshank	73-72-78=223	+7
3	Jock Hutchison	70-72-82=224	+8
T4	Jack Forrester	75-73-77=225	+9
	Francis Gallett	76-72-77=225
	Walter Hagen	77-75-73=225
	Al Watrous	74-75-76=225
8	Bill Mehlhorn	73-79-75=227	+11
T9	Johnny Farrell	76-77-75=228	+12
	C.L. Mothersole	77-80-71=228

Source:

Final round

Saturday, July 14, 1923 (afternoon)

Place	Player	Score	To par	Money ($)
T1	Bobby Jones (a)	71-73-76-76=296	+8	0
	Bobby Cruickshank	73-72-78-73=296		500
3	Jock Hutchison	70-72-82-78=302	+14	300
4	Jack Forrester	75-73-77-78=303	+15	200
T5	Johnny Farrell	76-77-75-76=304	+16	125
	Francis Gallett	76-72-77-79=304
	William Reekie (a)	80-74-75-75=304		0
T8	Leo Diegel	77-77-76-76=306	+18	82
	Bill Mehlhorn	73-79-75-79=306
	Al Watrous	74-75-76-81=306

Source:

(a) denotes amateur

Scorecard

Final round

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Par	4	4	5	5	5	3	3	4	4	4	4	3	4	5	3	4	4	4
Jones	+5	+5	+5	+5	+4	+4	+6	+6	+6	+5	+5	+5	+5	+4	+4	+5	+6	+8
Cruickshank	+8	+8	+8	+8	+8	+7	+7	+6	+6	+5	+5	+5	+6	+6	+7	+9	+9	+8

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par
Source:

Playoff

Sunday, July 15, 1923

Place	Player	Score	To par	Money ($)
1	Bobby Jones (a)	76	+4	0
2	Bobby Cruickshank	78	+6	500

Source:

Scorecard

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

Source:

References

1. ^ "Jock Hutchinson's 142 sets record to top Inwood field". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. July 14, 1923. p. 8.
2. "Guilford falls, star pros waver in National Open". Chicago Daily Tribune. July 13, 1923. p. 13.
3. "Cruickshank ties Jones at Inwood". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. July 15, 1923. p. 4-part 2.
4. ^ Fullerton, Hugh (July 15, 1923). "Cruickshank and Jones tie for golf title". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1.
5. ^ "Robert Jones won title in play-off". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. July 16, 1923. p. 13.
6. ^ Fullerton, Hugh (July 16, 1923). "Bobby Jones wins golf title on last hole". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1.
7. ^ "Chicago Scot leads golfers". St. Petersburg Times. (Florida). Associated Press. July 14, 1923. p. 8.
8. "Details of the play". Chicago Daily Tribune. July 16, 1923. p. 13.

External links

• USGA Championship Database
• USOpen.com - 1923

40°37′19″N 73°45′22″W / 40.622°N 73.756°W / 40.622; -73.756

• U.S. Open (golf)
• Golf tournaments in New York (state)
• Sports in Long Island
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• July 1923 sports events