TheMassachusetts Open is theMassachusetts state opengolf tournament. The brothersDonald Ross andAlex Ross had much success early in the tournament's history, winning the first eight events between them. In the mid-1910s, the Massachusetts Golf Association opened the event to golfers outside the state. The tournament evolved into an event of national significance as legendary golfers likeWalter Hagen,Gene Sarazen, andByron Nelson won during the era. In the 1940s, the event evolved into more of a local affair though many of the top pros from Massachusetts played. In the late 20th and early 21st century,PGA Tour pros from the state likePaul Harney,Dana Quigley, andGeoffrey Sisk won the event several times each.

The early years of the tournament were dominated by the brothersDonald Ross andAlex Ross. Donald Ross won the first tournament, held atVesper Country Club, defeating amateur Arthur G. Lockwood by a shot.^[1] His brother Alex won the next three events.^[2][3] In 1909, however, Donald Ross opened with the lead after the first three rounds.^[4][5][6] He possessed a four stroke lead over his brother entering the final round.^[6] However, Donald had several high scores early and lost the lead to Alex by the 4th hole. Alex had a two-stroke lead entering the 72nd hole but there were "visions of a tie and play-off when [he] got into trouble at the home hole." However, he managed to score a 5 to defeat his brother by one.^[6] The following year, at Essex Country Club, Alex Ross scored 305 to win for the 5th straight year, "a unique happening in the history of golf," according toThe Boston Globe. The paper referred to it as "the best golf" ever played at the event.^[7] In 1911, the championship was held atThe Country Club inBrookline, Massachusetts. In preparation for the event, theBoston Evening Transcript deemed Alex Ross the favorite again.^[8] However, it was his brother, Donald, who won the event. It was considered an even more "remarkable victory" as Ross had not played golf at all during the year, busy with his duties as a golf course designer. "Just taking a little vacation to play a few rounds of golf and to meet the boys," he said after the event.^[9] Donald Ross elected not to defend his championship the following year though.^[10] At the 1912 event, held atOakley Country Club inWatertown, Massachusetts, Alex was the wire-to-wire leader and was victorious for the sixth time.^[11]

In mid-1910s, the tournament began to evolve into an event of national significance. In 1915, the Massachusetts Golf Association decided to open the tournament to players from other states.^[12][13] Star players from outside Massachusetts likeJim Barnes andWalter Hagen decided to play.^[14] Hagen won the tournament.^[15] Hagen intended to defend his championship. Other top golfers that intended to play in the 1916 event wereAlex Smith,Pat Doyle, andMacdonald Smith.^[13] However, it was Boston-bornMike Brady who won, defeating Doyle in an 18-hole playoff.^[16] Brady had much success in the 1910s and 1920s. In 1923, he won again, for the third time.^[17]

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the prestige of the tournament advanced.The Boston Globe noted that the 1927 tournament had "an entry list of National scope" includingWalter Hagen,Johnny Farrell, andJoe Turnesa.^[18] Farrell led wire-to-wire and would go on to defeat Hagen by five.^[19] In 1928,Leo Diegel, who would win theU.S. Open a month later, recorded a "runaway" win at Wollaston Country Club, defeating the nearest competitors by 15 strokes.^[20] The following year, atVesper Country Club, "a large field" of 96 players was at hand.^[21] RecentU.S. Amateur championJesse Guilford opened with a course record 70 to take lead. He led for the remainder of the tournament and defeatedMike Brady and Charles MacAndrew by two.^[22] The 1931 Massachusetts Open, held atWorcester Country Club, included a sizable field of 85 players.^[23]Wiffy Cox defeatedWillie Macfarlane down the stretch.^[24] The following year's event was held at Oyster Harbor Club inOsterville, Massachusetts. The tournament consisted of 96 players. According toThe Journal, the tournament "never... contained so many nationally prominent competitors" including former champions Guilford, Farrell, and Cox. In addition, the field included star amateurFrancis Ouimet who was playing in the tournament for the first time in 16 years.^[25] Ouimet won the event.^[26] The 1935 event was held at Oak Hill Country Club inFitchburg, Massachusetts. LegendGene Sarazen shot a second round 66, breaking the course record, to take a seven shot lead. He would go on to win by 14 strokes.^[27]

In the late 1930s, transplanted professionalHarold "Jug" McSpaden had much success at the event. McSpaden was the new club pro at Winchester Country Club inWinchester, Massachusetts, newly arrived from Kansas. At the 1936 event, in his "first major Eastern start," McSpaden closed with rounds of 71 and 75 to win by one.^[28] McSpaden played in the following year's event, once again held at Oyster Harbors inCape Cod. According toThe Associated Press, he was the favorite.^[29] He opened with "brilliant" rounds of 72 and 69 to take the joint lead.^[30] McSpaden would go on to win with an even-par total, defeating home pro Gene Anderson by three strokes.^[31] The following year's final round was a "repetition" of the duel between McSpaden and Andersen from the previous year. Once again, McSpaden defeated Andersen by three strokes. He also became the first "triple winner" of the event in thirty years sinceAlex Ross.^[32] The following two years, McSpaden was the "favorite."^[33][34]Byron Nelson andHorton Smith, respectively, defeated him though.^[35][36] However, in 1941, again at Oyster Harbor, McSpaden closed with a 67 (−5) to defeatPaul Runyan by three. His 280 total broke the aggregate tournament record. It was his fourth and final win at the event.^[37]

In the mid-20th century, the tournament evolved into a more local event. In the 1960s and 1970s,Paul Harney, aPGA Tour pro fromMassachusetts, had much success winning the event five times. Around the turn of the century, another PGA Tour pro from Massachusetts,Geoffrey Sisk, also had repeated success, becoming the first six-time winner sinceAlex Ross during the inaugural years of the event.

Source:^[86]

¹ Denotes playoff win
² Now called Cape Cod Country Club

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