Tournament information | |
---|---|
Dates | July 2–6, 1931 |
Location | Toledo, Ohio |
Course(s) | Inverness Club |
Organized by | USGA |
Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
Format | Stroke play − 72 holes |
Statistics | |
Par | 71[1] |
Length | 6,529 yards (5,970 m)[2] |
Field | 144 players,[3] 62 after cut |
Cut | 158 (+16) |
Prize fund | $6,000 |
Winner's share | $1,750 (incl. $750 playoff bonus)[4] |
Champion | |
![]() | |
292 (+8), playoff | |
The1931 U.S. Open was the 35thU.S. Open, held July 2–6 atInverness Club inToledo, Ohio.Billy Burke won his onlymajor title, defeatingGeorge Von Elm in a marathon 72-hole playoff, the longest in tournament history.[5][6][7]
Von Elm, the 1926U.S. Amateur champion, held the 54-hole lead at 217 after rounds of 75-69-73. Burke, playing just ahead of Von Elm in the final round, carded a 73 and a 292 total. Von Elm bogeyed 12, 14, 15, and 16, and needed a birdie at 18 to force a 36-hole playoff on Sunday.[8][9]
In the playoff, Von Elm and Burke were still tied after 36 holes, with Von Elm making a birdie on the 36th to extend it.[10][11] In the era prior tosudden-death, 36-hole playoffs were required to break ties, so another was held the following day.
In the morning round, Von Elm shot a 76 and led by a stroke, but Burke took the lead late in the afternoon round at the 32nd and extended it to two strokes at the 34th. A bogey on the final hole narrowed Burke's victory margin to one stroke, 148 to Von Elm's 149.[12][13] Burke reportedly smoked 32 cigars during the tournament, and quipped afterwards: "George Von Elm lost 15 pounds (7 kg). I gained three."
Following this tournament, the USGA reduced the length of all future playoffs to 18 holes, which remained the format until 2018.[14] A second playoff round was played in1939 and1946.Sudden-death after 18 holes was added in the 1950s, but was not needed until1990, and was used again1994 and2008.
Leo Diegel made ahole-in-one during the second round, only the third in U.S. Open history and first since1922. He missed the playoff by two strokes and finished in third place. Low-amateur went toPhilip Perkins, who finished in a tie for seventh. Three-timeBritish Open championHenry Cotton played the first of two U.S. Open appearances this year, missing the cut. Defending championBobby Jones retired from competition in 1930 and did not compete.
This was the second U.S. Open at Inverness, which hosted eleven years earlier in1920. It later hosted in1957 and1979, and thePGA Championship in1986 and1993.
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yards | 392 | 388 | 146 | 431 | 430 | 350 | 316 | 210 | 492 | 3,155 | 348 | 380 | 516 | 146 | 416 | 441 | 398 | 404 | 325 | 3,374 | 6,529 |
Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 71 |
Thursday, July 2, 1931
Place | Player | Score | To par |
---|---|---|---|
T1 | ![]() | 71 | E |
![]() | |||
![]() | |||
![]() | |||
5 | ![]() | 72 | +1 |
T6 | ![]() | 73 | +2 |
![]() | |||
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Source:[16]
Friday, July 3, 1931
Place | Player | Score | To par |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 75-69=144 | +2 |
T2 | ![]() | 73-72=145 | +3 |
![]() | 71-74=145 | ||
T4 | ![]() | 71-75=146 | +4 |
![]() | 71-75=146 | ||
![]() | 74-72=146 | ||
![]() | 73-73=146 | ||
T8 | ![]() | 75-73=148 | +6 |
![]() | 71-77=148 | ||
![]() | 78-70=148 | ||
![]() | 74-74=148 | ||
![]() | 73-75=148 |
Source:[17]
Saturday, July 4, 1931 (morning)
Place | Player | Score | To par |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 75-69-73=217 | +4 |
2 | ![]() | 73-72-74=219 | +6 |
3 | ![]() | 74-72-74=220 | +7 |
T4 | ![]() | 71-77-73=221 | +8 |
![]() | 74-74-73=221 | ||
![]() | 73-73-75=221 | ||
T7 | ![]() | 75-73-74=222 | +9 |
![]() | 71-75-76=222 | ||
T9 | ![]() | 76-74-74=224 | +11 |
![]() | 71-75-78=224 |
Saturday, July 4, 1931 (afternoon)
Place | Player | Score | To par | Money ($) |
---|---|---|---|---|
T1 | ![]() | 73-72-74-73=292 | +8 | Playoff |
![]() | 75-69-73-75=292 | |||
3 | ![]() | 75-73-74-72=294 | +10 | 650 |
T4 | ![]() | 76-74-74-72=296 | +12 | 450 |
![]() | 77-73-75-71=296 | |||
![]() | 74-78-74-70=296 | |||
T7 | ![]() | 71-77-73-76=297 | +13 | 200 |
![]() | 74-74-73-76=297 | |||
![]() | 78-76-73-70=297 | 0 | ||
T10 | ![]() | 72-78-75-74=299 | +15 | 105 |
![]() | 78-70-79-72=299 | |||
![]() | 73-73-75-78=299 |
Final round
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
![]() | +7 | +7 | +7 | +8 | +8 | +8 | +8 | +7 | +7 | +7 | +7 | +7 | +7 | +8 | +8 | +8 | +8 | +8 |
![]() | +3 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 | +6 | +7 | +8 | +9 | +9 | +8 |
Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par
Birdie | Bogey |
Source:[18]
Sunday, July 5, 1931
Player | Score | To par |
---|---|---|
![]() | 73-76=149 | +7 |
![]() | 75-74=149 | +7 |
Source:[11]
Morning round
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
![]() | E | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +1 | +1 | E | +1 | +1 | E | E | E | E | E | +1 | +2 |
![]() | E | -1 | E | +2 | +4 | +4 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +4 | +4 |
Afternoon round
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
![]() | +3 | +3 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 | +7 | +8 | +7 | +7 | +7 | +7 | +7 | +6 | +7 | +7 | +7 | +7 |
![]() | +4 | +6 | +7 | +7 | +9 | +8 | +7 | +6 | +5 | +6 | +6 | +6 | +6 | +6 | +8 | +8 | +8 | +7 |
Cumulative playoff scores, relative to par
Birdie | Bogey | Double bogey |
Source:[19]
Monday, July 6, 1931
Place | Player | Score | To par | Money ($) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 77-71=148 | +6 | 1,750 |
2 | ![]() | 76-73=149 | +7 | 1,000 |
Morning round
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
![]() | +1 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +2 | +3 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
![]() | E | E | E | +1 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +3 | +3 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 |
Afternoon round
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
![]() | +6 | +5 | +5 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
![]() | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 | +6 | +6 | +6 | +7 | +6 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 | +6 | +7 | +7 | +7 |
41°39′07″N83°39′04″W / 41.652°N 83.651°W /41.652; -83.651