1961 Open Championship

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.

1961 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates12–15 July 1961
LocationSouthport, England
Course(s)Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Statistics
Par72 [1]
Length6,844 yards (6,258 m)
Field108 players, 48 after cut[2]
Cut153 (+9)
Prize fund£8,500
$23,800
Winner's share£1,400
$3,920
Champion
Arnold Palmer
284 (−4)
Southport
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]

Past champions in the field

Made the cut
PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2R3R4TotalTo parFinish
Kel Nagle Australia196068757571289+1T5
Peter Thomson Australia1954, 1955, 1956, 195875727073290+27
Henry Cotton England1934, 1937, 194876777477304+16T32
Gary Player South Africa19597377WD

Missed the cut
PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2TotalTo par
Dick Burton England19398077157+13
Bobby Locke South Africa1949, 1950, 1952, 19577584159+15

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 12 July 1961

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Harold Henning South Africa68−4
Kel Nagle Australia
Dai Rees Wales
T4Jean Garaïalde France69−3
Norman Johnson England
David Miller England
T7Alan Brookes South Africa70−2
Neil Coles England
Sam King England
John MacDonald Scotland
Arnold Palmer United States
Lionel Platts England

Second round

Thursday, 13 July 1961

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Harold Henning South Africa68-74=142−2
Dai Rees Wales68-74=142
T3Kel Nagle Australia68-75=143−1
Arnold Palmer United States70-73=143
T5Neil Coles England70-77=147+3
Sam King England70-77=147
Ramón Sota Spain71-76=147
Peter Thomson Australia75-72=147
T9Peter Alliss England73-75=148+4
Ken Bousfield England71-77=148
Harry Bradshaw Ireland73-75=148
Peter Butler England72-76=148
Eric Lester England71-77=148
David Miller England69-79=148
Christy O'Connor Snr Ireland71-77=148
Dave Thomas Wales71-77=148
Brian Wilkes South Africa72-76=148

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

Third round

Saturday, 15 July 1961 - (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Arnold Palmer United States70-73-69=212−4
2Dai Rees Wales68-74-71=213−3
3Christy O'Connor Snr Ireland71-77-67=215−1
4Neil Coles England70-77-69=216E
T5Harold Henning South Africa68-74-75=217+1
Peter Thomson Australia75-72-70=217
7Kel Nagle Australia68-75-75=218+2
T8Eric Brown Scotland73-76-70=219+3
Norman Johnson England69-80-70=219
Ramón Sota Spain71-76-72=219

Final round

Saturday, 15 July 1961 - (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney (£)
1Arnold Palmer United States70-73-69-72=284−41,400
2Dai Rees Wales68-74-71-72=285−31,000
T3Neil Coles England70-77-69-72=288E710
Christy O'Connor Snr Ireland71-77-67-73=288
T5Eric Brown Scotland73-76-70-70=289+1400
Kel Nagle Australia68-75-75-71=289
7Peter Thomson Australia75-72-70-73=290+2275
T8Peter Alliss England73-75-72-71=291+3190
Ken Bousfield England71-77-75-68=291
T10Harold Henning South Africa68-74-75-76=293+5140
Syd Scott England76-75-71-71=293

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

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References
  1. "Palmer takes British crown". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 16 July 1961. p. 1B.
  2. "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 75, 203–8. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  3. "Player's controlled power an Open golf hint - Charles leading qualifier". The Times. 12 July 1961. p. 12.
  4. "Palmer fires opening 71 in British Open tourney". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 10 July 1961. p. 3B.
  5. "Trick-shooting Ezar fires 70". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. 11 July 1961. p. 3B.
  6. "Palmer trailing by one in British". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 14 July 1961. p. 15.
  7. "British weather may halt open tourney". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 15 July 1961. p. 9.
  8. 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.
Preceded by
1961 U.S. Open		 Major Championships Succeeded by
1961 PGA Championship

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