1908 Open Championship

The 1908 Open Championship was the 48th Open Championship, held 18–19 June at Prestwick Golf Club in Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. James Braid won the Championship for the fourth time, eight strokes ahead of runner-up Tom Ball.[2]

1908 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates18–19 June 1908
LocationPrestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland
Course(s)Prestwick Golf Club
Statistics
Field65 players[1]
Cutnone
Prize fund£115
Winner's share£50
Champion
James Braid
291
Prestwick
Location in Scotland
Prestwick 
Location in South Ayrshire, Scotland

Qualifying took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, 16–17 June, and the players were divided into two "sections."[3][4] Those in the first section played on the first morning and second afternoon while those in the second section played on the first afternoon and second morning.[3] After the 36 holes the leading thirty players and ties qualified from each section. The qualifying score of 163 was the same in both sections, and 65 players qualified. J.H. Taylor led the first section with a score of 150 while the Scottish amateur Robert Andrew led the second section with the same score.[5]

The first round on Thursday morning was noted for its low scoring, especially on the first nine holes. Ernest Gray, from Littlehampton, went out in 31 and equalled J.H. Taylor's record score of 68 set at Royal St George's in 1904. Braid finished with a 70 after going out in 33, with Fred Robson in third place after a 72. Ben Sayers was amongst those in fourth place on 74 after he too went out in 33. In the afternoon Gray was eleven shots worse with a round in 79 while Braid added a 72 to lead by five strokes from Gray with Sandy Herd and David Kinnell a further stroke behind. Braid again played the front nine in 33 and although he took six at the 13th he had a comfortable lead at the end of the day.[6]

On Friday morning, Braid began the third round badly. After taking five at the first hole, he followed with an eight at the third. Despite slicing his tee shot into the rough he tried to carry the Cardinal Bunker but failed. His bunker shot hit the sleepers and went out of bounds and, after dropping in the bunker, he hit the sleepers again, this time landing further back in the bunker. He finally escaped the bunker, played a further shot to the green and two-putted for an eight. Under modern rules, he would have scored nine but at the time there was no penalty stroke for "out of bounds." After this, he recovered well and finished with a 77, only three strokes worse than the best rounds of the morning. With Gray taking 83 and Herd coming back in 45, Braid, on 219, had extended his lead to six strokes over Ball and Ted Ray.[2]

Braid had a final round of 72, the best of the afternoon to win by eight shots. His total of 291 was an Open Championship record, beating Jack White's 296 in 1904. After poor scores on the first day, Harry Vardon and Taylor were amongst the best scorers on the second day and finished in ties for fifth and seventh places.

Past champions in the field
PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2R3R4TotalFinish
James Braid Scotland1901, 1905, 1906707277722911
Sandy Herd Scotland1902747479753024
Harry Vardon Jersey1896, 1898,
1899, 1903		79787475306T5
J.H. Taylor England1894, 1895, 190079777675307T7
Arnaud Massy France190776757681308T9
John Ball (a) England189074787881311T13

Source:[1][2]

Did not enter: Jack White (1904), Harold Hilton (1892, 1897), William Auchterlonie (1893).

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, 18 June 1908 (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScore
1Ernest Gray England68
2James Braid Scotland70
3Fred Robson England72
T4John Ball (a) England74
Sandy Herd Scotland
Ben Sayers Scotland
T6Rowland Jones England75
David Kinnell Scotland
Tom Simpson England
T9Tom Ball England76
John Graham Jr. Scotland
Arnaud Massy France
Willie McEwan Scotland
Albert Tingey Sr. England

Source:[1][6]

Second round

Thursday, 18 June 1908 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScore
1James Braid Scotland70-72=142
2Ernest Gray England68-79=147
T3Sandy Herd Scotland74-74=148
David Kinnell Scotland75-73=148
5Tom Ball England76-73=149
T6Rowland Jones England75-75=150
Ted Ray Jersey79-71=150
Ben Sayers Scotland74-76=150
T9Arnaud Massy France76-75=151
Fred Robson England72-79=151

Source:[1][6]

Third round

Friday, 19 June 1908 (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScore
1James Braid Scotland70-72-77=219
T2Tom Ball England76-73-76=225
Ted Ray Jersey79-71-75=225
T4Sandy Herd Scotland74-74-79=227
Arnaud Massy France76-75-76=227
T6James Edmundson Ireland80-72-76=228
Phil Gaudin Jersey77-76-75=228
David Kinnell Scotland75-73-80=228
Tom Simpson England75-77-76=228
10John Ball (a) England74-78-78=230

Source:[1][2]

Final round

Friday, 19 June 1908

PlacePlayerCountryScoreMoney (£)
1James Braid Scotland70-72-77-72=29150
2Tom Ball England76-73-76-74=29925
3Ted Ray Jersey79-71-75-76=30115
4Sandy Herd Scotland74-74-79-75=30210
T5David Kinnell Scotland75-73-80-78=3067
10s
Harry Vardon Jersey79-78-74-75=306
T7Tom Simpson England75-77-76-79=3070
J.H. Taylor England79-77-76-75=307
T9Phil Gaudin Jersey77-76-75-80=308
Arnaud Massy France76-75-76-81=308

Source:[1][2][7]

References
  1. "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. p. 128. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  2. "Golf championship - Brilliant victory of James Braid - Record score". Glasgow Herald. 20 June 1908. p. 14.
  3. "The Open Championship". Glasgow Herald. 16 June 1908. p. 13.
  4. "Golf championship - First qualifying rounds at Prestwick". Glasgow Herald. 17 June 1908. p. 14.
  5. "Golf championship - Qualifying rounds completed". Glasgow Herald. 18 June 1908. p. 15.
  6. "Golf championship - Sensational play". Glasgow Herald. 19 June 1908. p. 14.
  7. Brenner, Morgan G. (2009). The Majors of Golf: Complete Results of the Open, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters, 1860-2008. 1. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3360-5.

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