The 1909 Open Championship was the 49th Open Championship, held 10–11 June at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club in Deal, Kent, England. J.H. Taylor won the Championship for the fourth time, six strokes ahead of runners-up Tom Ball and James Braid. Royal Cinque Ports had been added as the sixth course on the Open rota at a meeting in November 1907 at which meeting it was decided it would host in 1909. The meeting also agreed that the Championship was to be played in England and Scotland alternately.

Qualifying took place over 36 holes on Tuesday and Wednesday, 8–9 June. The 204 players were divided into two "sections" and those in the first played on the first morning and second afternoon, while those in the second section played on the first afternoon and second morning. The leading thirty players and ties from each section qualified, with the additional provision that each section had to contain at least thirty professionals. The second section finished their qualifying first with Tom Ball, Harold Hilton and Ted Ray leading on 150. Thirty players scored 159 or better, but this included three amateurs and so the five players on 160 also qualified. Charles Mayo led the first section on 146. Thirty players scored 160 or better, but this included three amateurs, so the four on 161 qualified. Thus a total of 69 players qualified; 63 professionals and six amateurs.

Charles Johns opened at 72 and led after the first round on Thursday morning, with J. Piper second on 73 and Taylor and Ball a stroke behind. Taylor had the best score in the afternoon and led after the first day on 147, a stroke ahead of Johns, with Ball back on 149 and Sandy Herd on 151; Piper faded badly with an 85 for 157.

On Friday morning, Taylor scored 74, only bettered by a 73 by Braid. Taylor's lead over Ball was extended to four with Braid and Johns a further two behind. In the afternoon, Taylor had another steady round of 74 for 295. After eight holes, Ball was two better than Taylor at the same point but he eventually finished six shots behind Taylor on 301, tied with Braid with Johns a further stroke behind.

Cinque Ports was scheduled to host again in 1915, but World War I intervened; it was the site of the first Open after the war, in 1920.

Course

HoleYardsHoleYards1318 10375237611473347612162415013400547514195628215417738316483848017372935018414 Out3,290 In3,291Source: Total 6,581

Round summaries First round Thursday, 10 June 1909 (morning) PlacePlayerScore1 Charles Johns 722 James Piper 73T3 Tom Ball 74 J.H. Taylor T5 Cecil Hutchison (a) 75 Robert Maxwell (a) Hugh McNeillT8 Albert Bellworthy 76 Ernest Gaudin Sandy Herd Arnaud Massy Robert Myddelton (a) Thomas Renouf Source:

Second round Thursday, 10 June 1909 (afternoon) PlacePlayerScore1 J.H. Taylor 74-73=1472 Charles Johns 72-76=1483 Tom Ball 74-75=1494 Sandy Herd 76-75=151T5 Ernest Gaudin 76-77=153 Ted Ray 77-76=153T7 James Braid 79-75=154 Bernard Nicholls 78-76=154 Peter Rainford 78-76=154 Thomas Renouf 76-78=154 Source:

Third round Friday, 11 June 1909 (morning) PlacePlayerScore1 J.H. Taylor 74-73-74=221 2 Tom Ball 74-75-76=225T3 James Braid 79-75-73=227 Charles Johns 72-76-79=2275 Ted Ray 77-76-76=229 T6 Ernest Gaudin 76-77-77=230 Edward Lassen (a) 82-74-74=230 Peter Rainford 78-76-76=230 Thomas Renouf 76-78-76=230T10 James Hepburn 78-77-76=231 Sandy Herd 76-75-80=231 Bernard Nicholls 78-76-77=231 Source:

Final round Friday, 11 June 1909 (afternoon) PlacePlayerScoreMoney (£)1 J.H. Taylor 74-73-74-74=295 50T2 Tom Ball 74-75-76-76=301 20 James Braid 79-75-73-74=3014 Charles Johns 72-76-79-75=302 105 Thomas Renouf 76-78-76-73=303 710s6 Ted Ray 77-76-76-75=304 7 William Horne 77-78-77-74=306 0T8 James Hepburn 78-77-76-76=307 Sandy Herd 76-75-80-76=307T10 Edward Lassen (a) 82-74-74-78=308 Bernard Nicholls 78-76-77-77=308 George Pulford 81-76-76-75=308 Source:

References

External links Royal Cinque Ports 1909 (Official site)