The 1937 Open Championship was the 72nd Open Championship, held 7–9 July at Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Scotland. Henry Cotton won the second of his three Open titles, two strokes ahead of runner-up Reg Whitcombe. The Ryder Cup was held in late June at Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club in North West and all the members of the victorious American team played in the championship, creating a star-studded field, similar to four years earlier in 1933.

Qualifying took place on 5–6 July, Monday and Tuesday, with 18 holes on the Medal Course (the championship course) and 18 holes on the Burnside Course. The number of qualifiers was increased to the top 140 and ties, having previously been the top 100 and ties. Two-time Masters champion Horton Smith led the qualifiers on 138; the qualifying score was 157 and 141 players advanced, and all the American Ryder Cup players qualified comfortably.

In the opening round on Wednesday, Ed Dudley took the lead with a 70. Reg Whitcombe led after the first two rounds at two-under 142, with his brother Charles and Dudley two behind on 144, and Cotton was tied for fourth at 146. Only the leading forty players and ties made the 36-hole cut, which was at 153 (+9) and 47 advanced. Previously the top sixty and ties made the cut.

The final two rounds on Friday were played in a steady, cold rain. Whitcombe maintained his lead with a third-round 74, two shots ahead of his brother, while Cotton moved up to three behind. The weather proved to be Whitcombe's downfall in the final round; on the 7th tee, his club slipped out of his hands as he was swinging and the ball traveled only . He ended up taking a six and finished with a 76 and 292 total. Cotton did not seem affected by the conditions and arrived at the 18th needing only a six to lead. His approach shot found a greenside bunker, but he was able to get down in five to post a 290 total. Only Charles Whitcombe could catch Cotton, but his 76 and 294 finished four strokes behind in fourth place.

The American contingent included Byron Nelson and Sam Snead, both of whom were making their Open Championship debuts. Nelson finished fifth but played the Open just once more, returning in 1955. Snead tied for eleventh and played in four more, winning his next in 1946 at St. Andrews. The non-playing captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, four-time Open champion Walter Hagen, tied for 26th place in his final Open appearance at age 44.

In his last Open Championship as an amateur, nineteen-year-old Bobby Locke was the only amateur to make the cut and tied for seventeenth. As a professional, he won four times (1949, 1950, 1952, 1957).

Course

Medal (Championship) Course HoleNameYardsPar HoleNameYardsPar1Cup4014 10South America45342Gulley442411Dyke36843Jockie's Burn346412Southward Ho46744Hillocks430413Whins16835Brae3884 14Spectacles47356Long ^5675 15Lucky Slap45747Plantation3894 16Barry Burn25038Short1613 17Island45449Railway483418Home5035Out3,60736In3,59336Source: Total7,20072 ^ The 6th hole was renamed Hogan's Alley in 2003

Round summaries First round Wednesday, 7 July 1937 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Ed Dudley 70 −2 T2 Bill Branch 72 E Willie McMinn Alf Padgham Reg Whitcombe T6 Douglas Cairncross 73 +1 Fred Robertson Denny Shute Jack Taylor Charles Whitcombe Source:

Second round Thursday, 8 July 1937 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Reg Whitcombe 72-70=142 −2T2 Ed Dudley 70-74=144 E Charles Whitcombe 73-71=144 T4 Henry Cotton 74-72=146 +2 Alf Padgham 72-74=146 Denny Shute 73-73=1467 Bill Branch 72-75=147 +3 T8 Walter Hagen 76-72=148 +4 Arthur Lacey 75-73=148 Bobby Locke (a) 74-74=148 Dai Rees 75-73=148 Fred Robertson 73-75=148 Horton Smith 77-71=148 Source:

Third round Friday, 9 July 1937 (morning) PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Reg Whitcombe 72-70-74=216 E 2 Charles Whitcombe 73-71-74=218 +2 3 Henry Cotton 74-72-73=219 +3 4 Bill Branch 72-75-73=220 +4 5 Charles Lacey 76-75-70=221 +5 T6 Ed Dudley 70-74-78=222 +6 Bill Laidlaw 77-72-73=222 Byron Nelson 75-76-71=222 Alf Padgham 72-74-76=222 Denny Shute 73-73-76=222 Source:

Final round Friday, 9 July 1937 (afternoon) PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (£)1 Henry Cotton 74-72-73-71=290 +2 1002 Reg Whitcombe 72-70-74-76=292 +4 753 Charles Lacey 76-75-70-72=293 +5 504 Charles Whitcombe 73-71-74-76=294 +6 305 Byron Nelson 75-76-71-74=296 +8 256 Ed Dudley 70-74-78-75=297 +9 20T7 Arthur Lacey 75-73-75-75=298 +10 16 Bill Laidlaw 77-72-73-76=298 Alf Padgham 72-74-76-76=29810 Horton Smith 77-71-79-72=299 +11 10 Source: Amateur: Locke (+16)

References

External links Carnoustie 1937 (Official site)