1931 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJuly 2–6, 1931
LocationToledo, Ohio
Course(s)Inverness Club
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play − 72 holes
Statistics
Par71[1]
Length6,529 yards (5,970 m)[2]
Field144 players,[3] 62 after cut
Cut158 (+16)
Prize fund$6,000
Winner's share$1,750
(incl. $750 playoff bonus)[4]
Champion
United States Billy Burke
292 (+8), playoff
Toledo is located in the United States
Toledo
Toledo
Location in the United States
Toledo is located in Ohio
Toledo
Toledo
Location in Ohio

The 1931 U.S. Open was the 35th U.S. Open, held July 2–6 at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. Billy Burke won his only major title, defeating George Von Elm in a marathon 72-hole playoff, the longest in tournament history.[5][6][7]

Von Elm, the 1926 U.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 to sudden-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 in 1939 and 1946. Sudden-death after 18 holes was added in the 1950s, but was not needed until 1990, and was used again 1994 and 2008.

Leo Diegel made a hole-in-one during the second round, only the third in U.S. Open history and first since 1922. He missed the playoff by two strokes and finished in third place. Low-amateur went to Philip Perkins, who finished in a tie for seventh. Three-time British Open champion Henry Cotton played the first of two U.S. Open appearances this year, missing the cut. Defending champion Bobby Jones retired from competition in 1930 and did not compete.

This was the second U.S. Open at Inverness, which hosted eleven years earlier in 1920. It later hosted in 1957 and 1979, and the PGA Championship in 1986 and 1993.

Course layout

Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Yards3923881464314303503162104923,1553483805161464164413984043253,3746,529
Par443444435354453444443671

Source:[2][15]

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, July 2, 1931

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
T1United States Herman Barron71E
United States Mortie Dutra
United States Charles Guest
United States Eddie Williams
5United States Al Espinosa72+1
T6United States Billy Burke73+2
United States Henry Ciuci
England Bill Davies
United States Guy Paulsen
England Fred Robson
United States Joe Turnesa
United States Frank Walsh

Source:[16]

Second round

Friday, July 3, 1931

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1United States George Von Elm75-69=144+2
T2United States Billy Burke73-72=145+3
United States Eddie Williams71-74=145
T4United States Herman Barron71-75=146+4
United States Charles Guest71-75=146
United States Guy Paulsen74-72=146
United States Macdonald Smith73-73=146
T8United States Leo Diegel75-73=148+6
United States Mortie Dutra71-77=148
United States Johnny Farrell78-70=148
United States Walter Hagen74-74=148
United States Joe Turnesa73-75=148

Source:[17]

Third round

Saturday, July 4, 1931 (morning)

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1United States George Von Elm75-69-73=217+4
2United States Billy Burke73-72-74=219+6
3United States Guy Paulsen74-72-74=220+7
T4United States Mortie Dutra71-77-73=221+8
United States Walter Hagen74-74-73=221
United States Macdonald Smith73-73-75=221
T7United States Leo Diegel75-73-74=222+9
United States Charles Guest71-75-76=222
T9United States Wiffy Cox76-74-74=224+11
United States Herman Barron71-75-78=224

Source:[8][9][11]

Final round

Saturday, July 4, 1931 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney ($)
T1United States Billy Burke73-72-74-73=292+8Playoff
United States George Von Elm75-69-73-75=292
3United States Leo Diegel75-73-74-72=294+10650
T4United States Wiffy Cox76-74-74-72=296+12450
United States Bill Mehlhorn77-73-75-71=296
United States Gene Sarazen74-78-74-70=296
T7United States Mortie Dutra71-77-73-76=297+13200
United States Walter Hagen74-74-73-76=297
England Philip Perkins (a)78-76-73-70=2970
T10United States Al Espinosa72-78-75-74=299+15105
United States Johnny Farrell78-70-79-72=299
United States Macdonald Smith73-73-75-78=299
(a) denotes amateur

Source:[8][9][11]

Scorecard

Final round

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par443444435445344444
United States Burke+7+7+7+8+8+8+8+7+7+7+7+7+7+8+8+8+8+8
United States Von Elm+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]

Playoff

First playoff

Sunday, July 5, 1931

PlayerScoreTo par
United States Billy Burke73-76=149+7
United States George Von Elm75-74=149+7

Source:[11]

Scorecards

Morning round

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par443444435445344444
United States BurkeE+1+2+2+2+2+1+1E+1+1EEEEE+1+2
United States Von ElmE-1E+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 101112131415161718
Par443444435445344444
United States Burke+3+3+4+5+5+6+7+8+7+7+7+7+7+6+7+7+7+7
United States Von Elm+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]

Second playoff

Monday, July 6, 1931

PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney ($)
1United States Billy Burke77-71=148+61,750
2United States George Von Elm76-73=149+71,000
  • Playoff bonus is included: $750 to champion, $250 to runner-up[4]

Scorecards

Morning round

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par443444435445344444
United States Burke+1+3+3+3+3+3+2+3+2+2+2+3+3+3+5+4+5+6
United States Von ElmEEE+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 101112131415161718
Par443444435445344444
United States Burke+6+5+5+4+5+5+6+5+5+5+5+4+5+5+5+5+5+6
United States Von Elm+5+5+5+6+6+6+6+7+6+5+5+5+5+6+6+7+7+7

Source:[5][15][20]

References

  1. ↑ "Leaders' cards". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 3, 1931. p. 15.
  2. 1 2 Gould, Alan (July 3, 1931). "Four outsiders lead in U.S. Open golf at Toledo". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. p. 13.
  3. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (July 2, 1931). "144 start play today for Jones' U.S. Open crown". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 32.
  4. 1 2 "Bonus given Burke, Von Elm for fine play". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 7, 1931. p. 14.
  5. 1 2 Rice, Grantland (July 7, 1931). "Burke beats Von Elm for title by 1 stroke". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1, sports.
  6. ↑ "Burke's work on green wins Open title". Pittsburgh Press. July 7, 1931. p. 18.
  7. ↑ McCabe, Jim (June 13, 2011). "The epic battle of the 1931 U.S. Open". Golfweek. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 Bartlett, Charles (July 5, 1931). "Burke's 292 ties Von Elm for Open title". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
  9. 1 2 3 Rice, Grantland (July 5, 1931). "Von Elam and Burke tie in National Open meet". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1, sports.
  10. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (July 6, 1931). "Von Elm, Burke tie at 149 in Open golf playoff". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 29.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Von Elm, Burke all square in Open playoff". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 6, 1931. p. 1.
  12. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (July 7, 1931). "Burke defeats Von Elm; king of U.S. golf". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1.
  13. ↑ "Burke wins National Open golfing crown". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 7, 1931. p. 1.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Open abandons 18 holes for 2-hole playoff". ESPN. Associated Press. February 26, 2018.
  15. 1 2 "Hole-by-hole account of Von Elm-Burke match". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 7, 1931. p. 14.
  16. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (July 3, 1931). "Four pros shoot par 71 for lead in U.S. Open". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 19.
  17. ↑ Bartlett, Charles (July 4, 1931). "Von Elm breaks par to lead U.S. Open". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 11.
  18. ↑ "Leaders' scores". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. July 5, 1931. p. 1, sports.
  19. ↑ "Play-off cards". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 6, 1931. p. 15.
  20. ↑ "The cards". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 7, 1931. p. 14.

41°39′07″N 83°39′04″W / 41.652°N 83.651°W / 41.652; -83.651

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