1954 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 17–19, 1954
LocationSpringfield, New Jersey
Course(s)Baltusrol Golf Club
Lower Course
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par70
Length7,027 yards (6,425 m)[1][2]
Field159 players, 50 after cut
Cut151 (+11)
Prize fund$23,280[3]
Winner's share$6,000
Champion
United States Ed Furgol
284 (+4)
Baltusrol  is located in the United States
Baltusrol 
Baltusrol 
Location in the United States
Baltusrol  is located in New Jersey
Baltusrol 
Baltusrol 
Location in New Jersey
Baltusrol is located in Union County, New Jersey
Baltusrol
Baltusrol
Location in
Union County

The 1954 U.S. Open was the 54th U.S. Open, held June 17–19 at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, west of New York City. On the Lower Course, Ed Furgol won his only major title, one stroke ahead of runner-up Gene Littler.[2]

Littler owned the 36-hole lead by two strokes over defending champion Ben Hogan and Furgol. After a 76 in the third round, Littler fell three strokes back of Furgol, who shot a 71 to take a one-stroke lead over Dick Mayer. Hogan made four bogeys at the first six holes and fell out of contention with a 76.

In the final round on Saturday afternoon, Littler rebounded with a 70, but it was not enough. Furgol was helped by a great recovery on the 18th. After hitting his drive into the trees, he played his escape shot onto the 18th fairway of Baltusrol's other course. From there he managed to make par, carding a 72 for a 284 total. Mayer was tied with Furgol as he played 18, but he double-bogeyed the hole to fall into third.[4][5]

This U.S. Open was the first to be nationally televised, one hour of the final round,[6] carried by NBC. It was also the first in which ropes were used to control the gallery, and prize money was increased by 20% over the previous year.[3] This was the fourth U.S. Open at Baltusrol, but the first on the Lower Course, which later hosted in 1967, 1980, and 1993.

Course layout

Lower Course

Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Yards4653794441833914674683722043,3734504211903914094272016205453,6547,027
Par444344443344434443553670

Source:[1]

Lengths of the courses for previous major championships at Baltusrol:

  • 6,866 yards (6,278 m), par 72 - 1936 U.S. Open (Upper Course)
  • 6,212 yards (5,680 m), par 74 - 1915 U.S. Open (Old Course)   The Old Course was plowed under in 1918
  • 6,003 yards (5,489 m), par      - 1903 U.S. Open (Old Course)

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, June 17, 1954

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1United States Billy Joe Patton (a)69−1
T2United States Ted Kroll70E
United States Gene Littler
United States Bob Toski
T5United States Ed Furgol71+1
United States Ben Hogan
United States Al Mengert
T8United States Tommy Bolt72+2
United States Leland Gibson
United States Lloyd Mangrum
United States Dick Mayer
United States Cary Middlecoff
United States Johnny Revolta
United States Sam Snead
United States Robert Watson
United States Lew Worsham

Source:[7]

Second round

Friday, June 18, 1954

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1United States Gene Littler70-69=139−1
T2United States Ed Furgol71-70=141+1
United States Ben Hogan71-70=141
T4United States Lloyd Mangrum72-71=143+3
United States Dick Mayer72-71=143
United States Al Mengert71-72=143
United States Cary Middlecoff72-71=143
T8United States Tommy Bolt72-72=144+4
United States Dick Chapman (a)77-67=143
South Africa Bobby Locke74-70=144
United States Bob Toski70-74=144

Source:[8]

Third round

1954 US Open Champion Ed Furgol
Ed Furgol in 1954

Saturday, June 19, 1954 (morning)

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1United States Ed Furgol71-70-71=212+2
2United States Dick Mayer72-71-70=213+3
T3United States Gene Littler70-69-76=215+5
United States Lloyd Mangrum72-71-72=215
United States Cary Middlecoff72-71-72=215
T6United States Al Mengert71-72-73=216+6
United States Billy Joe Patton (a)69-76-71=216
T8United States Tommy Bolt72-72-73=217+7
United States Fred Haas73-73-71=217
United States Jay Hebert77-70-70=217
United States Ben Hogan71-70-76=217
United States Sam Snead72-73-72=217

Source:[2][4][5]

Final round

Saturday, June 19, 1954 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney ($)
1United States Ed Furgol71-70-71-72=284+46,000
2United States Gene Littler70-69-76-70=285+53,600
T3United States Lloyd Mangrum72-71-72-71=286+61,500
United States Dick Mayer72-71-70-73=286
5South Africa Bobby Locke74-70-74-70=288+8960
T6United States Tommy Bolt72-72-73-72=289+9570
United States Fred Haas73-73-71-72=289
United States Ben Hogan71-70-76-72=289
United States Shelley Mayfield73-75-72-69=289
United States Billy Joe Patton (a)69-76-71-73=2890

Source:[2][4][5]

(a) denotes amateur

References

  1. 1 2 "54th U.S. Open Championship: Baltusrol, Lower Course". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. June 17, 1954. p. 1D.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Grimsley, Will (June 20, 1954). "Furgol wins Open in dramatic finish". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. p. 1-sports.
  3. 1 2 "U.S. Open history:1954". USGA. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 "Furgol wins Open, Mayer ties for third". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. June 20, 1954. p. 1C.
  5. 1 2 3 Fraley, Oscar (June 20, 1954). "Ed Furgol wins US Open". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. United Press. p. 1C.
  6. ↑ "Open on TV". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. June 18, 1954. p. 4, part 2.
  7. ↑ "Amateur Patton fires 1-under 69 to lead Open". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. June 18, 1954. p. 4, part 2.
  8. ↑ "National Open golf scores". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 19, 1954. p. 11.

40°42′18″N 74°19′41″W / 40.705°N 74.328°W / 40.705; -74.328

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