The 1939 Open Championship was a golf tournament played at the Old Course at St Andrews in St Andrews, Scotland. It was the 74th Open Championship and the last Open for seven years. Dick Burton won his first Open title with a two stroke victory over Johnny Bulla.
Despite taking an 8 at the 14th hole, Bobby Locke opened the tournament with a round of 70, tying Dick Burton for the lead. In the second round Locke again found trouble on 14, hitting his ball out of bounds and falling out of contention. John Fallon was the surprise leader after 54-holes by two shots, but he could not cope with the strong winds and fell back to 3rd place with a final round 79. Johnny Bulla began the round four back of Fallon. At the 2nd hole he hooked his drive over the parallel 17th fairway and into a railway yard. He finished with a round of 73 and established a clubhouse lead of 292. Burton, setting out just as Bulla was finishing his round, needed a 72 to win the title. He came to the 18th needing a four, hit a drive over 300 yards, pitched to 15-feet, and then holed the putt for a 3 and a two shot win.
This would be the last Open Championship played until 1946. Between 1940 and 1945 the tournament was canceled because of World War II. Burton himself enlisted in the Royal Air Force shortly after his win.
Read more about 1939 Open Championship: Final Leaderboard
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