The 1949 U.S. Open was the 49th U.S. Open, held June 9–11 at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago. Cary Middlecoff won the first of his two U.S. Open titles, one stroke ahead of runners-up Clayton Heafner and Sam Snead. For Snead, it was the third of four second-place finishes at the only major championship he never won. Middlecoff, a dentist, won his second U.S. Open in 1956.

1949 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesJune 9–11, 1949
LocationMedinah, Illinois
Course(s)Medinah Country Club
Course No. 3
Organized byUSGA
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par71
Length6,981 yards (6,383 m)[1]
Field159 players, 51 after cut
Cut150 (+8)
Prize fund$10,000[2]
Winner's share$2,000
Champion
United States Cary Middlecoff
286 (+2)
← 1948
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Medinah CC is located in the United States
Medinah CC
Medinah CC
Medinah CC is located in Illinois
Medinah CC
Medinah CC

Middlecoff began the championship with a 75, but rebounded with scores of 67-69 in the next two rounds to take a one-shot lead over Buck White after 54 holes. In the final round, Middlecoff was paired with Heafner, and the two exchanged the lead several times during the round. Heafner went ahead by one after the 11th, then double-bogeyed 12 to give Middlecoff the lead. After a Heafner birdie at 13, the two were tied again. Heafner then bogeyed 14 to fall one behind, a deficit he would not be able to overcome after missing a 6-footer for birdie at 18 that would have forced a Sunday playoff. Snead also had a chance to force a playoff with a birdie at the last, but his approach shot missed the green and he could only save par.[1]

Byron Nelson, the 1939 champion, came out of retirement but missed the cut. He played the U.S. Open six years later in 1955, then retired for good. Two-time champion Ralph Guldahl played in his final U.S. Open. Defending champion Ben Hogan missed the tournament after being severely injured in an automobile accident in February. He returned the following year and won three of the next four U.S. Opens.

This was the first U.S. Open at Medinah, which returned in 1975 and 1990, both ending in 18-hole playoffs. It later hosted the PGA Championship in 1999 and 2006, both won by Tiger Woods, and the Ryder Cup in 2012.

Round summaries

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First round

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Friday, June 9, 1949

Place Player Score To par
1   Les Kennedy 69 −2
T2   Herman Barron 70 −1
  Al Brosch
  Charles Farlow
  Chick Harbert
T6   Pete Cooper 71 E
  Bobby Cruickshank
  Ralph Guldahl
  Claude Harmon
  Johnny Palmer
  Bus Peele
  Lew Worsham

Source:[3]

Second round

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Saturday, June 10, 1949

Place Player Score To par
1   Al Brosch 70-71=141 −1
T2   Cary Middlecoff 75-67=142 E
  Buck White 74-68=142
T4   Claude Harmon 71-72=143 +1
  Clayton Heafner 72-71=143
  Les Kennedy 69-74=143
7   Pete Cooper 71-73=144 +2
T8   Bob Harris 76-69=145 +3
  Bobby Locke 74-71=145
  Ellsworth Vines 73-72=145

Source:[4]

Third round

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Saturday, June 11, 1949 (morning)

Place Player Score To par
1   Cary Middlecoff 75-67-69=211 −2
2   Buck White 74-68-70=212 −1
T3   Al Brosch 70-71-73=214 +1
  Clayton Heafner 72-71-71=214
5   Ellsworth Vines 73-72-71=216 +3
T6   Dave Douglas 74-73-70=217 +4
  Claude Harmon 71-72-74=217
  Eric Monti 75-72-70=217
  Sam Snead 73-73-71=217
  Jim Turnesa 78-69-70=217

Source:[1][2]

Final round

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Saturday, June 11, 1949 (afternoon)

Place Player Score To par Money ($)
1   Cary Middlecoff 75-67-69-75=286 +2 2,000
T2   Clayton Heafner 72-71-71-73=287 +3 1,250
  Sam Snead 73-73-71-70=287
T4   Bobby Locke 74-71-73-71=289 +5 700
  Jim Turnesa 78-69-70-72=289
T6   Dave Douglas 74-73-70-73=290 +6 450
  Buck White 74-68-70-78=290
T8   Pete Cooper 71-73-74-73=291 +7 300
  Claude Harmon 71-72-74-74=291
  Johnny Palmer 71-75-72-73=291

Source:[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Middlecoff captures 49th National Open shootout". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. June 12, 1949. p. 14A.
  2. ^ a b c "PGA scores, money winners". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 12, 1949. p. 27.
  3. ^ "National Open golf scores". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 10, 1949. p. 19.
  4. ^ "National Open qualifiers". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 11, 1949. p. 11.
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41°57′58″N 88°02′53″W / 41.966°N 88.048°W / 41.966; -88.048