1899 U.S. Open (golf)

The 1899 U.S. Open was the fifth U.S. Open, held September 14–15 at Baltimore Country Club in Baltimore, Maryland.[1] Willie Smith won his only major title, a record eleven strokes ahead of three runners-up.[2][3]

1899 U.S. Open
Tournament information
DatesSeptember 14–15, 1899
LocationBaltimore, Maryland
Course(s)Baltimore Country Club
Organized byUSGA
FormatStroke play − 72 holes
Statistics
Field72
Prize fund$750
Winner's share$150
Champion
Willie Smith
315
Baltimore 
Location in the United States
Baltimore CC
Location in Maryland

On Thursday, Smith and future four-time champion Willie Anderson co-led with 77 in the morning and Anderson took the lead in the afternoon at 158, with Smith a stroke back.[4] In the third round on Friday morning, Anderson's 85 allowed Smith to take a four-stroke lead over Alex Campbell, and his 77 in the afternoon distanced him from the field; Campbell ballooned to 94 and fell to twelfth.

Playing out of Midlothian Country Club in Chicago,[2] Smith was the only player to record three sub-80 rounds, and did not score higher than a seven on any hole in the championship. Val Fitzjohn, George Low, and Bert Way tied for second, eleven strokes behind.[3][5] Smith's margin of victory was the largest in the U.S. Open for 101 years, until Tiger Woods won by fifteen shots in 2000. Smith's brother Alex, a future two-time champion, finished seventh.

Smith won a gold medal and was given custody of the Championship Cup for a year.[6]

Past champions in the field
PlayerCountryYear wonR1R2R3R4TotalFinish
James Foulis Scotland189694845580346T20
Fred Herd Scotland189885869386350T25
Horace Rawlins England189581859886350T25

Source:[5]

Did not play: Joe Lloyd (1897)

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, September 14, 1899 (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScore
1Willie Anderson Scotland77
Willie Smith Scotland
3Bert Way England80
T4Henry Gullane Scotland81
Horace Rawlins England
T6George Low Scotland82
Alexander Patrick Scotland
Writ Thompson Scotland
T9Alex Campbell Scotland83
David Foulis Scotland
Arthur Smith

Source:[4][5]

Second round

Thursday, September 14, 1899 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScore
1Willie Anderson Scotland77-81=158
2Willie Smith Scotland77-82=159
3George Low Scotland82-79=161
T4Alex Campbell Scotland83-80=163
Alex Smith Scotland82-81=163
T6Val Fitzjohn Scotland85-80=165
Alexander Patrick82-83=165
Bert Way England80-85=165
9Horace Rawlins England81-85=166
10Henry Gullane Scotland81-86=167

Source:[4][5]

Third round

Friday, September 15, 1899 (morning)

PlacePlayerCountryScore
1Willie Smith Scotland77-82-79=238
2Alex Campbell Scotland83-80-79=242
T3Willie Anderson Scotland77-81-85=243
Jack Park Scotland88-80-75=243
5Val Fitzjohn Scotland85-80-79=244
T6Alex Smith Scotland82-81-82=245
Bert Way England80-85-80=245
T8Henry Gullane Scotland81-86-80=247
Peter Walker Scotland84-86-77=247
10George Low Scotland82-79-89=250

Source:[2][5]

Final round

Friday, September 15, 1899 (afternoon)

PlacePlayerCountryScoreMoney ($)
1Willie Smith Scotland77-82-79-77=315150
T2Val Fitzjohn Scotland85-80-79-82=326125
George Low Scotland82-79-89-76=326
Bert Way England80-85-80-81=326
5Willie Anderson Scotland77-81-85-84=32780
6Jack Park Scotland88-80-75-85=32870
7Alex Smith Scotland82-81-82-85=33050
8Henry Gullane Scotland81-86-80-84=33125
T9Laurie Auchterlonie Scotland86-87-82-78=3330
Peter Walker Scotland84-86-77-86=333

Source:[2][5]

References
  1. "Open tourney on today". Chicago Daily Tribune. September 14, 1899. p. 7.
  2. Murphy, James Shields (September 16, 1899). "Smith is the champion". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 6.
  3. "New Golf Champion of the United States". The San Francisco Call. September 16, 1899. p. 9. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  4. Murphy, James Shields (September 15, 1899). "Anderson in the lead". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 8.
  5. Brenner, Morgan G. (2009). The Majors of Golf: Complete Results of The Open, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters, 1860-2008. p. 202. ISBN 9780786453955. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  6. "The Golf Championship". North Adams Transcript. Massachusetts. 16 September 1899.

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