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1961 Open Championship

Field	Value
name	1961 Open Championship
location	Southport, England
course	Royal Birkdale Golf Club
dates	12–15 July 1961
tour
par	72
yardage	6844 yd
field	108 players, 48 after cut
cut	153 (+9)
purse	£8,500
$23,800
winners_share	£1,400
$3,920
champion	USA Arnold Palmer
score	284 (−4)
previous	[1960](1960-open-championship)
next	[1962](1962-open-championship)

$23,800 $3,920 |UK England The 1961 Open Championship was the 90th Open Championship, played 12–15 July at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Arnold Palmer won the first of two consecutive Open Championships, one stroke ahead of Dai Rees. It was the second Open for Palmer, the runner-up in his first in 1960, and the fourth of his seven major titles. He was the first American to win the Claret Jug since Ben Hogan in 1953. This was the second Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, which hosted in 1954.

Qualifying took place on 10–11 July. Entries played 18 holes on the Championship course and 18 holes at Hillside Golf Club. The number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 120. Ties for 120th place would not qualify. The qualifying score was 151 and 108 players qualified. There were 22 players on 152. Bob Charles led the qualifiers on 136, two ahead of Gary Player. A maximum of 50 players could make the cut after 36 holes. Ties for 50th place did not make the cut.

Gale-force winds caused scores to soar during the second round on Thursday, followed by heavy rains which washed out both rounds on Friday. Cancellation was a possibility, but the weather cooperated enough to play the third and fourth rounds in showers on Saturday.

1959 Open champion and reigning Masters champion Gary Player withdrew early in the third round due to a stomach ailment.

Course layout

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
Yards	520	427	416	212	315	468	158	434	418	3,368	390	368	452	202	517	381	510	186	470	3,476	6,844
Par	5	4	4	3	4	5	3	4	4	36	4	4	4	3	5	4	5	3	4	36	72

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 12 July 1961

Place	Player	Score	To par
T1	ZAF Harold Henning	68	−4
AUS Kel Nagle
WAL Dai Rees
T4	FRA Jean Garaïalde	69	−3
ENG Norman Johnson
ENG David Miller
T7	ZAF Alan Brookes	70	−2
ENG Neil Coles
ENG Sam King
SCO John MacDonald
USA Arnold Palmer
ENG Lionel Platts

Second round

Thursday, 13 July 1961

Place	Player	Score	To par
T1	ZAF Harold Henning	68-74=142	−2
WAL Dai Rees	68-74=142
T3	AUS Kel Nagle	68-75=143	−1
USA Arnold Palmer	70-73=143
T5	ENG Neil Coles	70-77=147	+3
ENG Sam King	70-77=147
ESP Ramón Sota	71-76=147
AUS Peter Thomson	75-72=147
T9	ENG Peter Alliss	73-75=148	+4
ENG Ken Bousfield	71-77=148
IRL Harry Bradshaw	73-75=148
ENG Peter Butler	72-76=148
ENG Eric Lester	71-77=148
ENG David Miller	69-79=148
IRL Christy O'Connor Snr	71-77=148
WAL Dave Thomas	71-77=148
ZAF Brian Wilkes	72-76=148

Amateurs: Christmas (+6), White (+6), Chapman (+11), Bonallack (+15), Carr (+17), Reece (+18), Pearson (+25)

Third round

Saturday, 15 July 1961 - (morning)

Place	Player	Score	To par
1	USA Arnold Palmer	70-73-69=212	−4
2	WAL Dai Rees	68-74-71=213	−3
3	IRL Christy O'Connor Snr	71-77-67=215	−1
4	ENG Neil Coles	70-77-69=216	E
T5	ZAF Harold Henning	68-74-75=217	+1
AUS Peter Thomson	75-72-70=217
7	AUS Kel Nagle	68-75-75=218	+2
T8	SCO Eric Brown	73-76-70=219	+3
ENG Norman Johnson	69-80-70=219
ESP Ramón Sota	71-76-72=219

Final round

Saturday, 15 July 1961 - (afternoon)

Place	Player	Score	To par	Money (£)
1	USA Arnold Palmer	70-73-69-72=284	−4	1,400
2	WAL Dai Rees	68-74-71-72=285	−3	1,000
T3	ENG Neil Coles	70-77-69-72=288	E	710
IRL Christy O'Connor Snr	71-77-67-73=288
T5	SCO Eric Brown	73-76-70-70=289	+1	400
AUS Kel Nagle	68-75-75-71=289
7	AUS Peter Thomson	75-72-70-73=290	+2	275
T8	ENG Peter Alliss	73-75-72-71=291	+3	190
ENG Ken Bousfield	71-77-75-68=291
T10	ZAF Harold Henning	68-74-75-76=293	+5	140
ENG Syd Scott	76-75-71-71=293

Amateurs: White (+18), Christmas (+20)

References

(16 July 1961). "Palmer takes British crown". Eugene Register-Guard.
(2011). "Media guide". The Open Championship.
(10 July 1965). "Sixth title goal of British champ". Spokane Daily Chronicle.
(12 July 1961). "Player's controlled power an Open golf hint - Charles leading qualifier". The Times.
(10 July 1961). "Palmer fires opening 71 in British Open tourney". Eugene Register-Guard.
(11 July 1961). "Trick-shooting Ezar fires 70". Eugene Register-Guard.
(14 July 1961). "Palmer trailing by one in British". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
(15 July 1961). "British weather may halt open tourney". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Longhurst, Henry. (24 July 1961). "Arnie gets the one he wanted".

Info: Wikipedia Source

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