1938 U.S. Open Winner and Scores
The 1938 U.S. Open was the 42nd time the tournament was played. The champion won by six strokes to complete back-to-back wins in this major.
Winner: Ralph Guldahl, 284
Where it was played: Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado
Tournament dates: June 9-11, 1938
Leader after first round: Henry Picard and Jimmy Hines, 70
Leader after second round: Henry Picard, 140
Leader after third round: Dick Metz, 211
What Happened in the 1938 U.S. Open
Ralph Guldahl isn't as well-remembered today as some of his contemproraries such as Nelson and Snead, but he was arguably the best golfer of the mid- and late 1930s. From 1934 through 1939 he won 12 times, including three consecutive Western Opens at a time when the Western was one of the biggest pro tournaments. And Guldahl also won back-to-back U.S. Opens, completing the double this year.At the 1938 U.S. Open, defending champion Guldahl entered the final round trailing leader Dick Metz by four strokes. But Metz collapsed in the final round, shooting 79, while Guldahl had his best score (69) of the tournament. Guldahl wound up winning by six over Metz.
Guldahl was the fourth golfer to this point in tournament history to post back-to-back victories. Those who preceded him were Willie Anderson (1903-05), Johnny McDermott (1911-12) and Bobby Jones (1929-30).
Metz never won a major, but he is credited with 10 PGA Tour victories. And he posted numerous Top 10s in majors over a long period of time, 17 of them from 1935 through 1958.
A record was set at the 1938 U.S. Open, but it was one the holder would rather not have. Ray Ainsley recorded a score of 19 on the 16th hole of Cherry Hills Country Club, a par-4 hole, in the second round. That remains the highest single-hole score in U.S. Open history, and also one of the highest single-hole scores in PGA Tour history.
Cherry Hills CC is near Denver, Colorado, and this was the first time the U.S. Open was played at a golf course west of the Mississippi River.
1938 U.S. Open Final Scores
| Ralph Guldahl | 74-70-71-69—284 |
| Dick Metz | 73-68-70-79—290 |
| Harry Cooper | 76-69-76-71—292 |
| Toney Penna | 78-72-74-68—292 |
| Byron Nelson | 77-71-74-72—294 |
| Emery Zimmerman | 72-71-73-78—294 |
| Frank Moore | 79-73-72-71—295 |
| Henry Picard | 70-70-77-78—295 |
| Paul Runyan | 78-71-72-74—295 |
| Gene Sarazen | 74-74-75-73—296 |
| Vic Ghezzi | 79-71-75-72—297 |
| Jimmy Hines | 70-75-69-83—297 |
| Denny Shute | 77-71-72-77—297 |
| George Von Elm | 78-72-71-76—297 |
| Willie Hunter Jr. | 73-72-78-75—298 |
| Olin Dutra | 74-71-77-77—299 |
| Jug McSpaden | 76-67-74-82—299 |
| Johnny Revolta | 74-72-77-76—299 |
| Jim Foulis | 74-74-75-77—300 |
| Horton Smith | 80-73-73-74—300 |
| Al Zimmerman | 76-77-75-72—300 |
| Charles Lacey | 77-75-75-75—302 |
| Tommy Armour | 78-70-75-80—303 |
| Al Huske | 76-79-76-73—304 |
| Johnny Rogers | 71-76-73-84—304 |
| Charles Sheppard | 79-73-74-79—305 |
| Joe Belfore | 75-73-80-78—306 |
| Stanley Kertes | 77-72-82-75—306 |
| Alvin Krueger | 79-69-79-79—306 |
| Ray Mangrum | 77-77-73-79—306 |
| Mike Turnesa | 75-79-75-78—307 |
| Vernon Allen | 81-74-75-78—308 |
| Art Bell | 78-77-78-75—308 |
| Neil Christian | 75-80-79-74—308 |
| Willie Macfarlane | 79-73-78-78—308 |
| Jimmy Thomson | 82-70-77-79—308 |
| Frank Walsh | 75-77-80-76—308 |
| Lawson Little | 78-77-78-76—309 |
| Levi Lynch | 74-74-81-80—309 |
| Sam Snead | 77-76-76-80—309 |
| Al Brosch | 76-77-77-80—310 |
| a-Art Doering | 75-77-80-78—310 |
| Willie Goggin | 79-75-78-78—310 |
| Bob Stupple | 78-74-81-77—310 |
| a-Wilford Wehrle | 74-76-81-80—311 |
| Bobby Cruickshank | 83-71-73-85—312 |
| Alex Follmer | 74-76-81-81—312 |
| Tony Manero | 74-80-81-78—313 |
| Mortie Dutra | 78-74-85-77—314 |
| a-Dick Chapman | 74-77-83-81—315 |
| Ed Dudley | 77-77-78-83—315 |
| Mike Murra | 81-71-78-85—315 |
| Herb Bowers | 77-74-80-87—318 |
| a-Ted Adams | 74-80-86-81—321 |
| a-Bob Babbish | 78-75-86-83—322 |
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