1939 U.S. Open Golf Tournament
Winner: Byron Nelson, 284
Where it was played: Philadelphia Country Club in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania
Tournament dates: June 8-12, 1939
Leader after first round: Sam Snead, 68
Leader after second round: Sam Snead, 139
Leader after third round: Johnny Bulla, 211
Notable Notes: Sam Snead reached the 72nd hole in the lead, and needed a par to win the championship. But he thought he needed a birdie, so played aggressively and wound up making triple-bogey. Snead never won a U.S. Open. Instead, Byron Nelson, Craig Wood and Denny Shute, each of whom finished at 284, entered a playoff. Nelson and Wood tied after 18 holes at 68, so had to play another 18 (Shute had a 76 in the first 18 and so didn't continue). Nelson went five ahead of Wood after four holes of the second 18, and won confortably by three strokes. The final scores were 138 for Nelson, 141 for Wood. ... The low amateur, Bud Ward, finished in fourth place, one stroke out of the playoff.
Final Scores
Byron Nelson | 72-73-71-68—284 |
Craig Wood | 70-71-71-72—284 |
Denny Shute | 70-72-70-72—284 |
a-Bud Ward | 69-73-71-72—285 |
Sam Snead | 68-71-73-74—286 |
Johnny Bulla | 72-71-68-76—287 |
Ralph Guldahl | 71-73-72-72—288 |
Dick Metz | 76-72-71-69—288 |
Ky Laffoon | 76-70-73-70—289 |
Harold "Jug" McSpaden | 70-73-71-75—289 |
Paul Runyan | 76-70-71-72—289 |
Harry Cooper | 71-72-75-72—290 |
Ed Dudley | 76-72-73-69—290 |
Henry Picard | 72-72-72-74—290 |
Horton Smith | 72-68-75-76—291 |
Sam Byrd | 75-71-72-74—292 |
Olin Dutra | 70-74-70-78—292 |
Clayton Heafner | 73-73-66-80—292 |
a-Wilford Wehrle | 71-77-69-75—292 |
Jimmy Hines | 73-74-77-69—293 |
Johnny Rogers | 75-70-69-79—293 |
Tommy Armour | 70-75-69-80—294 |
Jimmy Demaret | 72-76-72-74—294 |
Johnny Revolta | 73-76-71-74—294 |
Bobby Cruickshank | 73-74-73-75—295 |
Jim Foulis | 73-75-77-70—295 |
Dutch Harrison | 75-72-74-74—295 |
Matt Kowal | 69-76-75-75—295 |
Vic Ghezzi | 73-71-76-76—296 |
Ed "Porky" Oliver | 75-77-72-72—296 |
Felix Serafin | 80-72-71-73—296 |
Al Espinosa | 75-73-74-75—297 |
Alvin Krueger | 71-77-73-76—297 |
Ray Mangrum | 71-74-81-71—297 |
Jim Turnesa | 75-74-75-73—297 |
Art Bell | 73-75-79-71—298 |
Leo Walper | 74-75-79-70—298 |
Terl Johnson | 73-76-76-74—299 |
a-Edwin Kingsley | 76-75-73-75—299 |
Frank Moore | 73-70-77-79—299 |
Sam Parks Jr. | 73-73-77-76—299 |
Billy Burke | 74-74-77-75—300 |
William Francis | 78-74-74-74—300 |
Gene Kunes | 76-73-75-76—300 |
Lawson Little | 69-74-76-81—300 |
Frank Walsh | 74-75-76-75—300 |
Joe Belfore | 76-76-68-81—301 |
a-Otto Greiner | 77-73-77-74—301 |
Gene Sarazen | 74-72-79-76—301 |
Pat Sawyer | 75-75-77-74—301 |
a-Willie Turnesa | 77-74-76-74—301 |
Bruce Coltart | 78-73-80-71—302 |
Tom Creavy | 72-78-77-75—302 |
Al Houghton | 73-76-76-77—302 |
Ted Luther | 73-75-77-78—303 |
Tony Manero | 74-76-78-76—304 |
Lloyd Mangrum | 70-74-81-79—304 |
Ted Turner | 75-74-80-76—305 |
George Von Elm | 72-77-76-81—306 |
Norman Von Nida | 79-73-72-82—306 |
a-Edward Meister Jr. | 71-76-81-79—307 |
Ben Hogan | 76-74-78-80—308 |
George Slingerland | 74-78-81-75—308 |
Frank Gelhot | 74-76-78-81—309 |