1940 U.S. Open Winner and Scores
Winner: Lawson Little, 287
Where it was played: Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio
Tournament dates: June 6-9, 1940
Leader after first round: Sam Snead, 67
Leader after second round: Lawson Little, Horton Smith and Sam Snead, 141
Leader after third round: Frank Walsh, 213
What Happened in the 1940 U.S. Open Golf Tournament
Gene Sarazen was 38 years old in 1940, hadn't won in two years and would win only once more after the 1940 U.S. Open. And he didn't win this tournament — Lawson Little did. But in a way it was Sarazen's last hurrah in the professional majors.Little had been a major star of amateur golf in the early and mid-1930s, winning the U.S. and British amateurs in 1934, and then doing it again in 1935. Huge things were expected from Little as a professional, and his eight PGA Tour career wins would be regarded as something of a letdown. Still, he won the 1940 U.S. Open by beating Sarazen in an 18-hole playoff.
The 1940 U.S. Open is also known for a mass of disqualifications — most of them for players who were too early, but one DQ of a player for being late. Walter Hagen, age 47, was disqualified from his final U.S. Open appearance after the third round. Hagen, according to the USGA, "showed up late for his third-round starting time due to a night of partying at his hotel." He played the round, but was DQ'd afterward.
Six others were disqualified when they all started their final rounds ahead of schedule, rushing to get the round in before expected rains arrived. Those six were Ed "Porky" Oliver, Dutch Harrison, Leland Gibson, Johnny Bulla, Ky Lafoon and Claude Harmon. All were disqualified after the final round ended.
That DQ was particularly painful for Oliver, because he had tied Little and Sarazen at 287. Sarazen and Little asked the USGA to let Oliver take part in the 18-hole playoff, but instead the USGA DQ'd Oliver with the other five.
In the playoff, Sarazen was within one stroke of Little with five holes to play, but Little eased away to win, 70 to 73.
Ben Hogan finished fifth, posting his first Top 10 in a U.S. Open. Defending champion Byron Nelson tied Hogan. The Top 8 finishers — Little, Sarazen, Horton Smith, Craig Wood, Ralph Guldahl, Hogan, Nelson and Lloyd Mangrum — were all past or future major champions, and were all future Hall of Famers.
As noted, Sarazen won only once more after this. But the Squire continued as a figure in golf until the end of the 20th century. He didn't play in his last major until the 1973 British Open, where he made an ace at age 71. And Sarazen was an honorary starter at The Masters until 1999, when he was 97 years old.
1940 U.S. Open Final Scores
| Lawson Little | 72-69-73-73—287 (70) |
| Gene Sarazen | 71-74-70-72—287 (73) |
| Horton Smith | 69-72-78-69—288 |
| Craig Wood | 72-73-72-72—289 |
| Ralph Guldahl | 73-71-76-70—290 |
| Ben Hogan | 70-73-74-73—290 |
| Lloyd Mangrum | 75-70-71-74—290 |
| Byron Nelson | 72-74-70-74—290 |
| Dick Metz | 75-72-72-72—291 |
| Ed Dudley | 73-75-71-73—292 |
| Frank Walsh | 73-69-71-79—292 |
| Tommy Armour | 73-74-75-71—293 |
| Harold "Jug" McSpaden | 74-72-70-77—293 |
| Henry Picard | 73-73-71-76—293 |
| Vic Ghezzi | 70-74-75-75—294 |
| Jim Foulis | 73-73-77-72—295 |
| Gene Kunes | 76-72-73-74—295 |
| Johnny Revolta | 73-74-72-76—295 |
| Sam Snead | 67-74-73-81—295 |
| Andrew Gibson | 71-75-77-73—296 |
| Jimmy Hines | 73-74-77-72—296 |
| Felix Serafin | 77-74-71-74—296 |
| Jock Hutchison Jr. | 73-72-75-77—297 |
| Eddie Kirk | 73-77-74-73—297 |
| a-Wilford Wehrle | 78-73-72-74—297 |
| Leland Wilcox | 75-73-74-75—297 |
| Ray Mangrum | 73-78-75-72—298 |
| Johnny Farrell | 75-77-76-71—299 |
| Bruce Coltart | 80-72-74-74—300 |
| a-Jim Ferrier | 73-74-78-75—300 |
| Al Huske | 70-80-76-74—300 |
| Sam Parks Jr. | 69-74-79-78—300 |
| Henry Ramson | 75-77-74-74—300 |
| Jack Ryan | 75-75-77-73—300 |
| a-Andrew Szwedko | 76-77-76-71—300 |
| a-Dick Chapman | 74-78-76-73—301 |
| Willie Goggin | 78-74-75-74—301 |
| Matt Kowal | 72-75-77-77—301 |
| Tony Manero | 75-75-77-74—301 |
| Johnny Morris | 75-77-74-75—301 |
| Sam Byrd | 72-78-79-73—302 |
| Toney Penna | 80-73-76-74—303 |
| Leonard Dodson | 72-72-80-81—305 |
| Al Espinosa | 79-71-76-79—305 |
| Jim Milward | 74-79-76-76—305 |
| John Thoren | 73-78-77-77—305 |
| Al Brosch | 74-73-82-77—306 |
| Johnny Rogers | 73-76-79-78—306 |
| Paul Runyan | 74-79-78-76—307 |
| Jerry Gianferante | 76-77-81-74—308 |
| Henry Kaiser | 71-78-80-79—308 |
| a-Bob Babbish | 71-77-80-81—309 |
| Bill Barbour | 75-78-80-76—309 |
| Mike Pavella | 79-74-81-76—310 |
| Frank Commisso | 73-78-80-81—312 |
| Pete Webb | 77-74-83-78—312 |
| Oscar Willoweit | 75-78-82-77—312 |
| a-Toby Lyons | 77-76-80-80—313 |
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