1896 U.S. Open Winner and Scores
Winner: James Foulis, 152
Where it was played: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York
Tournament dates: July 28, 1896
Leader after first round: Willie Dunn, Willie Tucker, Joe Lloyd, John Shippen, Andrew Smith and James Foulis, 78
What Happened in the 1896 U.S. Open Golf Tournament
The 1896 U.S. Open was the second one played, and James Foulis — third place in Year 1 — was the victor by three strokes over defending champion Horace Rawlins. Foulis was a native of St. Andrews, Scotland, and was the club pro at Chicago Golf Club at the time of the 1896 U.S. Open.The tournament was preceded by a controversy over race. John Shippen, a black caddie at host site Shinnecock Hills Country Club, and Oscar Bunn, a Shinnecock Indian, entered the tournament. Some of the other pros signed a petition stating they would refuse to play if Shippen and Bunn were allowed to compete. USGA President Theodore Havemeyer responded by saying the tournament was going on, whether the petition-signers showed up or not.
Shippen and Bunn did play, and Shippen even finished tied for fifth after being one of the first-round co-leaders. That also made him the first American-born golfer to finish in the money in a U.S. Open. Shippen played in five more U.S. Opens, the last in 1913. After that it wasn't until the 1948 U.S. Open that another African-American played in a U.S. Open.
Shinnecock Hills, one of the five founding clubs of the USGA, did not host another U.S. Open until 1986.
Two-time British Open winner Willie Park Jr. tried to be the first real golf star to play in the tournament, sailing from England with the intention to enter the U.S. Open. But his ship was delayed and Park only arrived the day after the tournament ended.
1896 U.S. Open Final Scores
| James Foulis | 78-74—152 |
| Horace Rawlins | 79-76—155 |
| George Douglas | 79-79—158 |
| a-Andrew Smith | 78-80—158 |
| John Shippen | 78-81—159 |
| a-Henry Whigham | 82-77—159 |
| Joe Lloyd | 78-82—160 |
| Willie Tucker | 78-82—160 |
| Buff Wilson | 82-80—162 |
| Alfred Ricketts | 80-83—163 |
| Bert Way | 83-81—164 |
| Willie Dunn | 78-87—165 |
| William Davis | 83-84—167 |
| Willie Campbell | 85-85—170 |
| William Hoare | 90-81—171 |
| James Mackrell | 89-83—172 |
| Alexander Patrick | 86-86—172 |
| John Reid | 88-84—172 |
| Tom Gourley | 82-91—173 |
| John Patrick | 88-85—173 |
| Oscar Bunn | 89-85—174 |
| John Anson | 88-92—180 |
| George Strath | 91-89—180 |
| John Harrison | 92-91—183 |
| William Campbell | 91-93—184 |
| William Norton | 87-98—185 |
| R. Anderson | 92-95—187 |
| Thomas Warrender | 97-93—190 |
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