1926 U.S. Open Golf Tournament Winner, Scores

The 1926 U.S. Open was the 30th time the tournament was played. Bobby Jones posted his second U.S. Open victory here — and became the first golfer to win the U.S. and British national opens in the same year.

Winner: Bobby Jones, 293

Where it was played: Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio

Tournament dates: July 8-10, 1926

Leader after first round: Bill Mehlhorn, 68

Leader after second round: Bill Mehlhorn, 143

Leader after third round: Joe Turnesa, 217

What Happened in the 1926 U.S. Open

The amateur legend Bobby Jones won the 1926 U.S. Open, claiming the second of his eventual four titles in this professional major. And it happened two weeks after Jones won the 1926 British Open, making him the first golfer ever to win the U.S. Open and Open Championship in the same year.

Entering the final round, Jones was three strokes behind the leader, Joe Turnesa. But Turnesa stumbled on the back nine, reeling off five bogeys in six holes on Nos. 12 through 17, finishing with a 77.

That opened the door for Jones, who played steadily and reached the 72nd hole needing a par of 5 to tie, a birdie 4 to win.

Jones smashed a 310-yard drive, a very long drive for the time. Going for the green in two, Jones hit the flagstick with his approach, the ball bouncing away and stopping 15 feet from the hole. He 2-putted for his birdie, a round of 73, and the U.S. Open championship.

This was one of two runner-up finishes in majors by Turnesa, who is credited with 14 PGA Tour wins. While Joe never won a major, his brother Jim Turnesa won the 1952 PGA Championship; and another brother, Willie Turnesa, won the U.S. Amateur twice, plus the British Amateur. In all, there were eight Turnesa brothers who eventually played in PGA Tour events.

The tournament was played at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, which, decades later, would become closely associated with Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus took lessons at Scioto from instructor (and sometime-U.S. Open player) Jack Grout. At the 1926 U.S. Open, Charlie Nicklaus, Jack's father, was part of the gallery following Jones.

The USGA adopted the 18-18-36 schedule of play at this U.S. Open, meaning 18 holes on the first day, 18 holes on the second, then, following the cut, 36 holes (third and final rounds) on the third day. With rare exceptions, that schedule was used through 1964.

Future 3-time major winner Denny Shute played in his first major here, finishing tied for 43rd as an amateur. "Lighthorse" Harry Cooper, a 29-time PGA Tour winner, made his U.S. Open debut here with a missed cut. And Alex Ross, winner of the 1907 U.S. Open, played for the final time, tying for 34th.

1926 U.S. Open Final Scores

a-Bobby Jones 70-79-71-73—293
Joe Turnesa 71-74-72-77—294
Leo Diegel 72-76-75-74—297
Johnny Farrell 76-79-69-73—297
Bill Mehlhorn 68-75-76-78—297
Gene Sarazen 78-77-72-70—297
Walter Hagen 73-77-74-74—298
Willie Hunter Jr. 75-77-69-79—300
Tommy Armour 76-76-74-75—301
Willie Klein 76-74-75-76—301
Macdonald Smith 82-76-68-75—301
Dan Williams 72-74-80-75—301
Al Espinosa 71-79-78-74—302
a-Chick Evans 75-75-73-79—302
Jack Forrester 76-73-77-76—302
Laurie Ayton 76-78-76-76—306
Mike Brady 77-82-76-71—306
George McLean 74-74-79-79—306
Jimmy Thomson 77-82-73-74—306
Willie Macfarlane 72-79-75-81—307
John Rogers 80-79-75-73—307
Clarence Hackney 77-77-74-80—308
Arthur DeMane 76-80-78-75—309
P.O. Hart 76-81-76-76—309
a-Jimmy Johnston 79-76-77-77—309
Tom Stevens 79-78-76-76—309
Emmet French 74-79-76-81—310
Harry Hampton 81-75-78-76—310
Thomas Harmon 73-81-76-80—310
Bob Macdonald 77-79-77-77—310
Eddie Murphy 74-77-80-79—310
Johnny Golden 81-74-76-81—312
Bill Leach 79-74-79-80—312
Abe Espinosa 75-81-78-79—313
James Gullane 73-85-76-79—313
Alex Ross 81-75-79-78—313
Charles Hall 79-79-77-79—314
Eddie Loos 78-81-76-79—314
Ralph Beach 79-80-78-78—315
Larry Nabholtz 80-78-78-79—315
Charles Rowe 78-78-78-81—315
George Smith 75-79-78-83—315
Lou Goldbeck 80-78-78-80—316
a-Denny Shute 75-78-81-82—316
Frank Sprogell 81-75-80-80—316
a-Jack Westland 75-79-79-83—316
Charles Mayo 75-83-76-83—317
Frank Walsh 76-83-76-82—317
Bobby Cruickshank 76-76-83-83—318
John Junor 70-80-84-84—318
James Kenney 79-76-83-80—318
Emil Loeffler Jr. 76-82-78-82—318
Pat Doyle 72-83-82-83—320
Harold Long 79-79-84-78—320
Joe Brennan 75-79-83-84—321
Cyril Walker 78-81-80-82—321
Clarence Mainero 77-79-81-85—322
John O'Connor 74-84-87-83—328

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