1928 British Open Winner and Scores

The 1928 British Open was the 63rd time this major was played. Walter Hagen was the winner by two strokes over fellow American Gene Sarazen.

Winner: Walter Hagen, 292

Where it was played: Royal St. George's Golf Club in Sandwich, England

Tournament dates: May 9-11, 1928

Leader after first round: Bill Mehlhorn, 71

Leader after second round: Jose Jurado, 145

Leader after third round: Walter Hagen, 220

What Happened in the 1928 Open Championship

Walter Hagen won the 1928 British Open, but let's start by mentioning Harry Vardon. Vardon was 58 years old in 1928, and he played four rounds of consistent golf: 78-79-80-80. The key is the four rounds, however: The 1928 British Open is the last time 6-time champion Vardon made the cut in this tournament. In fact, he played it only one more time.

With 2-time defending champion Bobby Jones absent, this Open shaped up as a battle between the American stars, Hagen and Gene Sarazen. And that's what it turned out to be, with Englishman Archie Compston getting into the mix.

A few weeks prior to the British Open, Compston and Hagen faced off in a 72-hole "challenge match," a match-play exhibition that Compston dominated, winning 18-and-17. At the British Open, however, Compston trailed Hagen by two strokes entering the final round, with Sarazen one behind Hagen.

At the previous Open at Royal St. George's, in 1922, Hagen won. And proving he liked a good Sandwich, Hagen won here again this year. Hagen shot a final-round 72, one better than the 73s of Sarazen and Compston, to win by two over Sarazen. Compston was in third, three behind Hagen.

It was the third Open Championship win for Hagen, who added one more the following year. And it was Hagen's 10th major championship win overall.

The Claret Jug was presented to Hagen by the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VIII. The Prince was the club captain at Royal St. George's.

1928 British Open Final Scores

Walter Hagen 75-73-72-72—292
Gene Sarazen 72-76-73-73—294
Archie Compston 75-74-73-73—295
Percy Alliss 75-76-75-72—298
Fred Robson 79-73-73-73—298
Jim Barnes 81-73-76-71—301
Aubrey Boomer 79-73-77-72—301
Jose Jurado 74-71-76-80—301
Bill Mehlhorn 71-78-76-77—302
William H. Davies 78-74-79-73—304
Fred Taggart 76-74-77-78—305
Albert Whiting 78-76-76-75—305
Jack Smith 79-77-76-74—306
a-T.P. Perkins 80-79-76-72—307
William Twine 75-79-77-76—307
Stewart Burns 76-74-75-83—308
a-Charles Hezlet 79-76-78-76—309
Henry Cotton 77-75-83-75—310
George Duncan 75-77-78-80—310
Duncan McCulloch 78-78-78-76—310
Abe Mitchell 78-75-82-76—311
Tom Williamson 77-73-77-84—311
Alfred Bradbeer 83-76-78-75—312
George Gadd 83-73-78-78—312
Jean Gassiat 76-77-81-78—312
a-W.L. Hope 84-75-75-78—312
James Ockenden 80-78-79-75—312
Reg Whitcombe 79-77-81-75—312
Reginald G. Wilson 82-73-77-80—312
Syd Wingate 75-82-79-76—312
Arthur Lacey 80-77-79-77—313
Arthur Young 77-77-78-81—313
Gus Faulkner 80-75-81-78—314
William Holley 80-78-79-77—314
Herbert Jolly 84-73-75-82—314
Ted Ray 77-78-80-79—314
Thomas Barber 77-78-81-79—315
James McDowall 82-75-80-78—315
Rufus Stewart 79-75-82-79—315
William Watt 79-76-78-82—315
James Braid 80-79-81-76—316
a-R.W. Hartley 81-77-76-82—316
Pierre Hirigoyen 81-74-78-83—316
Bert Hodson 80-79-79-78—316
Arnaud Massy 79-79-79-79—316
a-T.A. Torrance 79-74-81-82—316
Ernest Kenyon 79-79-81-78—317
Harry Vardon 78-79-80-80—317
Leo Wallace 79-80-75-83—317
a-A.J. Evans 80-79-82-78—319
Earnest Barker 81-78-77-89—325
Albert S. Tingey 81-78-81-85—325

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