British Open: Ranking the 25 most dominant performances of all time
By Bill Felber
10. Henry Cotton, 1934, -3.13
For most of the previous decade, the British Open had functionally been the U.S. Open.
Between 1926 and 1933, Americans swept the championships, Bobby Jones winning three of them, Walter Hagen claiming two and Tommy Armour, Gene Sarazen and Denny Shute sharing the others. And if you count British-born American emigree Jim Barnes, that streak extended back to 1924.
So it was an emotional occurrence in 1934 when Henry Cotton, by agreement the best player Britain had produced in a generation, ended the American hegemony.
Cotton took charge from the start, touring Royal St. George’s in 67 during the opening round. That was good for a three-stroke lead.
He backed it up with a 65 that featured birdies on three of the final five holes, extending his advantage to an insurmountable nine shots, then extended that lead to 10 after three rounds. Slowed by cramps over lunch of the 36-hole finish, he managed only a closing 79.
Still that was good for a four-round total of 283 and a five-stroke win over South African Sid Brews.
The normally strong American contingent made an unusually poor showing. Joe Kirkwood and Macdonald Smith tied for fourth, nine behind Cotton, while Shute, the defending champ, came home 20th, a full 18 shots behind the leader.
Open historians record that Cotton visited the ailing Harry Vardon the night of his win, placing the claret jug in the great British champion’s hands.