British Open: Ranking the 25 most dominant performances of all time
By Bill Felber
19. Bobby Jones, 1927, -2.885
Jones’ only previous experience at St. Andrews had come in 1921, and it was an inglorious one. As a brash 19-year-old, he had famously picked up his ball in frustration from the 11th green during the third round and walked off the course, disqualifying himself.
But following his 1926 victory at Royal Lytham, Jones returned to the scene of his greatest embarrassment in 1927 and demonstrated the poise that had made him the reigning U.S. and British Open champion.
He was the first amateur to win the British Open title back-to-back and the first defending champion to win since James Braid in 1906.
The tournament belonged to Jones virtually from the start. He shot a record 68 during the first round, dropping one putt measured at 120-feet on the fifth hole.
His lead was two entering the final day’s play, and a 73 in the morning expanded that to four strokes over Fred Robson. When Robson managed nothing better than a 74 that afternoon, Jones cruised home six in front of him and Aubrey Boomer.
He became only the second player, after Ted Ray, to lead all four rounds of the tournament since it had been extended to 72 holes in the 1890s.
And this time Jones didn’t have to stomp off St. Andrews. When he holed the final putt, an adoring crowd lifted him to its collective shoulders and carried him off in triumph.