2020 Virtual U.S. Open: The favorites to win at Winged Foot
By Bill Felber
Bobby Jones, 1923, 1926, 1929, 1930 (1921-1930), -1.88
As with Hogan, Jones’ greatness is measured partly by what he won and partly by what he nearly won. The victories are legendary. His first Open title came at Inwood in 1923, beating Bobby Cruickshank in a playoff highlighted by a 190-yard two-iron over a pond that set up his winning par.
At Scioto in 1926, he birdied the 72nd hole to beat Mike Turnesa by a stroke. At Winged Foot in 1929, Jones survived another playoff, this time with Al Espinosa, after holing a 12-foot putt on the 72nd hole for the par he needed to get into that playoff.
Then at Interlachen in 1930, Jones picked up the third leg of his grand slam with a two-stroke win over Macdonald Smith.
The near-misses are nearly as historic. At Skokie in 1922, the 20-year-old Jones led through 54 holes but bogeyed the 71st hole to fall one stroke short of Gene Sarazen. At Worcester in 1925, he lost to Willie Macfarlane in a playoff after famously calling a penalty on himself for moving his ball in the rough during the tournament’s first round. At Olympia Fields in 1928, Jones lost the third playoff, this time to Johnny Farrell.
Not counting 1921 — when as a 19-year-old he finished 14 strokes back – for the entire decade of the 1920s Jones failed to sweep the Opens by a cumulative margin of a dozen strokes.
That’s why he ranks high among the pre-tournament favorites.