The British Open: A quiz
By Bill Felber
The first non-British winner
A. Arnaud Massy
For natural reasons Brits dominated the early playing of their national championship in the sport they invented on their home grounds. For 47 playings from the tournament’s 1860 inception through James Braid’s third of five victories in 1906, members of the empire won every time.
That didn’t change until 1907, when Frenchman Arnaud Massy beat Englishman John H. Taylor, already a three-time champion, by two strokes to win at Royal Liverpool.
Taylor ran into trouble early in his final round. On the third hole, he badly sliced his approach into the rough and had to record a seven. Massy took full advantage, beating Taylor by three shots over that front nine and holding him off on the back.
He remains the only French winner, and until Seve Ballesteros 72 years later was the only champion from continental Europe.
Save possibly to the Brits, Massy’s win should at least have been a plausible outcome. He had tied for 10th in his 1902 debut, finished sixth in 1905 and again in 1906, each time as the low non-Britisher in the event.
He finished ninth, a comfortable 17 strokes behind Braid, in his 1908 defense.
Question 3. Who was the first American to win the British Open?
Jock Hutchison
Bobby Jones
Walter Hagen