The British Open: A quiz
By Bill Felber
The first American winner
A. Jock Hutchison
The answer to this question hangs on a technicality. Although Jones and Hagen won a combined seven of the eight Opens played between 1922 and 1930, Hutchison got there ahead of both of them.
The technicality involves Hutchison’s birthplace, which was St. Andrews, Scotland. But in 1920 he moved to the U.S. and received his citizenship. That meant that when he traveled to his native town for the 1921 event, Hutchison was competing under the Stars and Stripes rather than the Union Jack.
Although familiar with the Old Course from his youth, Hutchison returned to familiarize himself with the course in the days leading up to the Open. It was a wise decision.
Hutchison’s play began auspiciously with a first round ace on the par 3 eighth. Still his win was a challenging one, requiring him to erase a four-stroke deficit entering the final round. He did so with a 70, then beat Roger Wethered by nine strokes in the 36-hole playoff.
Hagen, six strokes behind Hutchison, would become the first native Yank to win one year later.
Question 4: Between 1922 and 1930, either Hagen or Jones won every British Open except one. Who beat them in 1923?
Arthur Havers
Macdonald Smith
Ted Ray