The U.S. Open: The 10 Best Players From Each Decade
By Bill Felber
The U.S. Open: 1931-1941
Stripped of Jones and burned by an aging Hagen, the 1930s produced the least glamorous cast of stars of any decade in the tournament’s history. It is also the only decade producing a most dominant player who never actually won the Open.
That distinction falls to a long-forgotten player named Dick Metz. In his time Metz was a solid touring pro; he won eight tournaments during the decade, all between 1935 and 1939.
But Metz never won a Major, his best effort in that department being his runner-up finish to Ralph Guldahl at the 1938 Open at Cherry Hills.
He emerges at the head of the group by dint of making a half dozen cuts between 1935 and 1941, finishing top 10 in five of them. His closest competition was Sarazen, champion in 1932 and runner-up in both 1934 and 1940.
The math is breathtakingly close.
Top 10 players of the 1931 to 1941 Era
1. Dick Metz, -0.973
2. Gene Sarazen, -0.971
3. Byron Nelson, -0.90
4. Ralph Guldahl, -0.76
5. Denny Shute, -0.66
6. Walter Hagen, -0.64
7. Olin Dutra, -0.64
8. Bobby Cruickshank, -0.63
9. Jimmy Hines, -0.59
What we have here is a case where math contravenes logic. Sarazen had eight top 10s during the period including the 1932 title and two runners-up; Metz only survived the cut six times over the same span, with just five top 10s and one top-five.
But Metz prevails largely because Sarazen competed five more times, and in those five additional starts accumulated a couple of poor performances that dragged down his overall dominance rating just enough to consign him to second.
Life isn’t fair.
What of Nelson? Like Metz, he only finished six Opens during the period, and unlike Metz he actually won one of them, that coming in 1939.
He also tied for fifth twice. But his other three Opens, in 1935, 1937, and 1941, were ordinary enough to reduce his score as well.
Not surprisingly, Metz’s dominance rating for the 1930s is the lowest we will see for any decade leader.