1915 U.S. Open (golf)


The 1915 U.S. Open was the 21st U.S. Open, held June 17–18 at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, west of New York City. Four-time U.S. Amateur champion Jerome Travers captured his only U.S. Open title, one stroke ahead of runner-up Tom McNamara. The championship was played on the original course at Baltusrol, now known as the Old Course, which no longer exists.
Future U.S. Open champions Jim Barnes and Chick Evans shared the first round lead, with Travers five behind. After a 72 in the second round, Travers pulled to within two-shots of leaders Barnes and Louis Tellier.
Travers took the lead in the third round with a 73, a shot ahead of Barnes, Tellier, Bob MacDonald, and Mike Brady, with McNamara two behind. MacDonald shot a 78 in the final round to finish in third, while Barnes and Tellier both shot 79 to finish in fourth. McNamara posted a 75 to total 298 as Travers made the turn at 39, and needed a 37 on the back-nine to win the title. His drive at the 10th went out of bounds, while his second shot found the rough. His third shot cleared the water surrounding the green and settled less than three feet from the hole. He managed to save par with a 15-footer at the 11th, three-putted for bogey at the 12th, but then made a birdie at 15. Pars over the final three holes saw him finish with a 76 and a 297 total.
Shortly after this win, Travers announced his retirement from competitive golf and never played in the U.S. Open again.
Defending champion Walter Hagen finished nine strokes back, in a tie for tenth place.
The Old Course at Baltusrol was plowed under three years later in 1918 by course architect A. W. Tillinghast to create the Upper and Lower Courses.

Past champions in the field

Source:
Did not play: John McDermott, Alex Smith, Alec Ross,
Laurie Auchterlonie, Harry Vardon, Willie Smith.

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, June 17, 1915
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Jim Barnes71−3
T1Chick Evans 71−3
3Bob MacDonald72−2
T4Jock Hutchison74E
T4Fred McLeod74E
T6Davis Ogilvie75+1
T6George Sargent75+1
T6Louis Tellier75+1
T9Mike Brady76+2
T9Alex Campbell76+2
T9Joe Mitchell76+2
T9Jerome Travers 76+2

Source:

Second round

Thursday, June 17, 1915
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Jim Barnes71-75=146−2
T1Louis Tellier75-71=146−2
3Mike Brady76-71=147−1
4Jerome Travers 76-72=148E
T5Bob MacDonald72-77=149+1
T5Tom McNamara78-71=149+1
7Fred McLeod74-76=150+2
T8Walter Hagen78-73=151+3
T8Alex Campbell76-75=151+3
T10Chick Evans 71-81=152+4
T10George Low78-74=152+4
T10George Sargent75-77=152+4

Source:

Third round

Friday, June 18, 1915
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Jerome Travers 76-72-73=221−1
T2Mike Brady76-71-75=222E
T2Bob MacDonald72-77-73=222E
T2Louis Tellier75-71-76=222E
5Tom McNamara78-71-74=223+1
T6Jim Barnes71-75-79=225+3
T6Alex Campbell76-75-74=225+3
8Fred McLeod74-76-76=226+4
9Walter Hagen78-73-76=227+5
10George Low78-74-76=228+6

Source:

Final round

Friday, June 18, 1915
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney
1Jerome Travers 76-72-73-76=297+10
2Tom McNamara78-71-74-75=298+2300
3Bob MacDonald72-77-73-78=300+4150
T4Jim Barnes71-75-79-76=301+590
T4Louis Tellier75-71-76-79=301+590
6Mike Brady76-71-75-80=302+670
7George Low78-74-76-75=303+760
T8Jock Hutchison74-79-76-76=305+945
T8Fred McLeod74-76-76-79=305+945
T10Alex Campbell76-75-74-81=306+106
T10Emmet French77-79-75-75=306+106
T10Walter Hagen78-73-76-79=306+106
T10Tom Kerrigan78-75-76-77=306+106
T10Gilbert Nicholls78-81-73-74=306+106
T10Jack Park77-77-75-77=306+106
T10Wilfrid Reid77-78-75-76=306+106
T10George Sargent75-77-79-75=306+106

Source:
Amateurs: Travers, Evans, Stone, Ouimet.