| 1946 British Open | |
American star Sam Snead didn't even want to play the 1946 British Open. But obligations to a sponsor required his presence. As he rode a train into St. Andrews, he looked out a window and spotted something. "Say," Snead said, "that looks like an old, abandoned golf course."
Snead played the British Open only five times in his long career. Prior to 1946, his only appearance had been in 1937, when he was already in Britain as part of the American Ryder Cup team. After 1946, he didn't return until 1962. That wasn't unusual, given the very high travel costs of the era. A golfer traveling to Britain for the Open could win the tournament yet lose money on the trip, as happened to Snead in 1946.
The 1946 British Open was the first one played since 1939 due to World War II. That meant that Dick Burton, the 1939 winner, held the trophy for seven years. He gave it back here, though, finishing 12th. The runner-up to Snead was Johnny Bulla (tied with Bobby Locke, four behind Snead), who also finished second to Burton at the 1939 British Open.
For Snead, the 1946 British Open was his second win in a major. He previously won the 1942 PGA Championship, and went onto win another five majors.
1946 British Open Scores
Results from the 1946 British Open golf tournament played on The Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland (a-amateur):
| Sam Snead | 71-70-74-75--290 |
| Johnny Bulla | 71-72-72-79--294 |
| Bobby Locke | 69-74-75-76--294 |
| Henry Cotton | 70-70-76-79--295 |
| Dai Rees | 75-67-73-80--295 |
| Norman Von Nida | 70-76-74-75--295 |
| Charlie Ward | 73-73-73-76--295 |
| Fred Daly | 77-71-76-74--298 |
| Joe Kirkwood | 71-75-78-74--298 |
| Lawson Little | 78-75-72-74--299 |
| Harry Bradshaw | 76-75-76-73--300 |
| Dick Burton | 74-76-76-76--302 |
| Bill Shankland | 76-76-77-75--304 |
| William Anderson | 76-76-78-75--305 |
| Reg Whitcombe | 71-76-82-76--305 |
| Laurie Ayton Jr. | 77-74-80-75--306 |
| Percy Alliss | 74-72-82-79--307 |
| Archie Compston | 77-74-77-80--308 |
| Frank Jowle | 78-74-76-80--308 |
| Arthur Lees | 77-71-78-82--308 |
| George Knight | 77-75-82-76--310 |
| Eddie Whitcombe | 75-79-77-79--310 |
| a-R.K. Bell | 81-73-81-77--312 |
| John Jacobs | 76-77-80-79--312 |
| Alf Perry | 78-77-78-80--313 |
| a-James Wilson | 78-76-81-78--313 |
| a-Andrew Dowie | 81-71-80-83--315 |
| Alex Robertson | 79-75-80-81--315 |
| Flory Van Donck | 76-78-83-78--315 |
| Tom Haliburton | 78-76-81-81--316 |
| Alf Padgham | 79-74-76-87--316 |
| a-Ronald White | 76-79-84-77--316 |
| Norman Sutton | 76-77-80-84--317 |
| Fred Bullock | 80-75-87-76--318 |
| W.H. Green | 76-76-83-83--318 |
| Albert Isherwood | 77-78-83-81--319 |
| a-John Urry | 79-75-87-85--326 |
Back to list of British Open Winners
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• British Open Index on About.com
