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1907 / Royal Liverpool
Frenchman Arnaud Massy became the first overseas winner of The Open at Hoylake in 1907.
The next Champion Golfer from continental Europe did not arrive until 1979 in the form of Seve Ballesteros. While Massy remains France’s only winner, Jean Van de Velde lost a play-off in harrowing circumstances in 1999.
Massy prevented James Braid from winning a third successive Open but it was another of the Great Triumvirate who was his main rival at Royal Liverpool as he defeated JH Taylor by two strokes.
This was the first Open in which all the competitors had to go through a qualifying competition, with the leading 67 teeing off in The Open proper. Strong winds battered the Dee Estuary but this suited Massy, who first played with left-handed clubs at home in Biarritz but later changed to playing right-handed after moving to North Berwick to hone his game.
He shared the first-round lead with a 76 and despite an 81 in the second round Massy was still one in front of Taylor and Tom Ball. Taylor edged ahead with a 76 to a 78 in the third round but Massy quick got level with a 3 at the second hole of the final round.
The turning point came when Taylor sliced his second shot into long rough at the third and took a 7. He was out in 41, while Massy managed a 38. They both came home in 39 and Massy’s 77 gave him a total of 312.
Taylor closed with an 80, while Tom Vardon and George Pulford were third and Braid tied for fifth place.
Massy hurried home to North Berwick since his Scottish-born wife had given birth during the week and the baby girl was named Margot Hoylake in honour of the victory.
Name
Finish
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
Par
George PULFORD
3
81
78
80
78
317
-
Tom VARDON
3
81
81
80
75
317
-
Tom WILLIAMSON
7
82
77
82
78
319
-
Tom BALL
10
80
78
81
81
320
-
P.J. GAUDIN
11
83
84
80
76
323
-
Walter TOOGOOD
13
76
86
82
82
326
-
John GRAHAM JR
13
83
81
80
82
326
-
F. COLLINS
15
83
83
79
82
327
-
Charles MAYO
17
86
78
82
82
328
-
Thomas RENOUF
17
83
80
82
83
328
-
A. MATTHEWS
17
82
80
84
82
328
-
Reginald GRAY
20
83
85
81
80
329
-
James BRADBEER
21
83
85
82
80
330
-
G. CARTER
21
89
80
81
80
330
-
Jack ROWE
23
83
83
85
80
331
-
Alfred TOOGOOD
24
87
83
85
77
332
-
David MCEWAN
25
89
83
80
81
333
-
Harry KIDD
25
84
90
82
77
333
-
Alex SMITH
25
85
84
84
80
333
-
Charles ROBERTS
25
86
83
84
80
333
-
James KINNELL
29
89
79
80
86
334
-
J.H. OKE
29
86
85
82
81
334
-
Harry CAWSEY
31
85
93
77
80
335
-
H.H. BARKER
31
89
81
82
83
335
-
W. MCEWAN
31
79
89
85
82
335
-
C.E. DICK
34
85
83
82
86
336
-
J. HEPBURN
34
80
88
79
89
336
-
James EDMUNDSON
36
85
86
82
84
337
-
E.P. GAUDIN
37
88
88
82
80
338
-
Robert THOMSON
37
86
87
85
80
338
-
Albert TINGEY
37
87
84
88
79
338
-
Wifred REID
37
85
87
82
84
338
-
Arthur MITCHELL
41
94
83
81
81
339
-
Ernest GRAY
41
87
84
83
85
339
-
William HORNE
41
91
80
81
87
339
-
Peter MCEWAN
41
85
85
88
81
339
-
C.H. CORLETT
45
90
83
82
85
340
-
P. WYNNE
46
90
83
85
84
342
-
Fred LEACH
46
88
87
86
81
342
-
Ben SAYERS JR
46
86
83
86
87
342
-
Ben SAYERS
46
86
83
86
87
342
-
Harry HAMILL
50
86
87
84
86
343
-
J.D. EDGAR
50
86
88
82
87
343
-
Peter RAINFORD
50
85
84
87
87
343
-
J.W. TAYLOR
53
90
92
81
81
344
-
James KAY
54
87
84
91
84
346
-
F.A. LARKE
55
91
86
84
86
347
-
E. RISEBRO
56
90
92
87
82
351
-
William LEWIS
56
93
91
80
87
351
-
William MACNAMARA
56
87
89
88
87
351
-
A.J. HOWLETT
Wd
91
89
87
-
-
-
Ernest FOORD
Wd
89
83
81
-
-
-
A. DAY
Wd
93
82
85
-
-
-
David STEPHENSON
Wd
84
87
81
-
-
-
Rowland JONES
Wd
90
85
-
-
-
M/C
A. DENHOLM
Wd
90
87
-
-
-
M/C
A.J. LEWIS
Wd
86
86
-
-
-
M/C
Andrew KIRKALDY
Wd
84
87
-
-
-
M/C