Sports History On This Day: June 23

June 23, 1922 – The British Open Men’s Golf tournament at the Royal St George’s Golf Club wrapped up. Walter Hagen became the first American-born winner of the Open Championship. It was not an easy victory for Hagen to say the least.

Walter’s overall 3-day score of 300 ended up 1 stroke ahead of runners-up were American Jim Barnes and England’s George Duncan who both shot 301 for the tourney according to an Associated Press story in the June 24, 1922, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Open started its history back in 1860, and since its conception, the tournament has been played in either Scotland, Ireland, or England every year.

I am sure the Brits were none too pleased that a Yank won their prestigious tourney of the links. Hagen would go on to take home the Claret-Jug three more times in his illustrious career to go along with winning the U.S. Open twice, the PGA Championship a record five times, and the Western Open a handful of tries too.

To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.

newspaper clipping from June 24, 1922 showing three golfers, one is Walter Hagen, the first American-born winner of the Open Championship
The photo is courtesy of Newspapers.com from the 24 Jun 1922, Sat The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California) Special thanks to the resources of Newspapers.com and OnThisDay.com for the information obtained.

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