See more
A 20-year-old ex-caddie took down two of the game's greats. We detail how Francis Ouimet won the 1913 U.S. Open.
Is Greatest Game Ever Played a true story?
The Greatest Game Ever Played is a 2005 American biographical sports film based on the early life of amateur golf champion Francis Ouimet and his surprise winning of the 1913 U.S. Open. The film was directed by Bill Paxton, and was his last film as a director.
How did Eddie Lowery become millionaire?
He became a multi-millionaire as an auto dealer in San Francisco. Lowery and Bob Hope were friends and they both played in the 1951 British Amateur. He enjoyed sponsoring young amateur golfers, such as two of his employees: Venturi and Ward.
What happened in the 1913 U.S. Open?
The 1913 U.S. Open was the 19th U.S. Open, held September 18–20 at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, a suburb southwest of Boston. Amateur Francis Ouimet, age 20, won his only U.S. Open title in an 18-hole playoff, five strokes ahead of Britons Harry Vardon and Ted Ray.
Is Francis Ouimet real?
Francis DeSales Ouimet (/wiːˈmɛt/) (May 8, 1893 – September 2, 1967) was an American amateur golfer who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the U.S. Open in 1913 and was the first non-Briton elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
Who is Eddie Lowery?
Eddie Lowery was born in Newton, Mass., on Oct. 14, 1902 – the second of seven children from a poor Irish family. He is most widely remembered as the 10-year-old who caddied for Francis Ouimet – a 20-year-old amateur from meager means – when Ouimet took down Ted Ray and Harry Vardon in a playoff at the 1913 U.S. Open.
Did Francis Ouimet ever marry?
Francis and Stella Ouimet were married on Sept. 11, 1918, and writer Bernard Darwin's mother died on Sept. 11, 1876, four days after giving birth to him. Ouimet's wife was the sister of John Sullivan, a former schoolboy rival he had once defeated in the first round of the Boston Interscholastic Championship.
Was President Taft at the 1913 US Open?
Briton's Final Putt Does It. Ex-President Taft Is Among Spectators. For the first time in the history of the U.S. Open, the size of the field necessitated two 36-hole qualifying rounds, with the low 64 players and ties advancing to the Open proper.
Which golf legend is known as the king?
Nicknamed The King, Palmer was one of golf's most popular stars and seen as a trailblazer, the first superstar of the sport's television age, which began in the 1950s....Arnold PalmerNicknameThe KingBornSeptember 10, 1929 Latrobe, Pennsylvania, U.S.DiedSeptember 25, 2016 (aged 87) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.27 more rows
Who won the 1912 U.S. Open?
John McDermottMcDermott, age 20, was already a two-time U.S. Open champion, but by 1914 his golf career was over....1912 U.S. Open (golf)Tournament informationWinner's share$300ChampionJohn McDermott294 (−2)11 more rows
What happened to Francis Ouimet after the US Open?
Following his 1914 U.S. Amateur victory, Ouimet, with his brother-in-law, opened his own sporting goods store. The USGA ruled it a violation of his amateur status — he was profiting on his golf reputation, the governing body said — and stripped Ouimet of his amateur status.
Was Sarah Wallis a real person?
Sarah Wallis, also known as Sarah Armstrong Montgomery Green Wallis (1825–1905) was an early Anglophone settler in California and first President of the California Woman Suffrage Educational Association.
Who was the only amateur to win the US Open?
The 1933 U.S. Open was the 37th U.S. Open, held June 8–10 at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago. Amateur Johnny Goodman outlasted Ralph Guldahl by a single stroke to win his only major championship.
Who did Ouimet praise in his American Golfer piece?
Ouimet closed his American Golfer piece with praise for Lowery, Vardon and Ray: Lowery “was a veritable inspiration all around.” As for Vardon and Ray, “I can say only that I admire them as fine golfers and good types of sportsmen, and am only sorry that all three of us could not win."
Who shot 77-74 in 1913?
Small Chance of Heading Them Off Now. (Boston Daily Globe, Sept. 19, 1913) Ouimet shot 77-74–151, tied for seventh, four shots behind co-leader Vardon and two shots behind Ray. Ray, after opening with a disappointing 79, broke the course record with a 70 in his second round.
How many yards did Ouimet putt for a 3?
But at the 360-yard 17 th, he holed what Leach called a “twelve yards putt for a 3. That was a great putt for America and a great 3.” Ouimet wrote, “my putt felt good from the moment I hit it.”
How many holes did Ouimet play to tie Vardon and Ray?
When he reached the 13 th tee, Ouimet knew he needed to play the remaining six holes in 2 under par to tie Vardon and Ray. He got the first birdie by chipping in at the 13 th, the report of which caused Vardon and Ray to venture out to the 14 th hole to watch the young amateur finish.
What was the score of Ouimet in qualifying?
Playing on the first day of qualifying, Ouimet shot 74-78–152, which looked like it was going to top the standings, until Vardon (75-76–151) sank a long putt on his final hole. Writer D.J. McGuiness referred to Ouimet as “a player considered by experts as the golfing sensation of the year.”.
Who capitalized on the 14th hole in the game of Vardon?
Vardon closed within a stroke with a birdie at the 13 th, but both Englishmen failed to capitalize on a topped brassie shot by Ouimet at the 14 th, where all made 5s.
Who made the turn in 38?
All three players made the turn in 38, and when Vardon and Ray both three-putted the 10 th, Ouimet had a lead he would never relinquish. He picked up another stroke at the 12 th, with a 4 to the Englishmen's 5s. “About this time it dawned upon me that even against two such wonderful players there might be a chance of landing the title, with which thought I resolved that if they beat me it would be only by playing better than par golf,” Ouimet wrote.
Who were the two opponents in the 1913 US Open?
1913 US Open: Ouimet's Unlikely Victory Spurs Growth of US Golf. Francis Ouimet (middle) is flanked by Harry Vardon (left) and Ted Ray, his two opponents in the playoff at the 1913 US Open. Bettmann/Getty Images.
What did Ouimet show about golf?
And Ouimet, being a former caddie - a "commoner" - showed that golf didn't have to be a game only for the wealthy and privileged. "Regular" people could enjoy the game, too.
How many titles did Ouimet win?
Ouimet's lead was only one stroke after 16, but a birdie on the 17th essentially sealed his unlikely victory. Ouimet went on to win two U.S. Amateur titles, remaining an amateur throughout his life. Two-time defending champion John McDermott finished eighth.
Who was favored over Ouimet?
Ray and the legendary Vardon were on an exhibition tour of the United States, which is how they came to play in the U.S. Open (travel across the Atlantic for golf tournaments was very rare in these days). Vardon was favored over the field, and Vardon and Ray - and just about everyone else - were favored over Ouimet.
Who won the David vs Goliath tournament?
That's because the tournament was won by a little-known amateur, a former caddie named Francis Ouimet, a native-born American who defeated two British titans in a playoff. So it was a David-vs.-Goliath (s) story that caught the public imagination.
Who was favored over Ray and Vardon?
Vardon was favored over the field, and Vardon and Ray - and just about everyone else - were favored over Ouimet. Vardon shared the 36-hole lead with Ray two back and Ouimet four behind. Those three were tied for the lead following the third round.
About This Photograph
Francis Ouimet, a former caddie who rose from very humble beginnings, put golf on the map in terms of American interest by pulling off one of the greatest upsets in major championship history. At the 1913 U.S. Open, Ouimet, the 20-year-old amateur, birdied the 71st hole to tie English stalwarts Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, forcing an 18-hole playoff.
White Glove Service
Contact our imaging experts for special requests, including custom finishing and other design needs. We are able to create custom pieces to meet your personal aesthetic and archival needs, featuring products such as Hahnemühle Photo Rag archival paper, Larson-Juhl frames and other selected manufacturers.
When did Ouimet win the Amateur?
Ouimet later won the 1914 U.S. Amateur. In 1931, he won the U.S. Amateur again at age 38.
When was Francis Ouimet shot?
Francis Ouimet posing for a shot on May 13, 1926 on the roof of the Savoy…
Who wrote the first facts, feas and failures in the world of golf?
Ken Janke, First, Facts, Feats and Failures in the World of Golf, 2007, John Wiley & Sons Inc. New Jersey, p. 11.
How many yards did Ouimet need to tie the score?
Ouimet needed a 3 on the 360-yards seventeenth to tie the score at that point of Vardon and Ray. His drive was good; his approach six yards past the cup brought a smile to the face of his mother, watching from the wall at the back of the green. Jerome Travers had a grip of my shoulder and I knew once more where the strength came from, which had helped to win his fourth amateur championship at Garden City two weeks before.
Where was the 1913 Open played?
The 1913 event was played at the course Ouimet knew best, The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Ouimet originally declined to play, having just returned from an absence from work to play in the National Amateur. His participation in the Open was soon arranged, however, with the cooperation of his employer.
How old was Ouimet when he started playing golf?
Ouimet became interested in golf at an early age and started caddying at The Country Club at the age of 11. Using clubs from his brother and balls he found around the course, he taught himself to play. His game soon caught the eye of many country club members and caddie master Dan MacNamara.
Why did Ouimet use the overlapping grip?
Two other aspects of Ouimet's golf career are important: He used the overlapping grip to hold the club and was among the first top players to use this method. He very likely used the grip to emulate Vardon, who often is credited with developing the grip. Many great golf champions since have used this technique. The method is named for the "overlapping' of the little finger of the top hand between the forefinger and middle finger of the bottom hand. Ouimet mentored and encouraged the young Gene Sarazen, who developed into one of golf's greatest champions.
How many strokes did Ouimet win?
Disney's film took artistic license, portraying the win as having been by a single stroke when, in reality, Ouimet won by five strokes.
When did Ouimet win his first major?
In 1913, Ouimet won his first significant title at age 20, the Massachusetts Amateur, an event he won five more times. He participated in the U.S. Amateur at the Garden City Golf Club in Long Island, New York, in early September, losing in the quarterfinals to the eventual champion, Jerome Travers.
Who is the father of golf?
Ouimet celebrating his victory with Eddie Lowery, his 10-year-old caddie with a white towel over his shoulders. Francis DeSales Ouimet (May 8, 1893 – September 2, 1967) was an American amateur golfer who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States.
Who is the father of amateur golf?
Francis Ouimet. Francis DeS ales Ouimet (May 8, 1893 – September 2, 1967) was an American amateur golfer who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the U.S. Open in 1913 and was the first non-Briton elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
What was the US Open in 1913?
As the 1913 US Open approached, golf was excited about itself, and those involved knew they had a tiger by the tail, and they also knew the 1913 US Open was going to be something big. As it turns out they were right, it was like no other golf tournament that had been played to date. First, applications flooded United States Golf Association headquarters resulting in the need to run qualifying rounds, unheard of until then so a process had to be established. Once the process was in place they found they needed one more player to have a complete field for the qualifying rounds and time was running out. Travel in 1913 was difficult and expensive. Professional golfers were not very highly paid and often times needed sponsorship to play in distant tournaments. Most also worked for country and golf clubs, so "in season" they needed to make arrangements for time off. With the tournament coming up in 2 weeks the USGA scanned the Boston area golf scene for a player and came upon the name Francis Ouimet. Francis had just won the Massachusetts Amateur Championship, made a strong showing at the United States Amateur, lived directly across the street from The Country Club in Brookline so travel would be no problem and was employed by George Wright, Boston's number 1 golf enthusiast and friend of the United States Golf Association so time off for a qualifying round would not be a problem.
How many majors did the 1913 Open have?
The second unusual circumstance for the tournament was the quality of the field, as of the 1913 Open it was clearly the best field ever assembled. Not including Francis Ouimet, Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, the next 16 top finishers have a combined 41 major tournament victories. Add in Ouimet, Vardon and Ray and that number swells to 53 career majors for 18 players.
Who were the two British golf writers?
Stir in Henry Leach and Bernard Darwin the great British Golf writers, Lord Northcliffe, Darwin's employer, and the sponsor of multiple British professionals, add in that many British golfers and writers voiced disparaging remarks on the level of play in American golf and before you you know it you've got yourself a very important international golf tournament.
