1939 - Men (All)
The winners in the category "1939 - Men (All)" are shown in the table below, which also includes relevant information on venues, scores and prize money.
Majors
x
The Masters Tournament (6th) (Mar 30-Apr 2). Second-placed Sam Snead (USA) finished 1 shot behind Guldahl (USA). It was third time lucky for Guldahl, who was runner-up in the previous two Masters Tournaments. [Augusta National GC, Augusta, GA].
Majors
R&A
The Open Championship (74th) (July 5-7). Second-placed Johnny Bulla (USA) finished 2 shots behind Burton (Eng), who became the player to hold the famous Claret Jug for the longest period of time - seven years. Due to World War II, The Open was not played again until 1946. [The Old Course, St Andrews, Fife].
Majors
USGA
The US Open (43rd) (June 8-12). Nelson (USA) beat Craig Wood (USA) in the second of two 18-hole playoffs. First playoff: Nelson 68 (-1), Wood 68 (-1), Denny Shute 76 (+7; eliminated). Second playoff: Nelson 70 (+1), Wood 73 (+4). [Spring Mill course, Philadelphia CC, Gladwyne, nr Philadelphia, PA].
Majors
PGA of America
The US PGA Championship (22nd) (July 9-15). Picard (USA) beat Byron Nelson (USA) 1-up after 37 holes in the final. Picard recorded birdies at the 36th and 37th holes to seal the match. [Pomonok CC, Queens, NYC, NY. The course ceased to exist in 1949].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (50th). Kyle (Scot) beat A.A. Duncan (Wales) 2 and 1 in the final. [Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, Wirral, Merseyside].
Amateur
USGA
The US Amateur Championship (43rd) (Sept 11-16). Marvin "Bud" Ward (USA) beat Raymond Billows (USA) 7 and 5 in the 36-hole final. [North Shore CC, Glenview, nr Chicago, IL].
America
x
Played as the inaugural Anthracite Open (June 23-25). Second-placed Sam Snead (USA) finished 6 shots behind Henry Picard (USA). [Scranton CC, Scranton, Pennsylvania].
Played as the Argentine Open (Abierto de la Republica/Argentina). Pose (Arg) beat Emilio Serra (Arg) in a playoff. [Ranelagh GC, Buenos Aires].
America
WGA
Played as the Western Open (July 21-23). Second-placed Lloyd Mangrum (USA) finished 1 shot behind Byron Nelson (USA). [No.3 Course, Medinah CC, Bloomingdale, nr Chicago, IL; early rounds also played on the par-70 No.1 course].
America
x
Played as the Canadian Open (Aug 17-19). Second-placed Ralph Guldahl (USA) finished 5 shots behind Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA). [Riverside CC, Rothesay, NB].
America
x
Chicago Open not played in 1939.
America
Dapper Dan
Played as the inaugural Dapper Dan Open (Aug 11-13; next played in 1948). Ralph Guldahl (USA) beat Densmore "Denny" Shute (USA) and Gene Sarazen (USA) in an 18-hole Monday playoff (Guldahl 70, Shute 74, Sarazen 75). [Wildwood CC, Allison Park, nr Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; now called Wildwood GC].
America
x
Played as the Los Angeles Open (Jan 6-9). Second-placed Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA) finished 7 shots behind Demaret (USA), who recorded his second PGA Tour win. [Wilson course, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA].
America
Hershey
Played as the Hershey Open (Sept 1-3). Second-placed Jimmy Hines (USA) and Ben Hogan (USA) finished 2 shots behind Felix Serafin (USA), who recorded the last of his four PGA Tour wins. [West Course, Hershey CC, Hershey, PA].
America
Metropolitan GA
Played as the Metropolitan Open (May 25-29). After the regulation 72 holes, Henry Picard (USA), Paul Runyan (USA) and Vic Ghezzi (USA) were tied at 283. In a Sunday afternoon 18-hole playoff, Picard and Runyan had 70s; Ghezzi was eliminated with 77. In the subsequent Monday 18-hole playoff, Picard (2-under 69) beat Runyan (71), who was playing on his home course. [Metropolis CC, White Plains, NY].
Played as the Miami Biltmore Four-Ball.
America
x
Played as the Miami Open (Dec 14-17). Second-placed and defending champion Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA) finished 2 shots behind Sam Snead (USA), who won this event for the second time in three years. [Miami Springs G&CC, Miami, FL; at the time known as Miami Springs Municipal Course].
America
x
Played as the New Orleans Open (Feb 16-19). Second-placed Dick Metz (USA) finished 5 shots behind Henry Picard (USA). [Bayou Oaks at City Park, New Orleans, LA. Played on what was known as City Park's No.1 (East) course; now part of the South course).
America
x
Played as the North & South Open (March 21-23). Second-placed Horton Smith (USA) finished 2 shots behind Byron Nelson (USA). [No.2 Course, Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina].
America
x
Played as the Oakland Open (Jan 12-15). Dick Metz (USA) beat E.J. "Dutch" Harrison (USA) in an 18-hole Monday playoff (Metz 69, Harrison 70). [Sequoyah CC, Oakland, California].
America
x
Played as the Panama Open. Won by defending champion Vincent (USA). [GC de Panama, Panama City, Panama].
America
Bing Crosby
Played as the Bing Crosby Pro-Am (Jan 28/29; 36-hole event). Second-placed Byron Nelson (USA) and Horton Smith (USA) finished 1 shot behind Dutch Harrison (USA). [Rancho Sante Fe GC, nr San Diego, CA].
America
x
Played as the Phoenix Open (Feb 3-5; 54-hole tournament; last played in 1935). Second-placed Ben Hogan (USA) finished 12 shots behind Nelson (USA). [Phoenix CC, Phoenix, AZ].
Played as the St Petersburg Open.
America
x
Played as the Texas Open (Feb 10-12). Second-placed Sam Byrd (USA) finished 2 shots behind E.J. "Dutch" Harrison (USA). Stealing the headlines was Harold "Jug" McSpaden, who shot a Tour record 59 in the pre-tournament practice round. [Brackenridge Park GC, San Antonio, TX].
America
x
Played as the Thomasville Open (Feb 25/26). Second-placed Johnny Bulla (USA) finished 1 shot behind Henry Picard (USA). [Glen Arven CC, Thomasville, Georgia].
America
x
Played as the Greater Greensboro Open (March 23-26). Second-placed Lawson Little (USA) and Clayton Heafner (USA) finished 3 shots behind Guldahl (USA). [Sedgefield CC and Starmount Forest CC, Greensboro, NC].
Europe
x
Played as the Belgian Open (25th) (Aug 9-11). Max Faulkner (Eng) finished 1 shot behind home-country winner van Donck (Belg), who shot a level par 70 in the final round. [GC des Fagnes, Spa, Ardennes, Belgium].
Europe
x
News of the World Match Play not played due to World War II.
Europe
Daily Mail
Played as the Daily Mail £2000 Tournament. Cotton (Eng) beat Archie Compston (Eng) in a 36-hole playoff (Cotton 141, Compston 145). [Queen's Park GC, Bournemouth, Dorset, England].
Europe
x
Played as the Dutch Open (June 17/18). Second-placed Cecil Denny (Eng) finished 6 shots behind Locke (S Africa). [Kennemer G&CC, Zandvoort, Netherlands].
Europe
x
Played as the Swiss Open (for the first time over 72-hole, and for the last time until 1948, due to World War II). Second-placed James Peterson (Eng) finished shots behind Firmin "Fifi" Cavalo (Fra). [GC Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans-Montana, Switzerland].
Europe
x
Played as the Open de France. Second-placed T.E. Odams (Eng) finished 1 shot behind Pose (Arg). [La Mer course, Le Touquet GC, Nord-Pas-de-Calais].
Played as the German Open (for the last time until 1951 due to World War II). Won for the third straight year by Cotton (Eng). [Mittelrheinischer Golfclub, Bad Ems, nr Koblenz].
Europe
x
Played as the Irish Open. Second-placed Reg Whitcombe (Eng) finished 2 shots behind Lees (Eng). [Royal County Down GC, Newcastle, Co. Down, N. Ireland].
Europe
Penfold
Played as the Penfold £1,000 League Tournament (12 top British professionals played against each other in a league format; they played two matches per day). Winner Cotton (Eng) won nine of his eleven matches (and lost two) for a total of 18 pts. Second-placed Charles Whitcombe (Eng) also finished on 18 pts, but he won only eight matches and halved two. Defending champion Percy Alliss (Eng) came last out of the 12 players, winning only one of his matches. [Little Aston GC, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield, Warwicks].
Europe
Silvertown Co.
Played as the Silver King Tournament (for the last time until 1946, due to WW2). Padgham (Eng) beat Dick Burton in a 36-hole playoff. Burton retired after 33 holes, with Padgham 9 shots ahead at the time. [High course, Moor Park GC, Rickmansworth, Herts].
Europe
x
Not played due to the Spanish Civil War.
Europe
Yorkshire Eve. News
Played as the Yorkshire Evening News £750 Tournament (June 8-10; played for the last time until 1945, due to WW2). Dai Rees (Wales) beat Jack Hargreaves (Eng) at the 37th hole in the final. [Temple Newsam GC, Leeds, West Yorkshire].
Asia
x
Played as the Philippine Open. Second-placed Seisui Chin (Jpn) and Rokuzo Asami (Jpn) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Norman Von Nida (Aus). [East course, Wack Wack G&CC, Manila, Philippines].
Played as the Japan Open (June 7-9; Japanese major ch'ship). Won by Toichira Toda (Jpn). [Hirono GC, Shijimi, Miki, Hyogo, Japan].
Japan
Japan E&W PGAs
Played as the Japan PGA Championship (Oct 18-21; Japanese major ch'ship). Defending champion Toda (Jpn) beat Tomekichi Miyamoto (Jpn) 3 and 2 in the final. [Fuji course, Kawana Hotel, Ito, Shizuoka].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Australian Open (Aug 24-26). Second-placed Norman Von Nida (Aus) and Martin Smith (Aus) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Ferrier (Aus, amateur). [West course, Royal Melbourne GC, Victoria, Aus].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the Australian PGA Ch'ship. Teddy Naismith (Aus) beat his brother George Naismith (Aus) 7 and 5 in the final.
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the New Zealand Open. Second-placed Alex Murray (NZ) finished 3 shots behind John Hornabrook (NZ, amateur), who won this event for the second time in three years. [Miramar GC, Wellington, NZ].
Aus/NZ
x
Played as the New Zealand PGA Championship (Nov 12-15). Alex Murray (Eng/NZ) beat Tom Galloway (NZ) 8 and 6 in the 36-hole final. [Miramar GC, Wellington, NZ].
Africa
SA Golf Union
Played as the South African Professional Match Play Ch'ship. Defending champion Locke (S Africa) beat M. Goldsmith 12 and 11 in the 36-hole final. [Durban CC, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa].
Played as the South African Open. Second-placed Bobby Bodmer (amateur) and Clarence Olander (S Africa, amateur) finished 8 shots behind Locke (S Africa). This was the fourth of nine South African Open wins for Locke, and third straight win in the event. [Durban CC, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa].
Awards
PGA of America
Nelson (USA) won the PGA of America Vardon Trophy, based on a season-long points accumulation.
Awards
PGA of America
Picard (USA) was the PGA Tour 1939 leading money winner, with earnings of $10,300 on the Tour.
Awards
British PGA
Whitcombe (Eng) won the Harry Vardon Trophy as the British PGA Tour 1939 Order of Merit winner. Award based on a points system for finishes in the season's top professional events. In previous and subsequent years, the Trophy was awarded for the lowest scoring average. If this method had been used in 1939, Sam King (Eng), with an average of 72.87, would have prevailed over Whitcombe (73.00).
Chevron Championship: Carlton Woods near Houston in Texas provides the stage for the first women’s major championship of 2025, where Nelly Korda defends her title. (April 24-27).
Soudal Open: successor to the Belgian Open, the Soudal Open takes place on the quiet, wooded North course of Rinkven Golfclub. Belgian stars Thomas Pieters and Nicolas Colsaerts will be vying for top honours. (May 22-25).
Rory McIlroy: with his 2025 win in The Masters, Rory joined the pantheon of golfing greats who have achieved a career Grand Slam of men’s majors ... Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are the only others in this select band.
Bernhard Langer: he may have played in his last Masters Tournament, but the 67-year-old German will be trying to extend his own record, and win a 13th senior major title at the 36th Regions Tradition. (May 15-18).
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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