The 1891 Open Championship was the 31st

Open Championship The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...

, held 6 October at the

Old Course at St Andrews The Old Course at St Andrews, also known as the Old Lady or the Grand Old Lady, is considered the oldest golf course. It is a public course over common land in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and is held in trust by the St Andrews Links Trust under ...

Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Hugh Kirkaldy Hugh Kirkaldy (5 June 1868 – 4 April 1897) was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the late 19th century. He won the 1891 Open Championship. Early life Kirkaldy was born on 5 June 1868 at St Andrews, Scotland. His brothers, Andrew ...

won by two strokes from his brother Andrew Kirkaldy and Willie Fernie. This was the last Open Championship contested in a single day over 36 holes. The 1892 Open was contested over 72 holes played on two successive days. Entries closed on the Saturday before the event but a number of players entered on the Monday and "the committee declined to accept them". These late entries were later allowed to compete "under protest" but received no prize-money. Hugh Kirkaldy had the best round of the morning. He three-putted the first two holes but still reached the turn in 39. Playing into a strong wind, he came back in 44 for a round of 83. He was closely followed by four players on 84. Willie More reached the turn in 40, coming back in 44. Andrew Kirkaldy had one of the better back nines of 43 to also score 84. The others on 84 were Fernie and

Davie Grant Davie Grant, Sr. (16 July 1860 – 24 June 1903) was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the late 19th century. Grant was a frequent competitor in the Open Championship in the 1880s and 1890s and was very consistent with his results. Hi ...

, "one of the late entrants". Rain fell heaving for most of the afternoon but the wind was slightly lighter. Hugh Kirkaldy had seven fours in an outward 38 but took five on every hole on the back nine to come home in 45, a round of 83 and a total of 166. More disappointed with an 87 was Andrew Kirkaldy who had reached the turn in 39 and still reached the 17th tee in a strong position. However he took six at the 17th and then missed a "longish putt" at the last which would have tied his brother. He eventually three-putted for another six. Fernie reached the turn in 42 but had an excellent 42 coming home to tie with Andrew Kirkaldy. None of the other players challenged Hugh Kirkaldy although the amateur

Samuel Mure Fergusson {{Infobox golfer , name = Samuel Mure Fergusson , image = Samuel Mure Fergusson c1895.jpg , image_size = 250px , caption = Fergusson c. 1895 , fullname = , nickname = , birth_da ...

had a three at the last to take fourth place. The 1891 Open was the last time there was a play-off for prize money. Andrew Kirkaldy and Fernie played an 18 hole play-off on the following day. Kirkaldy won and took the second prize, Fernie taking third prize. "The day was beautifully fine, and the players had a large following".

Final leaderboard

''Tuesday, 6 October 1891'' Nineteen-year-old

William Auchterlonie William "Willie" Auchterlonie (7 August 1872 – 27 February 1963) was a Scottish professional golfer. He was a native of St Andrews. He won the 1893 Open Championship at the age of and he remains the second youngest Open Champion after Tom M ...

, the 1893 Champion, played as an amateur. David Brown and

Tom Vardon Thomas Alfred Vardon (11 October 1874 – 13 October 1938) was a professional golfer from Jersey, Channel Islands, and the brother of golfer Harry Vardon, whom he sometimes played against professionally. From 1892 to 1909 he played in 18 Open Cham ...

entered late and received no prize money.

Playoff

''Wednesday, 7 October 1891'' Andrew Kirkaldy beat Willie Fernie in an 18-hole play-off for the second and third prizes. Kirkaldy scored 85 and won £6, Fernie scored 87 and took home £5.

References

External links

St Andrews 1891 (Official site)
{{coord, 56.043, -2.823, type:event, display=title The Open Championship Golf tournaments in Scotland