1948: Ben Hogan Clinches Denver Open Title
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On August 23, 1948, Ben Hogan shot a final round 76 to win the Denver Open Invitational Championship by one stroke over Fred Haas, Jr., held at the Wellshire Country Club.
This was the sixth win in a row for Hogan (which remains a tie for the third-longest winning streak in professional golf), having previously won:
- U. S. Open
- Inverness Round Robin (with Jimmy Demaret)
- Motor City Open
- Reading Open
- Western Open
This Day in 1948 Hogan History: Ben Hogan Wins the Denver Open Invitational Championship by One Stroke Over Fred Haas, Jr
The Mayor of Denver, Quigg Newton addressing the 3,000 plus attendees at the awards ceremony: “And now, I’d like to present our new champion with a check for $2,150 – ladies and gentlemen, Ben Hogan!”
After a long pause “Ben, are you here?”
After another long pause the runner-up Fred Haas, Jr. came up to accept his second-place check. The Rocky Mountain News wrote about the incident the next day:
“Hogan’s walkout climaxed a long series of unpleasant incidents in which the Hershey prima donna let one and all know that he is good – and that he knows it. He refused flatly to appear in Wednesday’s clinic. Asked by a respectful radio reporter to say a few words to listeners, he refused flatly. With oaths, he refused a most reasonable request of photographers who sought to snap him along with the obliging Haas and cooperative Cary Middlecoff. But it was noted that Hogan – the same Hogan – was running after and pleading with photographers to picture him alongside some noted army brass in the gallery. He refused a seven-year-old an autograph, saying “Go away.””
Hogan denied the accusations in the article explaining:
“I had to catch a 5:30 train to Salt Lake City. When I finished, I didn’t think I had a chance to win – but as I entered my hotel my wife said the radio reported I had won. I immediately called the tournament headquarters and asked Mr. Dawson to accept my apologies. He said he would tell the other officials – but apparently my message went astray.”
– Ben Hogan