hi Go Navy
i think interest in the Open started in the USA when Hogan won in 1958 but it was not till as you said when Arny started coming over that it really took of in the USA. it has always been the biggest and most wanted to win tournament over here and in Europe and i still think most players from the USA still want to with that claret jug more than the prise money. in 1971 Trevino won with a score of 10 under and a purse of only £5500 and he won in 1972 and still only won £5500 for a score of 6 under.
back then the prise money was not that good to tempt many players from the USA and Hogan only played once in the open over here but when Arny Palmer started playing he seemed to inject a feeling for other players from the USA to want to come and play and learn links golf. many found links golf so diffrent to what that played in the USA but most loved it and came back.
cheers
bill

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