Winning a major in golf is very much what most are in the game for and for some, they go their entire career without even getting a sniff.
While the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Gary Player have multiple majors to their name, some golfers simply cannot get over the line.
For some, it’s a case of not quite being good enough and being content with making a good career on the PGA Tour one way or another.
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For others, though, there are serious cases of bad luck or outside circumstances that cost them their dreams.
And for former PGA Tour player Ed Oliver, that’s exactly the boat he found himself in at the 1940 US Open.
Why Ed Oliver was disqualified despite leading the 1940 US Open
Just reading the headline makes you shake your head, so imagine the feeling of being Ed Oliver after walking off at the 1940 US Open knowing you were in contention to win.
Oliver had finished his tournament as a joint leader with Gene Sarazen and Lawson Little and was due to head to a playoff to decide a winner.
However, in what ended up being a career defining decision, Oliver had opted to tee off – of his own accord – some 30 minutes earlier than his scheduled tee time.
Due to bad weather, Oliver got himself out there early but after being rumbled by officials, he was immediately disqualified after finishing the tournament. Indeed, alongside Oliver, another five players were also given their marching orders.
In the end, it was Lawson Little who beat out Sarazen to win.
Ed Oliver’s PGA Tour career
Unfortunately for Oliver, this was as close as he would ever get to winning a major.
He did record second place finishes in the US Open in 52, The Masters in 53 and the PGA in 1946, but he never quite got over the line.
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Of course, he still managed a good career, winning eight times on the PGA Tour, with 18 years between his first and last professional wins.
Sadly, Oliver passed away at the tender age of 46 with no major win to his name and the tales of 1940 very much still a talking point from his era.
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