Johnny Farrell Best Dressed at Oakmont

Along with Bobby Jones, who was a big favorite, Farrell was one of the lesser favorited according to Walter Hagen and when the prize fund of $2,000 was divided up and most of that eaten up by the top four, Farrell saw very little from the top 10 finish.

But Farrell earned double the prize money that Armour earned, not for his play but for being the best-dressed professional.

Dave Frankel, of apparel company Graff Inc., announced the competition and chaired a committee that included Thomas Payne of the USGA, Joe Williams, sports editor of the New York Telegram, and Walter Hagen, who had won the first three competitions.

Before the 1927 competition, the winner received five suits, but for the Oakmont Open, Frankel decided to add a financial prize double that of the U.S. Open winner, as well as the suits.

“This prize is just twice what the winner of the championship will receive from the United States Golf Association, but I think any of us would much prefer the winner’s $500 to the best dressed player’s $1,000,” Hagen wrote as a Special Correspondent to a newspaper alliance. “I wish here to warn some of the boys that they are overdoing it a bit in regalia; some of the costumes are altogether too elaborate. Good taste counts.”

Farrell won his only U.S. Open in 1928 at Olympia Fields in a playoff over Jones, winning $500.