Cotton had lost what would surely have been several of his best golfing years to World War II, but at Muirfield he cemented his status as the finest British player of his generation.

A second-round 66 sent him clear of the field and he went on to win by a comfortable five-stroke margin.

Cotton was out early in the final round and had to wait some time to see if his total of 284 - completed with a bogey at the last - would be enough. In the end, nobody else got close.