1975 Open Championship

1975 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates	9–13 July 1975
Location	Angus, Scotland
Course(s)	Carnoustie Golf Links; Championship Course
Tour(s)	European Tour; PGA Tour
Statistics
Par	72
Length	7,065 yards (6,460 m)
Field	153 players; 86 after 1st cut; 63 after 2nd cut
Cut	149 (+5) (1st cut) ; 221 (+5) (2nd cut)
Prize fund	£75,000; $165,000
Winner's share	£7,500; $16,500
Champion
	Tom Watson
	279 (−9), playoff
	← 1974 1976 →

Carnoustie

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Location in Scotland

The 1975 Open Championship was the 104th Open Championship, played 9–13 July at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland. In his first Open, Tom Watson won an 18-hole playoff by one stroke over Jack Newton to win the first of his eight major titles, which included five Open Championships.

Final round

After three days of calm weather, the wind kicked up during the final round on Saturday and scores went up. Bobby Cole, the leader at 54 holes after back-to-back rounds of 66, shot a four-over 76 and missed the playoff by a stroke. Watson managed an even-par 72, capped with a 20-foot (6 m) birdie putt on the 72nd hole to tie Newton, who shot 74 (+2).

Playoff

The Sunday playoff was back-and-forth in the rain and included a chip-in eagle by Watson at the 14th hole, the short par-5 named "Spectacles." Newton had chipped to within inches and tapped in for birdie. The two were tied at the 18th tee, the par-4 "Home" with the meandering Barry Burn.^[3] Watson was on the 90th green in two with about 25 feet (8 m) for birdie, but Newton's approach ended in the front left bunker. Newton's lengthy sand shot ran 10 feet (3 m) past the hole; his putt to save par and extend the match missed left and Watson won the title.^[4]^[5]

This was the second and final 18-hole playoff at the Open; the first was in 1970, won by Jack Nicklaus. The format was changed to a four-hole playoff in 1985, first used in 1989.^[6] Prior to 1964, the playoff at the Open was 36 holes.^[1]

Past champions in the field

Made both cuts

Player	Country	Year(s) won	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total	To par	Finish
Jack Nicklaus	United States	1966, 1970	69	71	68	72	280	−8	T3
Bob Charles	New Zealand	1963	74	73	70	69	286	−2	T12
Tom Weiskopf	United States	1973	73	72	70	72	287	−1	15
Arnold Palmer	United States	1961, 1962	74	72	69	73	288	E	T16
Roberto De Vicenzo	Argentina	1967	71	74	72	74	291	+3	T28
Gary Player	South Africa	1959, 1968, 1974	75	71	73	73	282	+4	T32
Lee Trevino	United States	1971, 1972	76	69	73	75	293	+5	T40
Kel Nagle	Australia	1960	72	73	73	75	293	+5	T40

Missed the second cut

Player	Country	Year(s) won	R1	R2	R3	Total	To par
Peter Thomson	Australia	1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965	73	75	81	229	+13

Missed the first cut

Player	Country	Year(s) won	R1	R2	Total	To par
Max Faulkner	England	1951	75	80	155	+11
Bobby Locke	South Africa	1949, 1950, 1952, 1957	82	80	162	+18

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 9 July 1975

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Peter Oosterhuis	England	68	−4
T2	David Huish	Scotland	69	−3
	Hale Irwin	United States
	Jack Newton	Australia
	Jack Nicklaus	United States
	Andries Oosthuizen	South Africa
	Bob Shearer	Australia
T8	Danny Edwards	United States	70	−2
	Simon Hobday	South Africa
	Paul Leonard	Northern Ireland
	Alan Tapie	United States

Second round

Thursday, 10 July 1975^[7]

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	David Huish	Scotland	69-67=136	−8
T2	Bobby Cole	South Africa	72-66=138	−6
	Peter Oosterhuis	England	68-70=138
	Andries Oosthuizen	South Africa	69-69=138
	Tom Watson	United States	71-67=138
T6	Bernard Gallacher	Scotland	72-67=139	−5
	Hale Irwin	United States	69-70=139
	Paul Leonard	Northern Ireland	70-69=139
	John Mahaffey	United States	71-68=139
	Graham Marsh	Australia	72-67=139

Amateurs: Stephen (+1), Poxon (+5), Stadler (+5), Price (+10), Levenson (+13).

Third round

Friday, 11 July 1975

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Bobby Cole	South Africa	72-66-66=204	−12
2	Jack Newton	Australia	69-71-65=205	−11
3	Johnny Miller	United States	71-69-66=206	−10
4	Tom Watson	United States	71-67-69=207	−9
T5	Neil Coles	England	72-69-67=208	−8
	Jack Nicklaus	United States	69-71-68=208
	Hale Irwin	United States	69-70-69=208
	John Mahaffey	United States	71-68-69=208
	Andries Oosthuizen	South Africa	69-69-70=208
T10	Alan Tapie	United States	70-72-67=209	−7
T10	Peter Oosterhuis	England	68-70-71=209	−7

Amateurs: Stadler (+7), Stephen (+7), Poxon (+11).

Final round

Saturday, 12 July 1975

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par	Money (£)
T1	Tom Watson	United States	71-67-69-72=279	−9	Playoff
T1	Jack Newton	Australia	69-71-65-74=279	−9	Playoff
T3	Jack Nicklaus	United States	69-71-68-72=280	−8	3,867
	Johnny Miller	United States	71-69-66-74=280
	Bobby Cole	South Africa	72-66-66-76=280
6	Graham Marsh	Australia	72-67-71-71=281	−7	3,000
T7	Peter Oosterhuis	England	68-70-71-73=282	−6	2,700
T7	Neil Coles	England	72-69-67-74=282	−6	2,700
9	Hale Irwin	United States	69-70-69-75=283	−5	2,400
T10	George Burns	United States	71-73-69-71=284	−4	2,125
T10	John Mahaffey	United States	71-68-69-76=284	−4	2,125

Source:^[8]

Playoff

Sunday, 13 July 1975

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par	Money (£)
1	Tom Watson	United States	36-35=71	−1	7,500
2	Jack Newton	Australia	36-36=72	E	6,000

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 61, 203. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
^ "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 61, 203–8. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
^ "Watson puts on his Sunday best". Glasgow Herald. 14 July 1975. p. 16. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
^ "Watson cashes eagle chip". Toledo Blade. Associated Press. 14 July 1975. p. 15. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
^ Jenkins, Dan (21 July 1975). "The beast brought out his best". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
^ Parascenzo, Marino (24 July 1989). "Calcavecchia wins British Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 9. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
^ "Cole tames Carnoustie". Toledo Blade. Associated Press. 10 July 1975. p. 40. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
^ "1975 Open Championship results". databasegolf.com. Retrieved 4 July 2012.

External links

56°29′49″N 2°43′01″W / 56.497°N 2.717°W / 56.497; -2.717

[ocmg11-1] "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 61, 203. Retrieved 3 July 2012.

[ocmg11_2038-2] "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 61, 203–8. Retrieved 3 July 2012.

[3] "Watson puts on his Sunday best". Glasgow Herald. 14 July 1975. p. 16. Retrieved 18 July 2013.

[tol75brord5-4] "Watson cashes eagle chip". Toledo Blade. Associated Press. 14 July 1975. p. 15. Retrieved 18 July 2013.

[sijl75bro-5] Jenkins, Dan (21 July 1975). "The beast brought out his best". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 18 July 2013.

[ppg89brord4-6] Parascenzo, Marino (24 July 1989). "Calcavecchia wins British Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 9. Retrieved 18 July 2013.

[tol75brord2-7] "Cole tames Carnoustie". Toledo Blade. Associated Press. 10 July 1975. p. 40. Retrieved 18 July 2013.

[dbg1975oc-8] "1975 Open Championship results". databasegolf.com. Retrieved 4 July 2012.

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