1975 Open Championship

Summary

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,[3][4][5] which included five Open Championships.

1975 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates9–13 July 1975
LocationAngus, Scotland
Course(s)Carnoustie Golf Links
Championship Course
Tour(s)European Tour
PGA Tour
Statistics
Par72[1]
Length7,065 yards (6,460 m)[1][2]
Field153 players
86 after 1st cut
63 after 2nd cut[1]
Cut149 (+5) (1st cut)
221 (+5) (2nd cut)[1]
Prize fund£75,000[1]
$165,000
Winner's share£7,500
$16,500
Champion
United States Tom Watson
279 (−9), playoff
← 1974
1976 →
Carnoustie is located in Scotland
Carnoustie
Carnoustie
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Location in Scotland
Carnoustie is located in Angus
Carnoustie
Carnoustie
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Location in Angus, Scotland

Final round edit

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 edit

The Sunday playoff was back-and-forth in the rain,[3] 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.[4] 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. After Watson had safely two-putted for par, Newton's putt to save par and extend the match missed left and Watson won the title.[6][7]

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 aggregate playoff in 1985, first used in 1989.[8] Prior to 1964, the playoff at the Open was 36 holes.[1]

Course layout edit

Carnoustie Golf Links – Championship Course

Hole Name Yards Par Hole Name Yards Par
1 Cup 406 4 10 South America 453 4
2 Gulley 464 4 11 Dyke 372 4
3 Jockie's Burn 348 4 12 Southward Ho 478 5
4 Hillocks 379 4 13 Whins 166 3
5 Brae 397 4 14 Spectacles 488 5
6 Long ^ 524 5 15 Lucky Slap 461 4
7 Plantation 397 4 16 Barry Burn 235 3
8 Short 174 3 17 Island 454 4
9 Railway 421 4 18 Home 448 4
Out 3,510 36 In 3,555 36
Source:[2][4] Total 7,065 72

^ The 6th hole was renamed Hogan's Alley in 2003

Lengths of the course for previous Opens:

  • 1968: 7,252 yards (6,631 m), par 72
  • 1953: 7,200 yards (6,585 m), par 72
  • 1937: 7,200 yards (6,585 m), par 72
  • 1931: 6,701 yards (6,127 m), par 72

Round summaries edit

First round edit

Wednesday, 9 July 1975

Place Player Score To par
1   Peter Oosterhuis 68 −4
T2   David Huish 69 −3
  Hale Irwin
  Jack Newton
  Jack Nicklaus
  Andries Oosthuizen
  Bob Shearer
T8   Danny Edwards 70 −2
  Simon Hobday
  Paul Leonard
  Alan Tapie

Second round edit

Thursday, 10 July 1975

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

Source:[9]

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

Third round edit

Friday, 11 July 1975

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

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

Final round edit

Saturday, 12 July 1975

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

Source:[10]

Playoff edit

Sunday, 13 July 1975

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

Scorecard edit

Hole  1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Par 4 4 4 4 4 5 4 3 4 4 4 5 3 5 4 3 4 4
  Watson E −1 −1 −1 E E E E E E E E E −2 −2 −1 −1 −1
  Newton E E +1 +1 +1 E E E E E E −1 E −1 −1 −1 −1 E

Source:[4]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 61, 203. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Card of the course". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. 9 July 1975. p. 19.
  3. ^ a b Gillies, Charles (14 July 1975). "Champion Tom was singing in the rain". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. p. 1.
  4. ^ a b c d Jacobs, Raymond (14 July 1975). "Watson puts on his Sunday best". Glasgow Herald. Scotland. p. 16.
  5. ^ "Cool Watson wins". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. 14 July 1975. p. 1, part 2.
  6. ^ "Watson cashes eagle chip". Toledo Blade. Ohio. Associated Press. 14 July 1975. p. 15. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  7. ^ Jenkins, Dan (21 July 1975). "The beast brought out his best". Sports Illustrated. p. 18.
  8. ^ Parascenzo, Marino (24 July 1989). "Calcavecchia wins British Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 9.
  9. ^ "Cole tames Carnoustie". Toledo Blade. Ohio. Associated Press. 10 July 1975. p. 40.
  10. ^ "1975 Open Championship results". databasegolf.com. Retrieved 4 July 2012.

External links edit

  • Carnoustie 1975 (Official site)
  • 104th Open Championship - Carnoustie (European Tour)

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