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1975 Open Championship

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

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.

Final round

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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

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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

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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

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First round

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Wednesday, 9 July 1975

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

Second round

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Thursday, 10 July 1975

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

Source:[9]

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

Third round

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Friday, 11 July 1975

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

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

Final round

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Saturday, 12 July 1975

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

Source:[10]

Playoff

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Sunday, 13 July 1975

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

Scorecard

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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
United States Watson E −1 −1 −1 E E E E E E E E E −2 −2 −1 −1 −1
Australia Newton E E +1 +1 +1 E E E E E E −1 E −1 −1 −1 −1 E

Source:[4]

References

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  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.
  11. ^ "British Pound / US Dollar Historical Reference Rates from Bank of England for 1975". PoundSterling. July 1975. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
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56°29′49″N 2°43′01″W / 56.497°N 2.717°W / 56.497; -2.717