1975 Open Championship

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

Carnoustie

Location in Scotland

Carnoustie

Location in Angus, Scotland

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,^[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

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

First round

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

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

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

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

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

• The exchange rate at the time was approximately 2.19 dollars (US) per pound sterling.^[11]

Scorecard

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]