Ten Of The Best

Published:

The Open Championship In Association With Nikon

 

TOP TEN OPEN HOLES – EVERY ONE A LEGEND

 

1. 8th Royal Troon

8th Royal Troon
Par 3, 123 yards, “Postage Stamp”

2. 17th St Andrews

17th St Andrews
par 4, 461 yards, “The Road Hole”

3. 18th Carnoustie

18th Carnoustie
par 4, 428 yards, “Home”

4. 10th Turnberry

10th Turnberry
par 4, 452 yards, “Dinna Fouter (Don’t Mess About)”

5. 18th St Andrews

18th St Andrews
par 4, 357 yards, “Tom Morris”

6. 17th Royal Birkdale

17th Royal Birkdale
par 5, 572 yards

7. 14th Carnoustie

14th Carnoustie
par 5, 483 yards, “Spectacles”

8. 11th Royal Birkdale

11th Royal Birkdale
par 4, 434 yards

9. 7th Royal St George’s

7th Royal St George's
par 5, 532 yards

10. 4th Turnberry

4th Turnberry
par 3, 165 yards, “Wo-Be-Tide (Watch Out)”

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TOP TEN CHAMPS

1. Harry Vardon

Harry Vardon
The Jersey native is the most prolific champion in Open history with six wins.

2. Tom Watson

Tom Watson
Each of Watson’s five Open Championship victories came at a different links.

3. Peter Thomson

Peter Thomson
The underrated Australian won five Open’s in 12 years from 1954-65

4. Young Tom Morris

Young Tom Morris
He’s the youngest ever winner, claiming the first of his four aged 17 years 181 days.

5. Old Tom Morris

Old Tom Morris
Morris Snr won the last of his four titles at 46 years 99 days – the oldest ever.

6. James Braid

James Braid
The Scot overcame putting problems to win five Opens in ten years.

7. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods
The world number one already has three Opens and he’ll probably win a few more.

8. Jack Nicklaus

Jack Nicklaus
The most successful golfer of all time notched up three Opens in his 18 Majors.

9. Seve Ballesteros

Seve Ballesteros
The Spaniard demonstrated his inspiring short game on the way to three wins.

10. Nick Faldo

Nick Faldo
Britian’s greatest post-war golfer has more under par Open rounds than anyone else.

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TOP TEN ROUNDS

 

1. Paul Broadhurst, St Andrews, 1990
Broadhurst became the first player to shoot 63 in the Open at St Andrews.

2. Greg Norman, Turnberry, 1986
A course record 63 on Friday set Norman up for his first Open.

3. Paul Lawrie, Carnoustie, 1999
A closing 67 in awful conditions made up ten shots for a play-off triumph.

4. Jodie Mudd, Royal Birkdale, 1991
Mudd settled for a 63 after missing a 20ft putt for an Open record 62.

5. Isao Aoki, Muirfield, 1980
Aoki break the course record set hours earlier with a stunning 63.

6. Ian Baker-Finch, Royal Birkdale, 1991
A third round 64 helped the Australian to a surprise victory.

7. Jack Newton, Carnoustie, 1975
Newton fired a course record 65 but lost to Tom Watson in a play-off.

8. Tiger Woods, Royal Troon, 1997
The young Woods catapulted himself into contention with a 64.

9. Tom Watson, Turnberry 1994
A second round 65 gave the 44-year-old Watson the half-way lead.

10. Colin Montgomerie, Royal Lytham & St Annes, 2001
Monty’s 65 was a Lytham opening round record and gave him a three-shot lead.

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TOP TEN DISASTERS

 

1. Carnoustie, 1999
Jean Van de Velde’s infamous paddle in the Barry Burn on 18 blew a three-shot lead.

2. St Andrews, 1970
Doug Sanders misses a three-foot putt to win the Open and loses the play-off.

3. Royal St George’s, 2003
Thomas Bjorn takes three to get out a bunker on the 70th and squanders a three-shot lead.

4. Royal St George’s, 2003
Mark Roe is disqualified after firing a course record 67 to tie for third going into Sunday.

5. Carnoustie, 1975
Jack Newton couldn’t finish the job after shooting 65 to force a play-off.

6. Turnberry, 1994
Jesper Parnevik was leading by three stood on the 18th tee but lost by one.

7. Carnoustie, 2007
Needing only a four to win, Sergio Garcia double bogeys his 72nd hole.

8. Royal Lytham & St Annes, 2001
Ian Woosnam was leading when he discovers he’s carrying 15 clubs.

9. St Andrews, 1984
Tom Watson bogeys the “Road Hole”, his 71st, and Seve Ballesteros capitalises.

10. Royal St George’s, 2003
Tiger Woods loses his ball off the first tee to run up a triple bogey seven.

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TOP TEN DEBUTANTS

 

1. Tom Watson, Carnoustie, 1975
The five-time champion started as he meant to go on – with victory.

2. Ben Hogan, Carnoustie, 1953
The first of Hogan’s nine Majors came courtesy of a play-off.

3. Mungo Park, Musselburgh, 1874
Park claimed the Championship Belt after 20 years as a seaman.

4. Ben Curtis, St George’s, 2003
Curtis’ one under par total earned him the £700,000 winner’s cheque.

5. Tony Lema, St Andrews, 1964
Lema won his only Major on his first visit to the Home of Golf.

6. Tom Kidd, St Andrews, 1873
Kidd pocketed £6 for winning at the first attempt.

7. Harold Hilton, Muirfield, 1892
Amateur Hilton was the second Englishman to win the Open.

8. Jock Hutchison, St Andrews, 1921
A play-off victory made Hutchison the first American champion.

9. Densmore Shute, St Andrews, 1933
The American won the first of his three Majors aged 28.

10. Willie Park, Prestwick, 1860
The Scotsman won the inaugural Open at Prestwick.

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