1975 British Open: Watson's First

The 1975 British Open was the 104th time the tournament was played, and it ended in an 18-hole playoff.

Winner: Tom Watson, 279

Where it was played: Carnoustie in Angus, Scotland

Tournament dates: July 9-13, 1975

Leader after first round: Peter Oosterhuis, 68

Leader after second round: David Huish, 136

Leader after third round: Bobby Cole, 204

Notable Notes: Jack Newton was one off the lead entering the final round, and Tom Watson three off the lead. Then they shot 74 and 72, respectively, which on the tough Carnoustie links was good enough to tie for first place. That meant an 18-hole playoff. The duo battled throughout and reached the 18th hole tied. But when Newton found a bunker on his approach to the green, Watson took the moment and won by a stroke. It was the first of Watson's five British Open wins, the first of his eight career major championship wins.

Final Scores

Tom Watson 71-67-69-72—279
Jack Newton 69-71-65-74—279
Jack Nicklaus 69-71-68-72—280
Johnny Miller 71-69-66-74—280
Bobby Cole 72-66-66-76—280
Graham Marsh 72-67-71-71—281
Peter Oosterhuis 68-70-71-73—282
Neil Coles 72-69-67-74—282
Hale Irwin 69-70-69-75—283
George Burns 71-73-69-71—284
John Mahaffey 71-68-69-76—284
Paul Leonard 70-69-73-74—286
Bob Charles 74-73-70-69—286
Andries Oosthuizen 69-69-70-78—286
Tom Weiskopf 73-72-70-72—287
Arnold Palmer 74-72-69-73—288
Maurice Bembridge 75-73-67-73—288
Alan Tapie 70-72-67-79—288
Sam Torrance 72-74-71-72—289
Tommy Horton 72-71-71-75—289
Lon Hinkle 76-72-69-72—289
Bernard Gallacher 72-67-72-78—289
Hugh Baiocchi 72-72-73-73—290
Brian Barnes 71-74-72-73—290
Martin Foster 72-74-73-71—290
Danny Edwards 70-74-71-75—290
Raymond Floyd 71-72-76-71—290
Roberto De Vicenzo 71-74-72-74—291
David Graham 74-70-72-75—291
Simon Hobday 70-70-76-75—291
Guy Hunt 73-68-76-74—291
Mike Cahill 71-73-74-74—292
Dale Hayes 73-71-73-75—292
Tienie Britz 74-71-72-75—292
Peter Dawson 74-75-71-72—292
Gary Player 75-71-73-73—292
Bob Shearer 69-72-74-77—292
Hubert Green 72-73-70-77—292
David Huish 69-67-76-80—292
Norman Wood 74-74-71-74—293
Brian Huggett 72-71-75-75—293
Kel Nagle 72-73-73-75—293
Bob Gilder 75-71-75-72—293
Lee Trevino 76-69-73-75—293
Brian Waites 74-72-69-78—293
Ian Stanley 75-71-70-78—294
Lou Graham 73-72-74-76—295
Bill Garrett 76-72-72-75—295
Christy O'Connor Jr. 72-73-73-77—295
Peter Wilcock 77-68-75-75—295
Bill Brask Jr. 74-71-72-78—295
Eddie Pearce 72-75-70-79—296
John Jacobs 72-76-73-76—297
Vicente Fernandez 76-70-74-77—297
Lu Liang-Huan 76-72-72-77—297
David Vaughan 72-71-74-80—297
Dennis Clark 72-72-76-78—298
Terry Le Brocq 72-76-72-78—298
Peter Townsend 74-70-76-78—298
Herluf Hansen 74-74-73-78—299
Jan Dorrestein 75-73-73-79—300
Carl Mason 73-72-75-81—301
Roddy Carr 76-72-72-82—302

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