1868 British Open Winner and Scores
Winner: Tom Morris Jr., 154
Where it was played: Prestwick Golf Club, Ayrshire, Scotland
Tournament dates: Sept. 23, 1868
Leader after first round: Tom Morris Jr., 51
Leader after second round: Tom Morris Sr., 104
What Happened in the 1868 Open Championship
Tom Morris Jr. — we know him better today as Young Tom Morris — first entered a British Open in 1865, when he was 14. He withdrew from that one. At 15, in 1866, he finished ninth. In 1867, at age 16, he was fourth. And at the 1868 British Open, at the age of 17, Tommy Morris won the Open for the first time. (It should be noted that there were no more than 12 golfers entered in any of the years mentioned.)And he beat the old man to do so. Morris' father, Tom Morris Sr. (a k a, Old Tom Morris) was runner-up.
Twelve golfers entered the 1868 Open, which consisted of three trips around Prestwick's 12 holes. Young Tom took the lead by two strokes after a first round of 51.
In the second round, Old Tom plus Willie Park Sr. set a new scoring record over the Prestwick 12, both shooting 50. The senior Morris held a 1-shot lead over his son. But in the final round, Young Tom lowered the record again, shooting 49 to win by three shots.
Old Tom Morris had already won four Opens of his own by this point. But he never finished this high in an Open again. Willie Park Sr. had won three Opens prior to 1868, and won another in 1875. He finished fourth this year.
Young Tom went on to win three more times, in 1869, 1870 and 1872. The Open wasn't played in 1871, so Morris Jr. actually won four consecutive Opens.
1868 British Open Final Scores
| Tom Morris Jr. | 51-54-49—154 |
| Tom Morris Sr. | 54-50-53—157 |
| Robert Andrew | 53-54-52—159 |
| Willie Park Sr. | 58-50-54—162 |
| Bob Ferguson | 57-54-54—165 |
| Tom Dunn | 59-54-54—167 |
| Bob Kirk | 56-59-56—171 |
| John Allan | 54-55-63—172 |
| Charlie Hunter | 60-54-58—172 |
| William Dow | 61-58-60—179 |
| a-William Doleman | 63-61-57—181 |
| Willie Dunn Sr. | 60-63-60—183 |
Previous and next:
1867 British Open - 1869 British Open
