The British Open, the oldest major in professional golf, has a storied past that spans four-time winners Old Tom Morris and his son, Young Tom Morris, and three-time champion Tiger Woods. Here are 10 of the most memorable Open Championships:
10. 2007 at Carnoustie
It was the Open nobody wanted. Sergio Garcia blew a 6-shot lead. Andres Romero made 10 birdies in the final round but a double bogey on the 71st hole. Padraig Harrington double bogeyed the 72nd hole but recovered to beat Garcia in a playoff.
9. 1979 at Royal Litham & St. Annes
22-year-old Seve Ballesteros made the clinching birdie on the 71st hole after hitting his tee shot under a parked car and getting a free drop. The Spaniard’s 20-foot putt sewed up the victory over Ben Crenshaw and Jack Nicklaus.
8. 1970 at St. Andrews
Doug Sanders had a chance to win but yipped a 3-foot putt on the 72nd hole, falling into a tie with Jack Nicklaus. On the same green, the next day in a playoff, Nicklaus’ clinching putt dropped after hanging on the lip.
Recommended Stories
7. 1972 at Murfield
Jack Nicklaus had won the Masters and U.S. Open. He trailed by six strokes going into the final round but staged a rally and might have won if Lee Trevino had not holed a shot from a bunker on No. 17 to win for the second straight year.
6. 1995 at St. Andrews
Italian Constantino Rocca, holed a birdie putt from the “Valley of Sin,” 60 feet from the cup, to get in a playoff with John Daly, where he lost to the resurgent American.
5. 2000 at St. Andrews
While Jack Nicklaus waved goodbye to fans on the 18th tee, Tiger Woods watched from the nearby 1st tee in a symbolic passing of the torch that Woods didn’t drop on his way to victory. His 19-under score was the best in tournament history.
4. 1953 at Carnoustie
Ben Hogan won in his only appearance in the tournament. It was the first and last time a player had won the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open in the same year, then called the “Triple Crown.”
3. 1999 at Carnoustie
Unheralded Frenchman Jean Van de Velde held a 3-stroke lead going into the 72nd hole before making the biggest collapse in major history. He hit one shot into the stands and another into Barry Burn before losing in a playoff to Paul Lawrie.
2. 1930 at Royal Liverpool
Bobby Jones’ win completed a double (British Amateur, British Open), then considered the greatest achievement in golf history. But Jones took it a step further, winning the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur, completing the first and last Grand Slam.
1. 1977 at Turnberry
In the first Open at Turnberry, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus ran away from the field in the legendary “Duel in the Sun.” Watson shot 68-70-65-65 – 268 but didn’t clinch until he made a birdie putt on the 72nd hole, after Nicklaus made a 30-footer for birdie and a final round 66.
