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, which included five Open Championships.

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 birdie putt on the 72nd hole to tie Newton, who shot 74 (+2).

Playoff The Sunday playoff was back-and-forth in the rain, with the turning point coming at the par 3 8th hole. Both players were at even par and Newton safely on the green as Tom Watson hit 'perhaps the luckiest shot of my career' as he stated on the 'Fore The Good Of The Game' podcast with Bruce Devlin. Tom Watson described (at the 10 min mark) how his tee shot was sailing left after he failed to cut the ball into the wind, when it then hit the out-of-bounds stake and bounced back into play. Tom Watson subsequently drew a decent lie, chipped into the wind and safely onto the green and holed the putt for a par to remain even par with Newton. Later in the playoff and still tied on even par, 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. Watson was on the 90th green in two with about for birdie, but Newton's approach ended in the front left bunker. Newton's lengthy sand shot ran 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.

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. Prior to 1964, the playoff at the Open was 36 holes.

Course layout Carnoustie Golf Links – Championship Course HoleNameYardsPar HoleNameYardsPar1Cup4064 10South America45342Gulley464411Dyke37243Jockie's Burn348412Southward Ho47854Hillocks379413Whins16635Brae3974 14Spectacles48856Long ^5245 15Lucky Slap46147Plantation3974 16Barry Burn23538Short1743 17Island45449Railway421418Home4484Out3,51036In3,55536Source: Total7,06572 ^ The 6th hole was renamed Hogan's Alley in 2003

Lengths of the course for previous Opens:

1968: , par 72 1953: , par 72 1937: , par 72 1931: , par 72

Round summaries

First round Wednesday, 9 July 1975 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Peter Oosterhuis68−4T2 David Huish69−3 Hale Irwin Jack Newton Jack Nicklaus Andries Oosthuizen Bob ShearerT8 Danny Edwards70−2 Simon Hobday Paul Leonard Alan Tapie

Second round Thursday, 10 July 1975 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 David Huish69-67=136−8T2 Bobby Cole72-66=138−6 Peter Oosterhuis68-70=138 Andries Oosthuizen69-69=138 Tom Watson71-67=138T6 Bernard Gallacher72-67=139−5 Hale Irwin69-70=139 Paul Leonard70-69=139 John Mahaffey71-68=139 Graham Marsh72-67=139 Source:

Amateurs: Stephen (+1), Poxon (+5), Stadler (+5), Price (+10), Levenson (+13).

Third round Friday, 11 July 1975 PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Bobby Cole72-66-66=204−122 Jack Newton69-71-65=205−113 Johnny Miller71-69-66=206−104 Tom Watson71-67-69=207−9T5 Neil Coles72-69-67=208−8 Jack Nicklaus69-71-68=208 Hale Irwin69-70-69=208 John Mahaffey71-68-69=208 Andries Oosthuizen69-69-70=208T10 Alan Tapie70-72-67=209 −7 Peter Oosterhuis68-70-71=209

Amateurs: Stadler (+7), Stephen (+7), Poxon (+11).

Final round Saturday, 12 July 1975 PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (£)T1 Tom Watson 71-67-69-72=279 −9Playoff Jack Newton 69-71-65-74=279T3 Jack Nicklaus 69-71-68-72=280 −83,867 Johnny Miller 71-69-66-74=280 Bobby Cole 72-66-66-76=2806 Graham Marsh 72-67-71-71=281 −73,000T7 Peter Oosterhuis 68-70-71-73=282 −62,700 Neil Coles 72-69-67-74=2829 Hale Irwin 69-70-69-75=283 −52,400T10 George Burns 71-73-69-71=284 −42,125 John Mahaffey 71-68-69-76=284 Source:

Playoff Sunday, 13 July 1975 PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (£)1 Tom Watson 36-35=71 −1 7,5002 Jack Newton 36-36=72 E6,000 The exchange rate at the time was approximately 2.19 dollars (US) per pound sterling.

Scorecard Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718Par444445434445354344 Watson E−1−1−1EEEEEEEEE−2−2−1−1−1 Newton EE+1+1+1EEEEEE−1E−1−1−1−1E Source:

References

External links Carnoustie 1975 (Official site) 104th Open Championship - Carnoustie (European Tour)