Open Championship: A look back at five of the most memorable tournaments
Last Updated: 04/07/14 11:09am
From Seve at St Andrews to Tom Watson at Turnberry, we recall some of the best Opens.
1984, Seve Ballesteros, St Andrews
The Home of Golf provided one of the iconic moments in the game's history with Seve Ballesteros' fist pump at the 72nd hole. The Spaniard had been loitering with intent in the top five for three days and began the final round two shots behind Ian Baker-Finch and Tom Watson. Ballesteros, in the penultimate group, holed a 15-foot birdie at the last as Watson was bogeying the 17th and he celebrated a two-shot victory in what became a familiar style.
2000, Tiger Woods, St Andrews
Woods arrived on the back of a US Open victory by an incredible 15 strokes, and was six ahead going into the final round. The American eased home by eight shots, having managed to avoid the Old Course's 112 bunkers all week, to win his first Claret Jug and become the youngest player at the age of 24 to complete the career Grand Slam.
1977, Tom Watson, Turnberry
Watson and Nicklaus made their move on day three, both shooting 65s, to set up the famous Duel in the Sun with no-one else able to match their brilliance. The gap to the rest of the field was a double-figure one by the time they reached the 18th, with Watson ahead of his rival by one. Nicklaus found heavy rough off the tee but somehow managed to advance his ball to the edge of the green. Watson hit a brilliant seven iron into three feet and although Nicklaus drained his 35ft birdie putt to temporarily tie the lead his compatriot followed him into the hole for victory. Nicklaus had shot 65-66 for the weekend with the champion recording consecutive 65s.
1993, Greg Norman, Royal St George's
Some brilliant scoring appeared to make it a four-way race between Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and Corey Pavin. Norman opened up with a 66, which was blown out of the water by Faldo's stunning 63 a day later. The last day began with the quartet separated by a shot and Faldo and Langer would have been more than happy with their 67s. However, it was Norman who emerged from the pack with a brilliant 64, which could have been better had he not missed from 14 inches on the 17th, to win by two.
1999, Paul Lawrie, Carnoustie
Possibly the most memorable finish to an Open for all the wrong reasons as Jean Van de Velde famously blew a three-shot lead heading down the 18th hole. The Frenchman had established a five-stroke cushion after the third round and was the only man not over par. When he reached the last it appeared victory was a mere formality but he drove into the rough and could not find the fairway with his second, which hit a grandstand and then bounced off a rock in the Barry Burn. He then chopped his third into the water and, having taken his shoes and socks off to play from the water but then changed his mind, took a drop, then found a bunker and got up and down for a triple-bogey seven. That dropped him into a three-way play-off with American Justin Leonard and Paul Lawrie, which the Scot won having earlier carded a final-round 67 to leap into contention.
