Tournament information | |
---|---|
Dates | 10 September 1875 |
Location | Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland |
Course(s) | Prestwick Golf Club |
Statistics | |
Field | 18 players [1] |
Prize fund | £21 |
Winner's share | £8 |
Champion | |
Willie Park Sr. | |
166 | |
The 1875 Open Championship was the 15th Open Championship, held 10 September at Prestwick Golf Club in Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Willie Park Sr. won the Championship by two strokes from runner-up Bob Martin. Willie Park, who had won the first Championship in 1860, equalled Tom Morris Jr.'s record of four Championship wins.
Tom Morris Jr. and his father, Tom Morris Sr., were both absent following the death, six days earlier, of Young Tom Morris's wife during child-birth. Young Tom Morris himself died later the same year.
Play started at 11:30 a.m. and just 18 players contested the Championship. All the leading players were in the early pairings. Willie Park, in the first group, and Bob Martin, in the third group, led after the first round with scores of 60. After the second round Bob Martin and Bob Ferguson led in 114 but a number of players were close behind with Willie Park on 115 and Mungo Park on 116.
In the final round Willie Park "played a fine game" [2] and scored 51, the best round of the day. Bob Martin came second with defending champion Mungo Park third and Bob Ferguson fourth after a 58.
Friday, 10 September 1875
Place | Player | Score | Money |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Willie Park Sr. | 56-59-51=166 | £8 |
2 | Bob Martin | 56-58-54=168 | £5 |
3 | Mungo Park | 59-57-55=171 | £3 |
4 | Bob Ferguson | 58-56-58=172 | £1 |
5 | James Rennie | 61-59-57=177 | £1 |
6 | Davie Strath | 59-61-58=178 | £1 |
T7 | Tom Carson | 181 | £1 |
Bob Pringle | 62-58-61=181 | ||
T9 | William Doleman (a) | 65-59-59=183 | |
Hugh Morrison | 62-59-62=183 |
Thomas Morris, known as Tom Morris Junior, Young Tom Morris and also Tommy Morris, was a Scottish professional golfer. He is considered one of the pioneers of professional golf, and was the first young prodigy in golf history. He won four consecutive titles in the Open Championship, and did this by the age of 21.
William Park Sr. was a Scottish professional golfer. He was a 4-time winner of the Open Championship.
The 1868 Open Championship was the ninth Open Championship and was held on 23 September at Prestwick Golf Club. Tom Morris, Jr. won the championship for the first time, by three shots from his father Tom Morris, Sr. Tom Morris, Jr. was just 17 years old and remains the youngest Open Championship winner.
The 1872 Open Championship was the 12th Open Championship, held 13 September at Prestwick Golf Club in Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Tom Morris Jr. won the Championship for the fourth successive time, by three strokes from runner-up Davie Strath, having been five shots behind Strath before the final round. He was just 21 years and 146 days old.
The 1864 Open Championship was the fifth Open Championship and was held on 16 September at Prestwick Golf Club. Tom Morris, Sr. won the championship for the third time, by two shots from Andrew Strath. There were sixteen competitors.
The 1865 Open Championship was the sixth Open Championship and was held on 14 September at Prestwick Golf Club. Andrew Strath won the championship by two shots from Willie Park, Sr. There were 12 competitors.
The 1873 Open Championship was the 13th Open Championship, held 4 October at the Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Tom Kidd won the Championship by a stroke from Jamie Anderson. This was the first Open Championship not held at Prestwick. The Championship was still contested over 36 holes; now two rounds of 18 holes rather than three rounds of 12. Since the new "Champion Trophy" was not ready in 1872, Kidd became the first golfer to receive it at the Championship. "The trophy conferred on the successful golfer is a silver cup which, however, can never become the absolute property of any winner. Along with the honour the winner receives a medal and likewise a money prize."
The 1874 Open Championship was the 14th Open Championship, held 10 April at Musselburgh Links, Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland. Mungo Park won the Championship, by two strokes from runner-up Tom Morris Jr. This was the first Open Championship played at Musselburgh.
The 1876 Open Championship was the 16th Open Championship, held on Saturday 30 September at the Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Bob Martin won the Championship. He had tied with Davie Strath but Strath refused to take part in the playoff and Martin took the title. The combination of a large crowd and the fact that a number of Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews members were playing the course caused a number of problems. An objection was made against Strath for hitting a spectator at the 17th. The objection was not decided on the evening of the contest and Strath was informed that he would have to play on the Monday, under protest. Objecting to this arrangement, Strath refused to take part.
The 1878 Open Championship was the 18th Open Championship, held 4 October at Prestwick Golf Club in Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Jamie Anderson won the Championship for the second successive year, by two strokes from runner-up Bob Kirk.
The 1881 Open Championship was the 21st Open Championship, held 14 October at Prestwick Golf Club in Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Bob Ferguson won the Championship for the second successive year, by three strokes from runner-up Jamie Anderson.
The 1882 Open Championship was the 22nd Open Championship, held 30 September at the Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Bob Ferguson won the Championship for the third successive time, by three strokes from Willie Fernie.
The 1885 Open Championship was the 25th Open Championship, held 3 October at the Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Bob Martin won the Championship for the second time, by a stroke from Archie Simpson.
William Dow was a Scottish professional golfer. He had six top-10 finishes in the Open Championship. Dow placed third in both the 1861 and 1865 Open Championships.
William Doleman was a Scottish amateur golfer. Doleman placed sixth in the 1865 Open Championship. He placed fifth in the 1869 Open Championship and was third in the 1872 Open Championship. He is reputed to have been the first person to have played golf in Canada when he visited as a sailor in 1854.
George Paxton was a Scottish professional golfer who played during the late 19th century. Paxton took third place in the 1874 Open Championship. In total, Paxton had five top-10 performances in the Open Championship between 1874 and 1883.
James Rennie (1826–1924) was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the late 19th century. Rennie had three top-10 finishes in the Open Championship, his best effort being fifth in the 1875 Open Championship.
Tom Carson was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the late 19th century. Carson tied for seventh place in the 1875 Open Championship.
Hugh Morrison was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the late 19th century. Morrison tied for ninth place in the 1875 Open Championship.
The Challenge Belt was awarded to the winner of The Open Championship in golf from 1860 until 1870. It was replaced by the Claret Jug for the 1872 Open Championship which is still being used to the present day. The winner of the first Open Championship, Willie Park Sr., in 1860 at the Prestwick Golf Club received no prize money; instead, he was allowed to keep the Belt until the following Open Championship.