1968 Open Championship Explained

1968 Open Championship
Location:Angus, Scotland
Course:Carnoustie Golf Links
Championship Course
Dates:10–13 July 1968
Par:72
Field:130 players
70 after 1st cut
45 after 2nd cut
Cut:155 (+11) (1st cut)
228 (+12) (2nd cut)[1]
Purse:£20,000
Winners Share:£3,000
$7,200
Champion: Gary Player
Score:289 (+1)
Previous:1967
Next:1969

The 1968 Open Championship was the 97th Open Championship, played 10–13 July at Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland. Gary Player won the second of his three Open titles, two strokes ahead of runners-up Bob Charles and Jack Nicklaus.[2] It was the fifth of Player's nine major titles.

This Open introduced the second cut at 54 holes, used through 1985. In addition, starting with this Championship all past Open champions were exempt from qualifying (though, eventually, an age restriction was placed on past champions).

The inaugural Greater Milwaukee Open was held in the United States during the same week, with a first prize of $40,000, over five times the winner's share of the Open Championship, which was $7,200 (£3,000).

The PGA Championship was played the next week in San Antonio, Texas, the fifth and final time in the 1960s that these two majors were played in consecutive weeks in July. The PGA Championship moved permanently to August in 1969 (except 1971, when it was played in late February) and remained there until 2019, when it moved to May between The Masters and U.S. Open.

Course

Carnoustie Golf Links -Championship Course

HoleNameYardsPar HoleNameYardsPar
1Cup406410South America4464
2Gulley468411Dyke3704
3Jockie's Burn343412Southward Ho4734
4Hillocks429413Whins1683
5Brae389414Spectacles4855
6Long565515Lucky Slap4604
7Plantation386416Barry Burn2433
8Short163317Island4584
9Railway475418Home5255
Out3,62436In3,62836
Total7,25272

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 10 July 1968

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
T1 Brian Barnes70−2
Michael Bonallack (a)
T3 Maurice Bembridge71−1
Peter Mills
T5 Billy Casper72E
Bob Charles
Tony Jacklin
Paddy Skerritt
T9 Peter Alliss73+1
Billy Casper
Sebastián Miguel
Sandy Wilson

Second round

Thursday, 11 July 1968

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1 Billy Casperalign=center 72-68=140−4
T2 Brian Barnesalign=center 70-74=144E
Bob Charlesalign=center 72-72=144
Tony Jacklinalign=center 72-72=144
T5 Jack Nicklausalign=center 76-69=145+1
Gary Playeralign=center 74-71=145
Paddy Skerrittalign=center 72-73=145
T8 Maurice Bembridgealign=center 71-75=146+2
Dave Thomasalign=center 75-71=146
T10 Harry Bannermanalign=center 74-73=147+3
Michael Bonallack (a)align=center 70-77=147
Gay Breweralign=center 74-73=147
Brian Huggettalign=center 76-71=147
Peter Millsalign=center 71-76=147

Amateurs: Bonallack (+3), Monguzzi (+8), O'Connor (+12), Sweeny Jr (+12), Shade (+13), Oosterhuis (+16), Saddler (+16).

Third round

Friday, 13 July 1968

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1 Billy Casperalign=center 72-68-74=214−2
2 Bob Charlesalign=center 72-72-71=215−1
3 Gary Playeralign=center 74-71-71=216E
4 Jack Nicklausalign=center 76-69-73=218+2
T5 Maurice Bembridgealign=center 71-75-73=219+3
Gay Breweralign=center 74-73-72=219
Tony Jacklinalign=center 72-72-75=219
8 Arnold Palmeralign=center 77-71-72=220+4
9 Michael Bonallack (a)align=center 70-77-74=221+5
T10 Neil Coles75-76-71=222 +6
Bruce Devlin77-73-72=222
Brian Huggett76-71-75=222
Paddy Skerritt72-73-77=222

Amateurs: Bonallack (+5), Monguzzi (+18).

Final round

Saturday, 13 July 1968

PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (£)
1 Gary Player 74-71-71-73=289 +13,000
T2 72-72-71-76=291 +31,738
76-69-73-73=291
4 72-68-74-78=292 +41,225
5 71-75-73-74=293 +51,000
T6 70-74-80-71=295 +7658
74-73-72-76=295
75-76-71-73=295
9 74-76-74-72=296 +8475
T10 77-72-74-74=297 +9402
77-73-72-75=297
77-71-72-77=297

Amateurs: Bonallack (+12).

External links

56.497°N -2.717°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Media guide . The Open Championship . 2011 . 68, 203–8 . 8 July 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120418224641/http://www.theopen.com/~/media/The%20Open/Information/Media_Guide.ashx . 18 April 2012 .
  2. A sweet win on a sour links . Sports Illustrated . Brown . Gwilym S .. 22 July 1968 . 20.