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Willie Park Sr

Scotland · born , Wallyford, Scotland · died

4major championships

Summary

  • First major 1860 The Open
  • Last major 1875 The Open
  • Runner-up in majors 4 times

Wins

  1. 1860 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · 174 · by 2 strokes from Tom Morris Sr
  2. 1863 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · 168 · by 2 strokes from Tom Morris Sr
  3. 1866 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · 169 · by 2 strokes from David Park
  4. 1875 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · 166 · by 2 strokes from Bob Martin

Near misses

  1. 1861 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · runner-up to Tom Morris Sr · 167
  2. 1862 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · runner-up to Tom Morris Sr · 176
  3. 1864 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · finished 4 · 177
  4. 1865 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · runner-up to Andrew Strath · 164
  5. 1867 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · runner-up to Tom Morris Sr · 172
  6. 1868 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · finished 4 · 162
  7. 1870 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · finished 6 · 173
  8. 1876 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished 3 · 183
  9. 1878 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · finished T6 · 166
  10. 1882 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T7 · 178

Rivals

Beat him

Next in the chain: Old Tom Morris' rivals →

Moments

  1. 1860 Open On the final green Park faced a 30-foot putt on a bumpy green, and three putts would still have tied Morris.
  2. 1860 Open The prize was the Challenge Belt of red Moroccan leather with silver panels; the silver cost £25.
  3. 1863 Open Prize money was paid for the first time: a £10 purse for the professionals.
  4. 1863 Open Park's win stopped Morris taking the Belt outright with a third straight title.
  5. 1866 Open Willie and David Park became the first brothers to finish first and second in the Open.
  6. 1866 Open Park's third title drew him level with Old Tom Morris on three wins each.
  7. 1875 Open The Morrises stayed away: Young Tom's wife and baby had died in childbirth six days earlier.
  8. 1875 Open Fifteen years after his first win, Park closed with 51 for a fourth title, equal to the record of both Morrises.

Records and firsts

  1. — Open 4 titles · 4 each (Old Tom Morris; Young Tom Morris; Willie Park Sr; Walter Hagen; Bobby Locke)
  2. 1860 Open First Open champion from: Scotland

Results by championship

    Best day

    1860 The Open

    Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · 174 · by 2 strokes from Tom Morris Sr

    On the final green Park faced a 30-foot putt on a bumpy green, and three putts would still have tied Morris.

    The prize was the Challenge Belt of red Moroccan leather with silver panels; the silver cost £25.

    Record: Scotland

    Chosen by rule: the major win our record tables single out. Year page: 1860.

    Career line, 1860–1882

    The Open
    1860 The Open: won1861 The Open: runner-up to Tom Morris Sr1862 The Open: runner-up to Tom Morris Sr1863 The Open: won1864 The Open: finished 41865 The Open: runner-up to Andrew Strath1866 The Open: won1867 The Open: runner-up to Tom Morris Sr1868 The Open: finished 41870 The Open: finished 61875 The Open: won1876 The Open: finished 31878 The Open: finished T61882 The Open: finished T7
    18601865187018751880

    14 results. Hover or tap a mark; click it for the year.

    • Major win
    • Runner-up
    • Top 10

    Willie Park Sr was born in 1833 in Wallyford, Scotland. Park won 4 major championships: 4 Open Championships (1860, 1863, 1866, 1875).

    See Willie Park Sr in our rooms: The Open and Every Ground.

    Cards you pull this visit stack here. Tap one to go back to it.

    The record

    Wins in the majors (4)

    1. 1860 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · 174 · by 2 strokes from Tom Morris Sr
    2. 1863 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · 168 · by 2 strokes from Tom Morris Sr
    3. 1866 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · 169 · by 2 strokes from David Park
    4. 1875 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · 166 · by 2 strokes from Bob Martin

    Near misses

    Top-10 finishes are listed for The Open, the one championship with a full top 10 every year.

    1. 1861 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · runner-up to Tom Morris Sr · 167
    2. 1862 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · runner-up to Tom Morris Sr · 176
    3. 1864 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · finished 4 · 177
    4. 1865 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · runner-up to Andrew Strath · 164
    5. 1867 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · runner-up to Tom Morris Sr · 172
    6. 1868 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · finished 4 · 162
    7. 1870 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · finished 6 · 173
    8. 1876 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished 3 · 183
    9. 1878 The Open Prestwick Golf Club (12-hole links) · finished T6 · 166
    10. 1882 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T7 · 178

    Records and firsts

    Rows from our record tables that name this player, worded as the tables word them.

    1. — Open 4 titles · 4 each (Old Tom Morris; Young Tom Morris; Willie Park Sr; Walter Hagen; Bobby Locke)
    2. 1860 Open First Open champion from: Scotland

    Sources

    Elsewhere: DBpedia.

    Every fact on this page comes from Golf Network News data sets compiled in October 2026 (Masters, PGA Championship, The Open, U.S. Women's Open, Ryder Cup, PGA Tour 2024–2026, major host sites, Champions Dinner menus, and the U.S. Open and state rooms). These are the sources those rows cite.

    1. where2golf
    2. R&A player
    3. DBpedia: Willie Park Sr
    4. R&A 1860
    5. GC 1860
    6. Prestwick GC
    7. R&A 1863
    8. GC 1863
    9. R&A 1866
    10. GC 1866
    11. R&A 1875
    12. GC 1875
    13. R&A 1864
    14. Golf Compendium 1864
    15. R&A 1868
    16. R&A 1870
    17. Golf Compendium 1870
    18. R&A 1876
    19. R&A 1878
    20. R&A 1882
    21. Golf Compendium 1882
    22. Today's Golfer
    23. R&A notable firsts