1975 Open Championship: Tom Watson wins at Carnoustie Golf Links (Championship Course)
Tom Watson won the 1975 Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Links (Championship Course), Scotland with 279 (−9), beating Jack Newton in a playoff.
Updated October 23, 2026
See 1975 in The Open room, or every year on The Open winners list.
- Dates
- 9 July 1975 to 13 July 1975
- Course
- Carnoustie Golf Links (Championship Course), Scotland
- Edition
- 104th Open Championship
- Format
- 72 holes of stroke play
- Par
- 72
- Field
- 153
- Made the cut
- 63 (cut at 149)
- Purse
- £75,000 · winner's share £7,500
- Trophy
- Claret Jug (replica to winner)
- Champion
- Tom Watson · age 25 · USA · born Kansas City, USA
- Champion's title
- 1st Open title
- Winning score
- 71-67-69-72 = 279 (−9)
- Runner-up
- Jack Newton (279)
- 54-hole leader
- Bobby Cole (204) · Tom Watson was 3 strokes back
- Playoff
- 18-hole stroke play (last 18-hole play-off); beat Jack Newton; Watson 71; Newton 72
- Deciding hole
- No. 18, round playoff, playoff hole 18
- Caddie
- Alfie Fyles
Top 11 as recorded
| Pos. | Player | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total | To par |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Watson | 71 | 67 | 69 | 72 | 279 | −9 |
| 2 | Jack Newton | 69 | 71 | 65 | 74 | 279 | −9 |
| T3 | Johnny Miller | 71 | 69 | 66 | 74 | 280 | −8 |
| T3 | Jack Nicklaus | 69 | 71 | 68 | 72 | 280 | −8 |
| T3 | Bobby Cole | 72 | 66 | 66 | 76 | 280 | −8 |
| 6 | Graham Marsh | 72 | 67 | 71 | 71 | 281 | −7 |
| T7 | Peter Oosterhuis | 68 | 70 | 71 | 73 | 282 | −6 |
| T7 | Neil Coles | 72 | 69 | 67 | 74 | 282 | −6 |
| 9 | Hale Irwin | 69 | 70 | 69 | 75 | 283 | −5 |
| T10 | George Burns | 71 | 73 | 69 | 71 | 284 | −4 |
| T10 | John Mahaffey | 71 | 68 | 69 | 76 | 284 | −4 |
What happened at the 1975 Open Championship
Jack Newton set a Carnoustie course record of 65 in the third round, and Bobby Cole led after 54 holes.
In the playoff Watson eagled the 14th to take the lead. At the 18th Newton bunkered his approach and missed a par putt from about 18-20 feet, and Watson's par won 71-72.
Tied playing the last hole of the 18-hole playoff, Jack Newton bunkered his approach and missed an 18-foot par putt, so Watson's par won 71–72.
How this was built
Every value is shown as recorded in GNN's The Open data. A value no source confirmed is left out; nothing is estimated. Where sources disagree, the organizer's own record is used.
Data: the-open.json (The Open room's data), with GNN's Open Championship addendum tables L (top ten by round), H (deciding hole), W (final-day weather).