1968 Open Championship

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.

1968 Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates10–13 July 1968
LocationAngus, Scotland
Course(s)Carnoustie Golf Links
Championship Course
Statistics
Par72[1]
Length7,252 yards (6,631 m)[1]
Field130 players
70 after 1st cut
45 after 2nd cut[1]
Cut155 (+11) (1st cut)
228 (+12) (2nd cut)[1]
Prize fund£20,000[1]
Winner's share£3,000
$7,200
Champion
Gary Player
289 (+1)
Carnoustie
Location in Scotland
Carnoustie
Location in Angus, Scotland

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

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

Past champions in the field

Made both cuts

PlayerCountryYear(s) wonR1R2R3R4TotalTo parFinish
Gary Player South Africa195974717173289+11
Jack Nicklaus United States196676697373291+3T2
Bob Charles New Zealand196372727176291+3T2
Roberto De Vicenzo Argentina196777727474297+9T10
Arnold Palmer United States1961, 196277717277297+9T10
Kel Nagle Australia196074757574298+10T13
Peter Thomson Australia1954, 1955,
1956, 1958, 1965
77717875301+13T24

Missed the first cut

PlayerCountryYear wonR1R2TotalTo par
Max Faulkner England19517482156+12
Dick Burton England19398884172+28

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 10 July 1968

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
T1Brian Barnes Scotland70−2
Michael Bonallack (a) England
T3Maurice Bembridge England71−1
Peter Mills England
T5Billy Casper United States72E
Bob Charles New Zealand
Tony Jacklin England
Paddy Skerritt Ireland
T9Peter Alliss England73+1
Billy Casper United States
Sebastián Miguel Spain
Sandy Wilson Scotland

Second round

Thursday, 11 July 1968

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Billy Casper United States72-68=140−4
T2Brian Barnes Scotland70-74=144E
Bob Charles New Zealand72-72=144
Tony Jacklin England72-72=144
T5Jack Nicklaus United States76-69=145+1
Gary Player South Africa74-71=145
Paddy Skerritt Ireland72-73=145
T8Maurice Bembridge England71-75=146+2
Dave Thomas Wales75-71=146
T10Harry Bannerman Scotland74-73=147+3
Michael Bonallack (a) England70-77=147
Gay Brewer United States74-73=147
Brian Huggett Wales76-71=147
Peter Mills England71-76=147

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

Third round

Friday, 13 July 1968

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Billy Casper United States72-68-74=214−2
2Bob Charles New Zealand72-72-71=215−1
3Gary Player South Africa74-71-71=216E
4Jack Nicklaus United States76-69-73=218+2
T5Maurice Bembridge England71-75-73=219+3
Gay Brewer United States74-73-72=219
Tony Jacklin England72-72-75=219
8Arnold Palmer United States77-71-72=220+4
9Michael Bonallack (a) England70-77-74=221+5
T10Neil Coles England75-76-71=222+6
Bruce Devlin Australia77-73-72=222
Brian Huggett Wales76-71-75=222
Paddy Skerritt Ireland72-73-77=222

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

Final round

Saturday, 13 July 1968

PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney (£)
1Gary Player South Africa74-71-71-73=289+13,000
T2Bob Charles New Zealand72-72-71-76=291+31,738
Jack Nicklaus United States76-69-73-73=291
4Billy Casper United States72-68-74-78=292+41,225
5Maurice Bembridge England71-75-73-74=293+51,000
T6Brian Barnes Scotland70-74-80-71=295+7658
Gay Brewer United States74-73-72-76=295
Neil Coles England75-76-71-73=295
9Al Balding Canada74-76-74-72=296+8475
T10Roberto De Vicenzo Argentina77-72-74-74=297+9402
Bruce Devlin Australia77-73-72-75=297
Arnold Palmer United States77-71-72-77=297

Amateurs: Bonallack (+12).

References

  1. "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 68, 203–8. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  2. Brown, Gwilym S . (22 July 1968). "A sweet win on a sour links". Sports Illustrated. p. 20.

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