1875 Open Championship


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" 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.

Final leaderboard

Source:
Friday, 10 September 1875
PlacePlayerCountryScoreMoney
1Willie Park, Sr.56-59-51=166£8
2Bob Martin56-58-54=168£5
3Mungo Park59-57-55=171£3
4Bob Ferguson58-56-58=172£1
5James Rennie61-59-57=177£1
6Davie Strath59-61-58=178£1
T7Tom Carson181£1
T7Bob Pringle62-58-61=181£1
T9William Doleman 65-59-59=183
T9Hugh Morrison62-59-62=183