1968 Open Championship
LocationAngus, Scotland
CourseCarnoustie Golf Links
Championship Course
Dates10–13 July 1968
Par72[1]
Yardage7,252 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]
Purse£20,000[1]
Winners share£3,000
$7,200
ChampionGary Player
Score289 (+1)
Previous1967
Next1969

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

HoleNameYardsParHoleNameYardsPar
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
T1Brian Barnes70−2
Michael Bonallack (a)
T3Maurice Bembridge71−1
Peter Mills
T5Billy Casper72E
Bob Charles
Tony Jacklin
Paddy Skerritt
T9Peter Alliss73+1
Sebastián Miguel
Sandy Wilson

Second round

Thursday, 11 July 1968

PlacePlayerScoreTo par
1Billy Casper72-68=140−4
T2Brian Barnes70-74=144E
Bob Charles72-72=144
Tony Jacklin72-72=144
T5Jack Nicklaus76-69=145+1
Gary Player74-71=145
Paddy Skerritt72-73=145
T8Maurice Bembridge71-75=146+2
Dave Thomas75-71=146
T10Harry Bannerman74-73=147+3
Michael Bonallack (a)70-77=147
Gay Brewer74-73=147
Brian Huggett76-71=147
Peter Mills71-76=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
1Billy Casper72-68-74=214−2
2Bob Charles72-72-71=215−1
3Gary Player74-71-71=216E
4Jack Nicklaus76-69-73=218+2
T5Maurice Bembridge71-75-73=219+3
Gay Brewer74-73-72=219
Tony Jacklin72-72-75=219
8Arnold Palmer77-71-72=220+4
9Michael Bonallack (a)70-77-74=221+5
T10Neil 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 (£)
1Gary Player74-71-71-73=289+13,000
T2Bob Charles72-72-71-76=291+31,738
Jack Nicklaus76-69-73-73=291
4Billy Casper72-68-74-78=292+41,225
5Maurice Bembridge71-75-73-74=293+51,000
T6Brian Barnes70-74-80-71=295+7658
Gay Brewer74-73-72-76=295
Neil Coles75-76-71-73=295
9Al Balding74-76-74-72=296+8475
T10Roberto De Vicenzo77-72-74-74=297+9402
Bruce Devlin77-73-72-75=297
Arnold Palmer77-71-72-77=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. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012.