Arnold Palmer features in six of the best Opens held at Royal Troon
Last Updated: 07/07/16 9:17pm
Ahead of The Open making its return to Royal Troon this week, we look back at some of the memorable winners at the course over the tournament's history.
1950 - Bobby Locke
Only five players have lifted the Claret Jug more times than Locke, who claimed the second of four Open wins with a two-shot triumph at Royal Troon.
Having won at Royal St George's the previous year, the South African successfully defended his crown ahead of Roberto de Vicenzo.
Going in to the final round in a three-way tie for the lead, Locke responded to a double-bogey at the sixth by birdieing four of his next four holes on his way to posting a closing 68.
Another notable moment from the tournament saw Herman Tissies make a mess of the course's infamous 'Postage Stamp', signing for a score of 15 at the par-three.
1962 - Arnold Palmer
The reigning Masters champion continued his fine form and defended the Claret Jug with a six-stroke victory in Scotland, in the year when Jack Nicklaus made his first Open appearance.
Palmer had already built up a two-shot cushion over the chasing pack by the midway stage, before extending that advantage over 1960 champion Kel Nagle to five with a third-round 67.
The American's victory never appeared in doubt, as a birdie at the last closed a three-under 69 and set the-then lowest ever Open-winning score - 12 under par.
1982 - Tom Watson
Having completed a career grand slam the previous month at the US Open, Watson added his fourth of five Claret Jug victories with a one-shot win over Nick Price.
Bobby Clampett had built up a five-shot midway advantage after following an opening-round 67 with a 66, and extended his lead to seven on Saturday before a pothole bunker at the sixth signalled the start of his demise.
Clampett took three attempts to get his ball back in to play and saw his lead cut to one as he closed with a 78, while a poor start to his final round enabled Price to open up a three-shot cushion with six holes to play.
The Zimbabwean then faltered himself as he played his closing stretch in four over, enabling Watson to snatch victory with a steady two-under 70.
1989 - Mark Calcavecchia
The American secured his only major title by prevailing in a three-man play-off ahead of Australian duo Greg Norman and Wayne Grady.
Grady went in to the final round with a one-stroke lead over Tom Watson and finished his week with a 71, as Norman overturned a seven-shot deficit to post a 64 and join the tie on 13 under.
Calcavecchia, resuming three strokes back, also broke in to the four-hole play-off by closing his week with a 68, before finding himself tied with Norman going in to the last extra hole.
As Norman's first two shots ended up in the bunker and his third out of bounds, Calcavecchia recovered from a wayward drive to post a birdie-three and complete a three-shot win.
1997 - Justin Leonard
Leonard became only the third player in Open history to overturn a five-stroke deficit and lift the Claret Jug, as the American finished three clear of the chasing pack.
Midway pacesetter Darren Clarke saw his hopes fade early on the final day when he double-bogeyed the second after going out of bounds on to the beach.
Jesper Parnevik took a two-shot lead in to the final round and still held that cushion over the pressing Leonard with seven holes to play, only to open the door by dropping a shot at the 13th and finishing with back-to-back bogeys.
Leonard fully took advantage, following a birdie at the 16th with a 30-foot gain at the next to close a round-of-the-day 65 and claim his one and only major title.
2004 - Todd Hamilton
Ernie Els was unable to follow up his previous month's US Open title with another in South Ayrshire, as Hamilton edged past the South African in the play-off.
Hamilton took a one-shot lead over Els in to the final round, where the pair exchanged the lead on several occasions during a topsy-turvy Sunday.
Phil Mickelson briefly made it a three-way tie for the lead before falling one stroke short, as Hamilton bogeyed the last to join Els on 10 under and take the tournament beyond 72 holes.
Hamilton was handed the advantage when Els bogeyed the third of four extra play-off holes, before the American left himself a close-range par at the last to seal the win.
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