The 144th Open: Post-war Open champions at St Andrews

The Open returns to St Andrews this week. We look back at the past championships hosted at the home of golf.

2010

The 150th anniversary of the Open produced a surprise champion in Louis Oosthuizen, who romped to a seven-shot win after a week of remarkably changeable weather on the Fife coast.

Oosthuizen opened with a 65 on a glorious opening day, but it was Rory McIlroy who stole the headlines with a sublime 63 which matched the lowest round in major history.

But McIlroy’s challenge was derailed by winds gusting up to 40mph in the second round and he was unable to break 80, while Oosthuizen took advantage of the easier, early conditions to fire a 67 and open up a five-shot lead over Mark Calcavecchia.

The South African followed with a steady 69 on day three, and the final round turned into a procession as nobody was able to mount a charge – a 71 proving more than enough to secure his maiden major title.

2005

Tiger Woods claimed the Claret Jug for the second time at the Old Course after he cruised to a five-shot victory over home favourite Colin Montgomerie.

The world No 1 gave a lesson in course management and was rarely threatened after opening with rounds of 66 and 67 to reach 11 under par at halfway.

A solid, but professional final-round 70 was enough to clinch an easy win as Montgomerie's challenge came undone over the closing eight holes.

This tournament was also the final major appearance for Jack Nicklaus, who bid an emotional farewell with a fitting birdie on the 18th green on Friday.

2000

Tiger Woods took major golf to a new level as he followed up his 15-shot win at the US Open with an eight-stroke victory on the Old Course at St Andrews.

The 24-year-old plotted his way around the legendary links in exemplary style, opening with flawless rounds of 66 and 67 to lead by three after 36 holes.

Woods doubled his lead after a third-day 67 while David Toms, Ernie Els and Steve Flesch all faltered down the stretch.

David Duval got to within three of the lead in the final round, but Woods - who did not find a bunker all week - birdied the 10th and 12th and extended his advantage to eight by the end.

1995

John Daly combined awesome power with a sublime touch on and around the greens as he pipped Constantino Rocca in a play-off on a thrilling final day.

Daly was in the clubhouse on six under after a closing 71 in blustery conditions, and Rocca came to the 72nd hole needing a birdie to force extra holes.

The Italian duffed his first chip from the Valley of Sin, but he then holed an outrageous 65-foot putt to tie the American.

But Daly birdied the first extra hole as Rocca bogeyed, and the Italian then took three swipes to get out of the Road bunker at the 17th as Daly snatched an unexpected second major title.

1990

Nick Faldo was in a class of his own as he collected his second Open title and fourth Major by an impressive five-shot margin.

The tournament was billed as a battle for the world No 1 berth between Faldo and Aussie Greg Norman, and the fierce rivals were neck and neck on 12 under par at the halfway stage.

But Faldo pulled clear of the field with a faultless third-day 67, while Norman tumbled out of contention after a sorry 76.

Faldo's five-stroke advantage was whittled down to two on the final day by Payne Stewart, but the British ace birdied 15 to restore his five-stroke lead and put the result beyond doubt.

1984

Tom Watson's challenge for a sixth Open title came undone at the treacherous 17th hole as Seve Ballesteros held his nerve to snatch a popular victory.

The pair were tied at 13 under when Ballesteros hit a superb 200-yard six-iron to set up a solid par at the Road Hole and put pressure on the American.

But Watson's two-iron bounded over the green and finished up against the wall, from where he did well to make bogey.

Watson arrived on the final tee to hear the roars up ahead as Ballesteros holed for the birdie that proved enough for victory, prompting his memorable and iconic fist-pumping celebrations.

1978

Jack Nicklaus ended his three-year wait for a 15th major title as he claimed a two-shot win after Simon Owen succumbed to the pressure of leading.

Holder Tom Watson led after 54 holes, but he slipped out of the running with a 76 to leave Nicklaus in a battle with Owen, Ben Crenshaw and Ray Floyd.

New Zealander Owen went one ahead after chipping in at the 15th, but he three-putted the next as Nicklaus hit a nine-iron to six feet to set up a birdie.

Owen erred again at the 17th, while Nicklaus made a cast-iron par to virtually ensure his first Open win since pipping Doug Sanders eight years earlier.

1970

Jack Nicklaus won for the first time at the Home of Golf in an Open that will be remembered for Doug Sanders pushing a three-foot putt for the title.

The colourful Sanders had just saved par from the Road Hole bunker and arrived on the final green needing two putts from 30 feet to pip the Golden Bear.

Sanders coaxed his first putt to almost tap-in distance, but he then blocked his par putt and the pair returned the next day for an 18-hole play-off.

Ironically, Sanders birdied 18 on Monday to pile the pressure on Nicklaus, who held his nerve to nail an eight-foot birdie putt and snatch a one-shot victory.

1964

Tony Lema arrived in Britain on the back of three wins in four starts on the PGA Tour, but he had only two days to learn how to tackle the Old Course.

But the tall American drove the ball superbly and mastered the art of the chip and run as he ran out a convincing five-stroke winner over Jack Nicklaus.

A second-round 68 took Lema nine shots clear, and another 68 on the third day left him seven clear of the Golden Bear.

Nicklaus pressured with a final-round 68, but Lema signed off with a 70 to collect his only major before tragedy struck two years later when he was killed in a plane crash aged just 32.

1960

Kel Nagle held off a dramatic late charge from Arnold Palmer to clinch the centenary Open by just one shot over The King.

Roberto de Vicenzo led by two at the halfway stage after two 67s before a third-day 75 gave control to Australian Nagle, while Palmer was in the hunt just four shots off the lead.

Palmer was still four back with six to play, but he birdied 13 and 15, parred the dangerous 17th and closed with another birdie to get to nine under par.

Nagle then holed a crucial par putt at the Road Hole, and he kept his composure to made a solid four at the last to clinch the only major of his career.

1957

Peter Thomson's three-year hold on the Claret Jug came to an end as rival Bobby Locke survived a final-green rules incident to lift his fourth title.

The South African moved three clear of the Australian after a third-round 68, and he avoided trouble in the final round until a mishap on the 18th green.

Locke had moved his marker off the line of playing partner Bruce Crampton, and he failed to replace it before putting out for a 70 and a three-shot win.

The error was pointed out to R&A officials, who generously decided that Locke had not gained any advantage and should not be disqualified.

1955

Peter Thomson followed on from a one-shot win 12 months earlier with a steady two-shot victory at St Andrews to defend his crown. 

John Fallon had kept the pressure on the Australian by equaling the course record with a second-round 67, but lost ground with a third-round 73 to slip three off the pace.

Thomson's challenge had looked in doubt with a double-bogey at the 14th during the final round, but he responded by picking up a shot at the next to complete a final-round 72 and take the £1,000 prize. 

1946

Sam Snead referred to the Old Course as an "old abandoned kinda place" on his way to St Andrews, but impressed on a week of difficult scoring to become the first post-war Open champion.

The American found himself one off the pace after the second round following Henry Cotton's back-to-back 70s, with Dai Rees also in contention a further shot back thanks to a six-under 67. 

Strong winds during the final round meant none of the leaders came close to an under par round, with Snead recovering from a wayward drive at the first to close with a 75 and take a four-shot victory.