1974 Open Championship

The 1974 Open Championship was the 103rd Open Championship, held from 10 to 13 July at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England. Gary Player won his third Open Championship, four strokes ahead of runner-up Peter Oosterhuis.^[2][3] It was the eighth of his nine major titles and second of the year; he won the Masters in April.^[4] In the other two majors in 1974, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship, Player had top ten finishes.

1974 Open Championship

Tournament information
Dates	10–13 July 1974
Location	Lancashire, England
Course(s)	Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
Tour(s)	European Tour PGA Tour
Statistics
Par	71[1]
Length	6,822 yards (6,238 m)[1]
Field	154 players 81 after 1st cut 60 after 2nd cut[1]
Cut	156 (+14) (1st cut) 231 (+18) (2nd cut)[1]
Prize fund	£50,000[1] $120,000
Winner's share	£5,500[1] $13,200
Champion
Gary Player
282 (−2)
← 1973 1975 →

Lytham &
St Annes

Location in England

Lytham &
St Annes

Location in Lancashire. England

The use of the larger "American ball" (diameter 1.68 in, 42.67 mm) was made compulsory. In previous Opens, players could use the smaller "British ball" (1.62 in, 41.15 mm).^[5][6][7]

Course layout

Main article: Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
Yards	206	436	458	393	212	486	551	394	162	3,298	334	542	201	339	445	468	356	453	386	3,524	6,822
Par	3	4	4	4	3	5	5	4	3	35	4	5	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	36	71

Source:^[8]
Previous lengths of the course for The Open Championship (since 1950):^[1]

• 1969: 6,848 yards (6,262 m)
• 1963: 6,836 yards (6,251 m)
• 1958: 6,635 yards (6,067 m)
• 1952: 6,657 yards (6,087 m)

Round summaries

First round

Wednesday, 10 July 1974

Place	Player	Score	To par
T1	John Morgan	69	−2
	Gary Player
T3	Bobby Cole	70	−1
	Danny Edwards
T5	Hubert Green	71	E
	John O'Leary
	Peter Oosterhuis
T8	David Chillas	72	+1
	Neil Coles
	Lu Liang-Huan
	Johnny Miller
	Tom Weiskopf

Source:^[9]

Second round

Thursday, 11 July 1974

Place	Player	Score	To par
1	Gary Player	69-68=137	−5
T2	Bobby Cole	70-72=142	E
	Peter Oosterhuis	71-71=142
4	Danny Edwards	70-73=143	+1
T5	Lu Liang-Huan	72-72=144	+2
	John Morgan	69-75=144
	Tom Weiskopf	72-72=144
8	Hubert Green	71-74=145	+3
T9	Al Geiberger	76-70=146	+4
	Noel Hunt	73-73=146
	Jack Nicklaus	74-72=146

Amateurs: Lyle (+10), James (+16), Clark (+21), Burch (+22), Homer (+23), Shaw (+31).

Third round

Friday, 12 July 1974

Place	Player	Score	To par
1	Gary Player	69-68-75=212	−1
2	Peter Oosterhuis	71-71-73=215	+2
3	Jack Nicklaus	74-72-70=216	+3
4	Hubert Green	71-74-72=217	+4
T5	Bobby Cole	70-72-76=218	+5
	Tom Weiskopf	72-72-74=218
T7	Danny Edwards	70-73-76=219	+6
	Lu Liang-Huan	72-72-75=219
T9	Johnny Miller	72-75-73=220	+7
	John Morgan	69-75-76=220

Source:^[10]
Amateurs: Lyle (+23), James (+24).

Final round

Saturday, 13 July 1974

Place	Player	Score	To par	Money (£)
1	Gary Player	69-68-75-70=282	−2	5,500
2	Peter Oosterhuis	71-71-73-71=286	+2	4,000
3	Jack Nicklaus	74-72-70-71=287	+3	3,250
4	Hubert Green	71-74-72-71=288	+4	2,750
T5	Danny Edwards	70-73-76-73=292	+8	2,300
	Lu Liang-Huan	72-72-75-73=292
T7	Bobby Cole	70-72-76-75=293	+9	1,717
	Donald Swaelens	77-73-74-69=293
	Tom Weiskopf	72-72-74-75=293
10	Johnny Miller	72-75-73-74=294	+10	1,500

Source:^[3][11]

• The exchange rate at the time was approximately 2.39 dollars (US) per pound sterling.^[12]