On July 9 in golf history — 1949: Bobby Locke wins his first Open Championship, plus 5 more moments from 1869–1981.
In the late 1860s Young Tom Morris dominated the Open Championship at Prestwick, winning three in a row from 1868 to 1870 to claim the Championship Belt outright.
Young Tom MorrisSouth Africa's Bobby Locke won the 1949 Open Championship at Royal St George's, beating Harry Bradshaw in a 36-hole playoff for his first Claret Jug.
Bobby Locke'Champagne' Tony Lema won the 1964 Open Championship at St Andrews by five strokes over Jack Nicklaus, despite only one practice round on the Old Course.
Tony LemaLee Trevino won the 1971 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, completing a remarkable summer in which he won the U.S., Canadian and British Opens within a month.
Lee TrevinoTom Watson edged Jack Nicklaus by one stroke at Turnberry to win the 1977 Open Championship, the climax of the 'Duel in the Sun' after both shot 65 and 66 to finish 10 clear of third.
Tom WatsonBy July 1981 American Bill Rogers was enjoying a career season and would win the Open Championship at Royal St George's later that month, his only major.
Bill Rogers