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Tom Weiskopf kisses the Claret Jug after winning The Open at Royal Troon in 1973.

Tom Weiskopf

Tom Weiskopf came close to winning many majors. He was a runner-up four times in the Masters, had five top-four finishes at the US Open and four top-eights at the PGA Championship. Ironically, he did not contend as often at The Open but at Troon in 1973 he collected the Claret Jug in imperious style.
  • His temper earned him the nickname of "The Towering Inferno"

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  • Shares the record for the most runner-up finishes at The Masters

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  • 28

    Professional wins

Tom Weiskopf came close to winning many majors. He was a runner-up four times in the Masters, had five top-four finishes at the U.S Open and four top-eights at the PGA Championship.

Ironically, he did not contend as often at The Open but at Troon in 1973 he collected the Claret Jug in imperious style.

He had an elegant and powerful swing but he could often losing his temper in spectacular fashion, a 13 at the 12th hole at Augusta National in the first round of the 1980 Masters being one example.

But following the death of his father in April of 1973, Weiskopf appeared to play with more maturity and determination, winning three times in four events on the PGA Tour before finishing third at the U.S Open, two behind champion Johnny Miller.

Weiskopf

He arrived early at Royal Troon and played eight practice rounds before leading from start-to-finish with scores of 68, 67, 71 and 70 in often windy conditions.

Miller was his nearest rival for much of the week and finished second, alongside Neil Coles, three behind Weiskopf, with Jack Nicklaus a further shot back.

Weiskopf matched Arnold Palmer’s record total of 276 and became the fifth player to win wire-to-wire since the Championship was extended to 72 holes.

“I made very few mistakes and nothing bothered me, which was unusual,” he said later. “I was at the top of my game. I was so confident, everything seemed in slow motion — my thinking, my preparations. It was my greatest memory in tournament golf.”

A keen hunter, he turned to golf course design later in life. Asked on television during the 1986 Masters what was going through Nicklaus’s mind, Weiskopf responded that if he knew that, he might have beaten him more often.

Venue
Finish
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
Par
Royal Troon 2004
M/C
80
80
-
-
-
M/C
St Andrews 1995
M/C
76
75
-
-
-
M/C
Muirfield 1992
M/C
74
71
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Birkdale 1991
101
74
74
73
73
294
-
St Andrews 1990
M/C
73
74
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Troon 1989
M/C
74
73
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Birkdale 1983
45
73
73
69
72
287
-
Royal Troon 1982
WD
79
73
75
-
-
-
Muirfield 1980
16
72
72
71
70
285
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1979
M/C
79
75
-
-
-
M/C
St Andrews 1978
17
69
72
72
75
288
-
Turnberry 1977
22
74
71
71
72
288
-
Royal Birkdale 1976
17
73
72
76
71
292
-
Carnoustie 1975
15
73
72
70
72
287
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1974
7
72
72
74
75
293
-
Royal Troon 1973
1
68
67
71
70
276
-
Muirfield 1972
7
73
74
70
69
286
-
Royal Birkdale 1971
40
75
73
75
73
296
-
St Andrews 1970
22
70
74
72
78
294
-

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