1880 / Musselburgh Links

Bob Ferguson took over where three-time winner Jamie Anderson left off, by winning the first of his own hat-trick of Opens on his home course of Musselburgh Links in 1880.

The links was within sight of the house where he was born and from the age of eight he had caddied on the course. Anderson was not playing, and so was unable to replicate Young Tommy Morris’s feat of winning four times in a row, as the April date, which was announced at short notice, was not convenient.

Ferguson was playing with Old Tom Morris and got into trouble at the second when he was on the road and then saw his ball rebound off a telegraph pole. He took an eight but was still able to post 40 for the first of four loops of the nine-hole course.

A 41 in the second round gave him a one-stroke lead over another Musselburgh man, Ned Cosgrove. Yet another local player, Peter Paxton, came into contention with a 39 in the third round but Ferguson had a 39 and a 42 to return a total of 162 and win by five from Paxton and six from Cosgrove.

Andrew Kirkaldy, of St Andrews, caused a stir when he holed in one at the ninth hole in one round and then missed doing the same again in a later round by only inches. He finished seventh, with Old Tom Morris finishing tenth.