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Ferguson

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.

Name
Finish
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
Par
Bob FERGUSON
1
81
81
-
-
162
-
Peter PAXTON
2
84
83
-
-
167
-
Ned COSGROVE
3
82
86
-
-
168
-
George PAXTON
4
85
84
-
-
169
-
Bob PRINGLE
4
90
79
-
-
169
-
4
86
83
-
-
169
-
Andrew KIRKALDY
7
85
85
-
-
170
-
David GRANT
8
87
84
-
-
171
-
Willie BROWN
8
87
84
-
-
171
-
10
87
88
-
-
175
-
Willie CAMPBELL
11
88
91
-
-
179
-
Tom ARUNDEL
11
86
93
-
-
179
-
J. FOREMAN
11
92
87
-
-
179
-
Thomas BROWN
11
90
89
-
-
179
-
15
89
92
-
-
181
-
16
92
90
-
-
182
-
David CORSTORPHINE
17
93
90
-
-
183
-
George STRATH
17
87
96
-
-
183
-
Ben SAYERS
19
91
93
-
-
184
-
20
95
92
-
-
187
-
A. BROWN
21
97
92
-
-
189
-
Robert DRUMMOND
22
96
94
-
-
190
-
W. THOMSON
22
96
94
-
-
190
-
J. BEVERIDGE
24
94
97
-
-
191
-

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