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1898 / Prestwick
Harry Vardon prevailed in a tight finish for the second time in three years as he secured the Claret Jug at Prestwick in 1898.
Vardon, who would go on to claim a record-equalling six Open titles, had come through a 36-hole play-off with J.H. Taylor to triumph at Muirfield two years earlier.
It looked as though extra holes would again be required when Willie Park Jnr, the Champion Golfer of 1887 and 1889, left himself a putt of around four feet at the last to match Vardon’s four-round aggregate of 307.
Park’s putt did not drop, though, and Vardon would not be caught despite the efforts of the fast-finishing defending Champion Harold Hilton, who closed with a 75 to finish two back.
Explaining his short missed putt on the 18th green, Park claimed he had been fed incorrect information by members of the crowd regarding Vardon’s score, leading him to believe he had two putts to force a play-off.
“I made dead certain of the four … only to receive the disappointing news that Vardon had done the hole in three, and had beaten me by a single stroke,” said the runner-up.
A second-place finish was tough on Park, who shared the lead with Hilton after an opening round of 76 and then shot 75 in round two to open up a three-shot lead.
Park was still two clear of Vardon heading into the final 18, but the latter played superbly on the final day for a 76 that proved just enough for a one-stroke win.
The 1898 Championship saw the birth of the cut line - eliminating the players with the highest scores through 36 holes - and Willie Auchterlonie, the Champion on The Open’s previous visit to Prestwick in 1893, was among those to miss out on the final two rounds.
Name
Finish
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
Par
Freddie TAIT
5
81
77
75
82
315
-
David KINNELL
6
80
77
79
80
316
-
John HUNTER
8
82
79
81
77
319
-
Thomas RENOUF
9
77
79
81
83
320
-
P. WYNNE
10
83
79
81
78
321
-
James KAY
12
81
81
77
83
322
-
George PULFORD
13
83
81
78
81
323
-
James KINNELL
15
77
81
78
88
324
-
Archie SIMPSON
15
83
80
82
79
324
-
Peter MCEWAN
17
83
83
77
82
325
-
Walter TOOGOOD
19
82
84
83
78
327
-
Ben SAYERS
19
85
78
79
85
327
-
Andrew KIRKALDY
21
82
84
85
77
328
-
Peter PAXTON
21
81
82
86
79
328
-
Tom WILLIAMSON
21
86
84
77
81
328
-
John GAIRDNER
21
84
77
82
85
328
-
David HERD
21
79
81
83
85
328
-
J.L. HUTCHINSON
21
83
79
84
82
328
-
J.W. TAYLOR
27
83
84
80
82
329
-
C. Ralph SMITH
27
84
78
85
82
329
-
Bob SIMPSON
29
84
81
82
85
332
-
A.H. SCOTT
29
83
84
78
87
332
-
Fred BUTEL
29
81
84
86
81
332
-
Tom HUTCHINSON
32
85
81
86
82
334
-
Jack ROWE
32
84
77
88
85
334
-
Jack KIRKALDY
32
82
82
85
85
334
-
Charles WHIGHAM
32
85
82
84
83
334
-
Edward BLACKWELL
36
84
82
84
87
337
-
Harry HARRIS
36
85
84
85
83
337
-
David MCEWAN
38
82
84
88
89
343
-
Joseph DALGLEISH
39
84
84
92
86
346
-
Charles NEAVES
Wd
81
83
85
-
-
-
J. HEPBURN
Wd
87
83
85
-
-
-
Douglas MCEWAN
Wd
80
85
-
-
-
M/C
Jack ROSS
Wd
87
83
-
-
-
M/C
Samuel Mure FERGUSSON
M/C
88
83
-
-
-
M/C
J.G. MACFARLANE
M/C
89
82
-
-
-
M/C
John TULLOCH
M/C
87
85
-
-
-
M/C
Charles WINGATE
M/C
88
86
-
-
-
M/C
Cuthbert BUTCHART
M/C
86
88
-
-
-
M/C
Albert TINGEY
M/C
84
90
-
-
-
M/C
C.E. DICK
M/C
90
84
-
-
-
M/C
C.B. MACFARLANE
M/C
83
91
-
-
-
M/C
George CAWSEY
M/C
89
86
-
-
-
M/C
J. THOMSON
M/C
85
90
-
-
-
M/C
W. MCEWAN
M/C
87
88
-
-
-
M/C
H.E. WAY
M/C
85
90
-
-
-
M/C
Hon. H.arold FINCH-HATTON
M/C
90
85
-
-
-
M/C
W. REID
M/C
87
89
-
-
-
M/C
C.E. HAMBRO
M/C
87
90
-
-
-
M/C
David BONE
M/C
91
87
-
-
-
M/C
John DUNCAN
M/C
89
89
-
-
-
M/C
Lindsay ROSS
M/C
94
84
-
-
-
M/C
R. STRONNAR
M/C
90
88
-
-
-
M/C
W.L. MACKIE
M/C
92
87
-
-
-
M/C
George COBURN
M/C
88
91
-
-
-
M/C
J. MOORE
M/C
92
89
-
-
-
M/C
W.G. STEWART
M/C
93
89
-
-
-
M/C
W.E. MASON
M/C
87
96
-
-
-
M/C
R. BONE
M/C
98
91
-
-
-
M/C
G.C. WHIGHAM
Wd
91
-
-
-
-
M/C
Tom CHISHOLM
Wd
93
-
-
-
-
M/C
G. CUMMING
Wd
83
-
-
-
-
M/C
D.S. FROY
Wd
85
-
-
-
-
M/C
C. GIBSON
Wd
83
-
-
-
-
M/C
John PARK
Wd
91
-
-
-
-
M/C
W.G. DIVALL
Wd
-
-
-
-
-
M/C