The 1959 Open Championship was the 88th Open Championship, held 1–3 July at Muirfield Golf Links in Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland. Gary Player, age 23, shot a final round of 68 to win the first of his nine major titles, two strokes ahead of runners-up Fred Bullock and Flory Van Donck. It was the first of Player's three Claret Jugs; he won again in 1968 and 1974.

Muirfield was originally scheduled to host in 1957, but it was transferred to St. Andrews because of petrol rationing following the "Suez Crisis" in late 1956. Muirfield was subsequently allocated the 1959 Championship.

Qualifying took place on 29–30 June, with 18 holes at Muirfield and 18 holes at the number 1 course of Gullane Golf Club. There were no exemptions and the number of qualifiers was limited to a maximum of 100, and ties did not qualify. The qualifying score was 147 and 90 players advanced to the first round the next day; defending champion Peter Thomson led with 137 and won the £50 qualifying prize. The maximum number of players making the cut after 36 holes was again set at 50, and ties did not make the cut.

The purse was increased to £5,000, up 150 from 4,850 in 1958; the winner's share remained unchanged at £1,000, but the prizes for second to fifth places were increased. Second place received £700, with 525 for third, 400 for fourth, and 325 for fifth.

Only four Americans were in the field of 90 (Willie Goggin, Bob Sweeny, Bob Watson, and John Garrett) and none made the cut. Sweeny and Garrett were amateurs.

Course

HoleYardsParHoleYardsPar14534 1048042353411359433824123804419231315335510514458564584153934715731619338455417513594905184274 Out3,45036 In3,35636Source: Total 6,80672

Round summaries First round Wednesday, 1 July 1959

Fred Bullock and Arnold Stickley led after the first round on Wednesday at 68. A number of amateurs made good starts, the best was Michael Bonallack at 70.

PlacePlayerScoreTo parT1 Fred Bullock68−4 Arnold Stickley3 Antonio Cerdá69−3T4 Michael Bonallack (a)70−2 Sam King Flory Van DonckT7 Jimmy Adams71−1 Harry Bradshaw Henry Cotton Norman Drew Reid Jack (a) Reg Knight Eddie Whitcombe Source:

Second round Thursday, 2 July 1959

Bullock retained the lead after a second round 70 and Bonallack was one of four amateurs to make the cut. The three 'giants' Bobby Locke, Henry Cotton, and Thomson all made the cut, but all were eight or more strokes behind Bullock.

PlacePlayerScoreTo par1 Fred Bullock68-70=138−62 Flory Van Donck70-70=140−4T3 Michael Bonallack (a)70-72=142−2 Reg Knight71-71=142 Arnold Stickley68-74=142T6 Antonio Cerdá69-74=143−1 Tom Haliburton74-69=143 Jimmy Hitchcock75-68=143 Syd Scott73-70=143T10 Sam King70-74=144E Eric Lester73-71=144 John Panton72-72=144 Source:

Amateurs: Bonallack (−2), Carr (+1), Jack (+2), Wolstenholme (+4),Sweeny Jr (+7), Smith (+8), Garrett (+12), Dalziel (+13), Ferguson (+13), Stuart (+13).

Third round Friday, 3 July 1959 - (morning)

Gary Player teed off at 9:04 am (and 1:34 pm), two hours before the leaders, who started at 11:04 am (and 3:34 pm). He was out in 37 in his morning round, but came home in 33 and was only four strokes behind the leaders after 54 holes. Amateur Reid Jack of Scotland posted 68 and was only two shots back.

PlacePlayerScoreTo parT1 Fred Bullock68-70-74=212−4 Sam King70-74-68=212T3 Jimmy Hitchcock75-68-70=213−3 Flory Van Donck70-70-73=213T5 Michael Bonallack (a)70-72-72=214−2 Reid Jack (a)71-75-68=214T7 John Panton72-72-71=215−1 Dai Rees73-73-69=215 Leopoldo Ruiz72-74-69=215T10 Antonio Cerdá69-74-73=216E Reg Knight71-71-74=216 Gary Player75-71-70=216 Syd Scott73-70-73=216 Source:

Final round Friday, 3 July 1959 - (afternoon)

Gary Player reached the last hole and a par four would have yielded a round of 66. However he drove into a bunker and three-putted for a double-bogey six, 68 for the round, and a total of 284. In the last group, Fred Bullock and Flory Van Donck both finished two shots behind Player. Reid Jack won the silver medal for leading amateur by finishing tied for fifth place, two ahead of Bonallack.

PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (£)1 Gary Player 75-71-70-68=284 −4 1,000T2 Fred Bullock 68-70-74-74=286 −2 612 Flory Van Donck 70-70-73-73=2864 Syd Scott 73-70-73-71=287 −1 400T5 Reid Jack (a) 71-75-68-74=288 E – Sam King 70-74-68-76=288 258 Christy O'Connor Snr 73-74-72-69=288 John Panton 72-72-71-73=288T9 Dai Rees 73-73-69-74=289 +1 137 Leopoldo Ruiz 72-74-69-74=289 Source:

Amateurs: Jack (E), Bonallack (+2), Wolstenholme (+3), Carr (+10).

References

External links 88th Open - Muirfield 1959 (Official site)