1869 / Prestwick

Young Tommy Morris won The Open for the second successive year and achieved The Championship’s first hole-in-one at Prestwick in 1869.

It was an 11-stroke victory which showed that the 18-year-old was already distancing himself from the rest as the best golfer of his generation. He posted a 50 in the first round, just one stroke outside his course record from the final round in 1868, but it was his one swing of the club at the eighth hole that added impetus to his growing legend.

The Station Hole measured 166 yards and was over the Alps hill to a blind green protected by the huge Sahara Bunker. Morris liked the shot when he hit it but then had to rely on the noise from the spectators to let him know what happened.

The ball pitched on the front of the green, bounced forward and began rolling. Its line was just off towards the side of the hole but as it lost pace, so it curved more until it found the hole. After a stunned silence, a mighty roar went up and Morris was applauded every step of the way to the green.

He led by three from Davie Strath and Bob Kirk but extended his lead to four with a 55 in the second round and then closed with a 52 for a total of 157.

Kirk closed with rounds of 58 and 57 for a total of 169 and Strath was third after rounds of 53, 56 and 60. Old Tom Morris finished 21 strokes behind in sixth place.

A day of strong wind explained the high scoring, for everyone but the Champion.