1878 / Prestwick

Jamie Anderson won his second successive Open at Prestwick in 1878 with the help of a hole-in-one on the penultimate hole.

He won by two strokes from Bob Kirk and by four from Jimmy Morris, the late Young Tom’s older brother with English amateur John Ball, only 16 years old, in fourth place.

In dull weather, that eventually gave way to rain, Morris led after the first round of 12 holes on 50 and shared the lead with Anderson after 24 holes. Morris then added a 55 to set the clubhouse target at 161.

Anderson began his third round inauspiciously with a pair of 7s, but a 3 at the third was followed by three 5s and two 3s. At the end of eight holes, Anderson needed to finish in 17 to tie Morris. Being told this, he reckoned he could do it. At the Burn Hole, Anderson holed a full iron shot for a 3 and followed this with a 4 at the 10th.

At the 11th, the Short Hole, his tee shot landed on top of the hill behind the green. The ball hesitated and then began to run down the hill and disappeared for a hole-in-one.

A 5 at the 12th gave Anderson a round of 51 and a total of 157.Kirk was told by the crowd at the last that if he holed his long putt, he would tie. It was on target but hit the lip of the hole and rebounded out.

He missed the short return putt and settled for second place, two ahead of Morris. 

Reputedly, just as Anderson was to play at the 11th in the final round, a woman spectator commented that he had teed his ball up outside the teeing ground.

Anderson stopped, re-teed his ball and then achieved his hole-in-one.